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Job Number

2024018

Salary

DOQ

The City is seeking a results-driven professional, capable of showcasing tangible outcomes derived from their prior experiences in communications & public relations. The Public Information Officer for the City of Independence is a proactive individual who eagerly identifies opportunities for communication & community involvement. Our ideal candidate will be tech-savvy, possessing a understanding of digital platforms, & demonstrating proficiency in crisis communication. This person has an entrepreneurial spirit & is highly valued, reflecting a proactive & risk-taking approach. This role demands a continuous learner, staying on top of industry trends, & someone skilled at crafting compelling narratives that deeply resonate with our community. We are looking for a candidate who not only meets the educational & experiential requirements but also brings a forward-thinking, innovative, & results-oriented mindset to the team.

Plans, develops, & implements departmental public information & public relations programs; works with departmental officials to determine public information & public relations needs; develops overall strategy to address public information & public relations needs, promote departmental services & enhance customer & community relations. Works with departmental officials in gathering & disseminating information about departmental functions; coordinates the activities of employees engaged in performing research on departmental functions & activities; prepares, edits, & directs the production & distribution of informational materials.
Develops concepts for informational & promotional programs; prepares program materials such as speeches, talking points, handouts, brochures, & activities schedules; develops & maintains contacts lists; oversees the production of press kits, & arranges for print & electronic media coverage including social media for special events. Publicizes departmental news & functions utilizing a variety of news media, including social media or blogs.
Advises departmental officials regarding public relations programs & the response to media questions; prepares speeches, news releases & official announcements; arranges press conferences & radio & television interviews for departmental officials; serves as spokesperson for the department at media events & community meetings.
Establishes & maintains liaison with representatives of news media; establishes contacts with community groups to encourage community participation & develops programs & strategies to enhance the public's perception of departmental services.
Prepares news releases, speeches, fact sheets, event rundowns, citations, ceremonial documents & other informational materials for City departments & agencies; conducts research & contacts community & civic agencies to gather data required to prepare informational materials.
Utilizes web application technology to write, edit & adapt accurate & editorially consistent social media or internet content for web site; collaborates with & guides content specialists in developing customer-friendly web site copy; may use software to edit graphics & photos for web content. May represent the City at community events, meetings, press conferences, & ceremonial events.
Develops & recommends communication & public relations plans for departmental emergency activities; reports to the site of emergency & provides information about the status; determines strategies to engage & inform the community; acts as liaison to City agencies, community leaders, groups, & residents to provide information & obtain feedback about emergency services. Meets with management to develop communication & project plan details that reduce impact on the public; determines how emergency alerts & automated communication updates are made to the public; analyzes sensitive customer service problems & collaborates with managers to determine solutions; may draft official communications to the public & customers as required using a variety of communication formats & methods including the internet & social media channels. Manages staff & delegates assignments to task completion.

Completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university, in journalism, communications, marketing, media studies, public relations & Two years of experience in communications, creative marketing, digital media, or public relations that has included planning & facilitating special events for a governmental or non-profit agency; & Two years of experience at the full performance level in communications, creative marketing, digital media, or public relations that has included planning & facilitating special events for a governmental agency or non-profit agency. OR Any equivalent combination of education & experience determined to be acceptable that has included a bachelor's degree as an educational minimum.

Able to complete required NIMS training within first six months of hire. Provided by Employer.

Knowledge of current principles, practices & developments in public relations & in the news media; the English language; modern journalistic principles & practices; methods & techniques of disseminating information to the public; public relations principles & practices used in the preparation & dissemination of informational & promotional materials in all types of media; speech writing techniques; techniques of writing promotional & informational materials; public speaking techniques; current & expanding social media; & common software including Microsoft Suite.

Skill in Writing & editing using current web application technology & architecture; website content management; & planning & executing special events & informational programs.

Ability to Prepare interesting & informative informational materials; evaluate various subject matter materials critically from the standpoint of user interest; formulate strategies to publicize departmental activities, programs & special events; plan promotional programs to improve customer & community relations; coordinate the production & dissemination of informational materials; establish & maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders; present & maintain positive stories in the news media; prioritize work duties; communicate in a clear, concise manner; & communicate an action plan to be taken in response to an emergency. EEO.

City of Independence, Missouri

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Public Information Officer