Public Works Strategic Communications Specialist

Salary Range

7,339.00 - 11,010.00

Job Summary

The City of Vancouver is seeking an experienced communications professional to serve as the strategic communications leader for Public Works-one of the City''s largest and most visible service organizations.

This is not a traditional communications role.

We are seeking a trusted advisor, storyteller, strategist, and communicator who can help residents understand the essential services that support daily life-from drinking water and transportation infrastructure to environmental stewardship, emergency response, and community investment.

The successful candidate will work directly with Public Works leadership to develop communication strategies for programs and projects, navigate complex public issues, support media relations, and tell compelling stories that connect residents to the work happening throughout our community.

This position offers a rare opportunity to build and lead communications for one of the region''s most impactful public service departments.

This is a full-time, regular, exempt position. The schedule for this position is M-F, 8am to 5pm.

Open until filled, first review - August 5, 2026.

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to paying our employees fairly, equitably, and competitively. City salaries are structured so that the midpoint of the salary range approximates the amount typically paid for the job in this geographic area. Candidates with experience supporting their ability to come in and hit the ground running may receive a starting salary around the midpoint of the listed salary range. Actual salary at offer is influenced by a host of factors, including a candidate's relevant experience, education, licensure, certifications, and internal equity. The higher end of the listed pay range indicates the salary growth potential of the position.

Job Details

What You'll Do

• Lead strategic communications initiatives supporting Public Works programs, services, projects, and priorities.
• Serve as a communications advisor to department leadership.
• Develop messaging and communication strategies for high-profile, sensitive, and complex projects and issues.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with media representatives and community stakeholders.
• Support emergency and crisis communications efforts, including incident response and public information dissemination.
• Lead communication planning for major infrastructure, transportation, utility, and environmental projects.
• Develop executive-level presentations, speeches, talking points, and briefings.
• Coordinate messaging with citywide communications and engagement teams.
• Measure communication effectiveness and recommend innovative engagement strategies.

What Makes You Successful

You are:

• An exceptional writer and storyteller.
• Comfortable speaking publicly and representing an organization.
• Skilled at building trust with executives, elected officials, media representatives, and community members.
• Able to communicate complex technical information in ways people understand.
• Calm under pressure and capable of making sound decisions in rapidly evolving situations.
• Strategic, collaborative, and politically astute.

Qualifications

Experience and Education

• Five (5) years' experience in professional communications, public relations or closely related field. Experience in public sector is highly desired.
• Equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Relations or a closely related field.
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.

Computer Skills

• Advanced abilities in Microsoft Office Suite and Publisher.
• Advanced abilities in social media creation, posting, maintenance, and interrelation of multiple media platforms.
• Advanced abilities in graphical layout, design, and production software.
• Advanced abilities Adobe suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator).
• Intermediate abilities in websites and other web tools.

Required Licenses and/or Certifications

• Possession of a valid driver's license

Knowledge

• Expertise in community relations, including highly controversial, sensitive and/or complex assignments involving conflicting community interests and/or potential for significant financial or political impact.
• Publications and communications productions in multi-media environment, as well as knowledge of graphical layout, design, and production software.
• Principals of facilitation in small group and community group settings.
• Community based social marketing techniques.
• Robust knowledge of traditional media, social media and online communications.
• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment
• Use of personal computers and basic software
• Understanding of community dialogue tactics and strategies
• Knowledge of media tracking and leveraging analytics to support outreach strategies

Abilities

• Generate and post compelling content on social media and web channels in coordination with city-wide Communications Department.
• Demonstrated cultural competency and ability to support outreach to diverse communities.
• Convey complex issues and concepts in succinct and easy-to-understand language both in writing and verbally.
• Generate ideas for enhancing an organization's image or reputation and pitching stories to the media.
• Exercise a high degree of independent judgment as to appropriate information to share and how to present it most effectively
• Counsel individuals in senior leadership positions and providing executive communications support, including elected officials.
• Handle and maintain sensitive information
• Writing, editing and grammar expertise
• Public speaking and presentation
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with media, city staff, city officials and the public.
• Work under pressure, meet deadlines and adjust to changing priorities.
• Plan, organize and guide the work activities of others.
• Work safely and in compliance with federal and state laws, City policy and standards.
• Promote diversity and multi-cultural understanding in the workplace and the community.
• Maintain a work environment free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
• Operate a personal computer and appropriate software
• Work in a manner consistent with the City of Vancouver's Operating Principles
• Work and act as a team player in all interactions with other City employees
• Provide a high level of customer service at all times
• Project and maintain a positive image with those contacted in the course of work
• Develop and maintain collaborative and respectful working relationships with team members and others
• Maintain regular and dependable attendance
• Demonstrate a commitment to valuing differences among people and to being inclusive.
• Show the utmost respect for others, and act as a team player.
• Promote safety as a guiding principle and a regular practice in accomplishing work by focusing on safe practices and complying with safety and health policies and procedures.
• Recognize unsafe conditions which may be hazardous to an employee or to the public.
• Works in safe and responsible manner; not putting self or others at risk. Complies with applicable policies and procedures including but not limited to using personal protective equipment, observing warning signs, learning about potential hazards, and reporting all unsafe conditions.
• Responsible for ensuring a safe workplace in compliance with applicable policies, procedures and regulations. Ensures supervised employee review of the City Core Accident Prevention Plan, relevant safety policies and procedures, and training on illness and injury response and specific job-related safety concerns. Reports and appropriately escalates all safety issues and all injuries.

This position is subject to successful completion of a pre-employment reference check and a basic criminal background check.

The City of Vancouver is committed to advancing equity and creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace. We recognize that progress depends on more than just a verbal commitment; it depends on making meaningful organizational change. We developed and continue to develop strategies to enhance employee-centered programs, eliminate recruitment and advancement barriers, elevate employee understanding of DEI and cultural competency and build an inclusive and welcoming place to call work. We hope you'll consider joining us on the journey!

Safety: The City of Vancouver believes every employee plays a role in maintaining a safe workplace. The City of Vancouver promotes safety as a guiding principle and practice and accomplishes work by creating safe work environments, complying with safety and health policies and procedures and consistently seeking improvements that support operational excellence.

Diversity and Inclusion: At the City of Vancouver, we value and foster a workplace comprised of people with a range of different backgrounds, experiences and cultures. We recognize that a diverse and inclusive team is key to innovation, effectiveness and a positive culture. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: The City of Vancouver is dedicated to maintaining a work environment that extends equal opportunity to all individuals, regardless of their race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability sexual orientation or gender identity. Employment decisions will be made to further the principle of equal employment opportunity and to comply with state, federal and local laws. We affirm through this policy statement our continuing commitment to the principles of equity and nondiscrimination.

Veterans' Preference: Under Washington law, qualified veterans may be eligible for Veterans' preference when applying for City of Vancouver positions. Honorably discharged Veterans, their surviving spouses or spouses of honorably discharged Veterans with a permanent and total service-connected disability who would like to be considered for a Veterans' preference for this job should provide the qualifying documents as instructed during the application process.

ADA Accommodation: Accommodations will be considered for applicants or candidates with a qualifying disability that prevents them from participating in this process. Accommodations will be made where the City can reasonably provide them without imposing an undue hardship on the business or compromising the integrity of the recruitment process. An applicant with any disability who believes that they need an accommodation should contact Human Resources: call 360-487-8417 or email hrfront1@cityofvancouver.us

Job Posting End Date

Open Until Filled