Position Information

Posting Title

Public Information Specialist Senior

Job Requisition Number

COA090777

Position Number

119062

Job Type

Full-Time

Division Name

Public Information

Minimum Qualifications

Education and/or Equivalent Experience:

Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism, Advertising or related field plus four (4) years of progressive experience in developing and implementing programs of public information, one (1) of which was in a team leader/coordinator capacity.

Experience may substitute for the education up to the maximum of four (4) years.

Licenses or Certifications:

None

Notes to Applicants

Position Overview:

This position will support initiatives related to media relations and response, emergency communications, regulatory compliance and public education. Working with technical staff and other members of the Public Information Office team, this position will take shifts as part of the Austin Water’s 24/7 on-call media response team, draft press releases and coordinate media events, serve rotations as part of Austin Water’s Incident Management Team during emergency events, and prepare communications and outreach materials to meet regulatory requirements for water utilities. At times, this position will be involved with presentations and facility tours for the public.

Working with Austin Water provides a number of benefits including medical, paid leave time, a great retirement plan, training opportunities and more! Click HERE for more information.

When completing the City of Austin employment application:

Please be sure to detail on the application all previous employment that you wish to be considered as part of your qualifications.
A detailed, complete employment application is required. It helps us to better evaluate your qualifications and will be used to determine salary if you are selected for this position. Be sure to provide job title and employment dates for all jobs you wish to be considered.
A resume is required but will not substitute for a complete employment application. Please do not use the phrase “see resume” or refer to other documents to complete your application. Do not leave the “Duties and Responsibilities” sections blank. These will be considered incomplete applications. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If you are selected as a top candidate:

Verification of your education (which may include high school graduation or GED, undergraduate and/or graduate degrees) will be required. You must provide proof of education from an accredited organization/institution and proof of your professional licenses or certifications.
If you are in the military or a veteran, you will need to provide a copy of your DD-214 prior to confirming a start date.

Travel:

If you are selected for this position and meet the Driver Safety Standards in the City of Austin Driver Safety Program, you may drive when necessary to multiple locations as part of your regular job duties. Otherwise, you are responsible for getting to and from these locations.

Secondary Employment:

All Austin Water employees are prohibited from accepting or engaging in any secondary employment that might conflict or interfere with an employee’s duty and responsibility to the Department.
Austin Water must review all secondary employment.
Employees are required to submit a Secondary Employment Application for review and approval upon being hired with Austin Water, as well as current Austin Water employees considering secondary employment.

Effective October 1, 2014, all Austin Water worksite locations are tobacco-free. Use of tobacco products and/or e-cigarettes is not permitted on any AW worksite – including construction sites, parking lot, garage or in any personal vehicle located on the premises.

Pay Range

$30.29 – $37.86

Hours

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Monday – Friday, with limited flexibility. Other hours as business needs require. Hybrid telework schedule available. Participates in on-call rotation.

Job Close Date

01/22/2024

Type of Posting

External

Department

Austin Water Utility

Regular/Temporary

Regular

Grant Funded or Pooled Position

Not Applicable

Category

Professional

Location

Waller Creek Center, 625 E. 10th St. Austin, TX 78701

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Experience:

Experience supporting media relations for local, state or federal government by building solid working relationships with journalists.
Experience with successfully pitching story ideas that capture media attention and generate favorable publicity for an organization.
Experience with distilling complex or technical information into clear, easily-understood talking points and written information.
Experience preparing executive leadership and subject matter experts for interviews with media.
Familiarity with public information protocols during emergency events, including an understanding of National Incident Management System principles.
Experience with social media platforms and best practices for engagement.
Bilingual – for both written and spoken communications.
Ability to travel to more than one work location.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities

Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

1. Works on assignments that are complex in nature where considerable judgment and initiative are required in resolving problems and making recommendations. Primary responsibility for larger individual projects or act as an account representative for client departments and programs.

2. Develops long-range strategic plans.

3. Writes plans, organizes, directs, coordinates and edits articles for publication in a variety of forms, including electronic publication.

4. Coordinates all aspects of production of marketing materials.

5. Performs media relations duties to include: media buying, news releases, and fielding questions from media.

6. Coordinates public relations duties to include: public and school education, presentations, tours of public facilities, and requests for information from the general public.

7. Designs, researches, writes and edits newsletters and releases for internal or external use.

8. Produces public service announcements and videos for promotional use.

Responsibilities- Supervision and/or Leadership Exercised:

May train and lead others.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

Knowledge of public information, marketing, public relations, media relations programs.
Knowledge of the functions and organization of municipal government, to include the relationships between departments, divisions and agencies.
Knowledge of the principles associated with the role of meeting the necessary standards of customer service.
Skill in oral and written communication.
Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
Skill in using computers and related software.
Skill in data analysis and problem solving.
Skill in planning and organizing.
Ability to interpret policies and guidelines.
Ability to write articles for publication.
Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
Ability to lead and train others.
Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with other City employees and the public.

Criminal Background Investigation

This position does not require a Criminal Background Investigation

EEO/ADA

City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual’s AIDS, AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.

Information For City Employees: If you are an employee within

the department, are in good standing and meet both the minimum and preferred qualifications, then you will receive an initial interview.

Utilities jobs

Public Information Specialist Senior