Communications Manager

Home of Boeing, IKEA, the Seattle Seahawks, and the eternal resting place of Jimi Hendrix. What more could you ask for in a community?

Considered a working manager, oversee a workgroup or small division. Will have direct reports and may have indirect reports. Develop, manage and implement strategic outreach, media relations, and communications of city-wide initiatives for internal and external audiences, and oversee the messaging of community priorities and city programs. Manage employee performance (promote, coach, mentor, and discipline); terminate in conjunction with a superior. Monitor and maintain a designated budget. Determine how to ensure department/strategic goals are implemented. Policy development, updates, interpretation, and administration.

- Plan, organize and manage the Communications division within the City’s Executive department. - Recruit, hire, train, recognize, promote, coach, mentor, develop, evaluate, and discipline the performance of assigned staff. Terminations handled in conjunction with a superior. - Delegate/assign, prioritize, review, and ensure timely completion of duties of assigned staff. - Assist in establishing and implementing the goals of the division. - Evaluate Communications operations to improve customer service, productivity and efficiency, and resolve work-related complaints and issues that cannot be addressed by staff. - Provide information to the public, and meet with complainants to resolve communication or other problems while maintaining positive relations. - Prepare and control budgets, control and approve expenditures, monitor, prepare and submit periodic budget updates, and monitor assigned performance measures. - Develop and ensure the success of a city-wide strategic communications plan that communicates to employees, residents, businesses and regional partners. - Advise and coordinate with staff in departments on strategic communications issues, including ways the City can be positively positioned and portrayed in the news media, social media, the community, other government agencies and City partners. - Write and edit news releases and op-eds to advance community priorities. - Cultivate relationships with members of the media, including reporters, journalists, bloggers and other media outlets, and understand the interest of each contact. - Assist in writing speeches and talking points for elected officials. - Lead the strategy, implementation and ongoing management and maintenance of the city’s website and collaborate as needed with city departments. - Partner with internal and external content managers, editors, designers, developers, and other staff to ensure sites meet both client and city needs, align with the brand strategy platform, and meet city web standards. - Market and present web/digital strategies to diverse audiences, manage multiple projects and maintain schedules and budgets. - Develop and implement marketing and communications strategic plans and recommend new communication methodologies that leverage social media, digital, and multi-media activities. - Work with the communications team and other departments to assess and respond to crisis and emergency situations, and implement, enforce and continually evaluate communications policies, protocols and guidelines. - Serve as a public information officer during emergency and disaster situations and work collaboratively with department operational leads or incident commanders, other public information officers and the Office of Emergency Management. - Respond quickly and appropriately to inquiries from citizens, the media, and other external customers regarding all areas of communications. - Remain current with relevant technological advancements as it relates to field. - Maintain regular, reliable, and punctual attendance, work evening and/or weekend hours as assigned, and travel as required. **Standard Functions:** - Act as Deputy Public Affairs Administrator in his/her absence. - Perform other duties as assigned.

- Bachelor's degree in communication, public relations, public administration, marketing, journalism, or related field. -5 years of increasingly responsible experience in public relations, marketing, and/or communications. - Or 9 years of relevant education and experience. - 2 years management experience. - Public relations experience using print, the web, and/or other resources. - Professional services contract negotiations and management experience. - Experience implementing and managing a Content Management System (websites). - Public sector experience. **KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIREMENTS:** - Oral communication and presentation skills. - Written communication skills, ensuring correct grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary. - Technical writing skills. - Interpersonal skills using tact, patience, and courtesy. - Effective, professional, and positive interactions with difficult individuals. - Understand and follow direction given. - Meet schedules and deadlines. - Report preparation and distribution skills. - Budget development and control skills. - Research and analytical skills. - Decision-making skills. - Conflict resolution and problem-solving skills. - Leadership skills. Detail-oriented, organization, and creative skills. - Ability to: - Compose, proofread, and edit correspondence. - Work independently. Negotiate viable solutions under a variety of circumstances. **Knowledge of:** - Adobe Creative Suite: InDesign, PhotoShop, Illustrator, Acrobat, various social media channels. - Microsoft Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.