Public Works Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Salary : $88,248.00 - $106,920.00 AnnuallyLocation : City of Bellingham, WAJob Type : Full TimeJob Number : 25- PW Comm and Outreach CoordDepartment : Public WorksOpening Date : 01 / 17 / 2025Closing Date : 2 / 10 / 2025 8 : 30 AM PacificFLSA : ExemptBargaining Unit : 231Nature of WorkOur Public Workscommunications teams is seeking a skilled Coordinator to join our team and help us build stronger connections with our community. This role is crucial in fostering a deeper understanding of our essential infrastructure systems, including water and wastewater treatment, and transportation. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with a passion for sharing information, possessing a strong understanding of public works operations and a talent for building relationships with diverse audiences.JOB SUMMARY : The Public Works Communications and Outreach Coordinator develops and coordinates strategic communication planning for the Public Works Department, including inter-departmental and employee communication, external and public information, public involvement, community relations, media relations and crisis communications. Works with the Public Works Communications and Outreach Manager, Department managers, leads, and other staff on communication strategies. May support the City Communications team to meet internal and external communication needs for the City and its programs. Serves as a first point of contact for inquiries to the Public Works Department and triages requests for information. Responds to inquiries directly within scope of knowledge.The current full salary range for this position is $7,354 / month - $8,910 / month. Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the and City policy.Research has demonstrated that salary negotiation can further inequality due to bias across gender and race. To prevent negotiation bias, the City places new employees within the published salary range based on qualifications and professional experience as listed on the application material, in accordance with City policy. This is in line with the City's commitment to accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Candidates who exceed the minimum experience requirements shall be given credit for advanced step placement at the rate of one additional pay step for each two full years of directly related or equivalent professional experience beyond the minimum requirements. Candidates who meet minimum qualifications or have experience that is not directly related or in a lower-level position will be placed at step one in the salary range. For positions that require a bachelor's degree, one additional step may be granted for applicants with a master's degree in a related field when the master's degree is not required to meet minimum qualifications. The City's HR Department regularly evaluates minimum qualifications to provide equitable employment opportunities.For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures. At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here's a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can and 10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time12 paid holidays 1 floating holiday per year8 hours of sick leave accrued monthlyMedical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their familiesLife insurance and long-term disability coverageFlexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out programAccess to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement securityOptional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer matchLeave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours / month.Closing Date / Time : Fri. 2 / 10 / 25 8 : 30 AM Pacific TimeESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB : Advises staff on public information policies and issues. Serves as a staff specialist and professional consultant to the Department in the field of communications and media relations. Provides support and assistance by advising and coordinating with others in the Department who are preparing communication materials, outreach, news media engagement, and educational or other similar materials. Develops, coordinates, and produces public information products such as brochures, fact sheets, news releases, audio / visual programs, website and social media content, and other informational, educational, and promotional materials. May plan, direct, coordinate and / or support the planning and coordination of events such as public forums, project open houses, and community activities. Coordinates between Public Works and Finance Departments on citywide means, methods, and content on communications related to utility billing. Monitors, responds, or directs to appropriate staff incoming electronic communications submitted through general public works and work email accounts. Assists the ADA Coordinator in monitoring obligations under state and federal law for methods and languages used to communicate information. Partners with other City communicators, departments and as appropriate, including with community Public Information Officers for coordinated emergency communications. Engages with professional organizations (APWA, e.g.) as appropriate. Develops and delivers communication and media trainings for internal stakeholders. Represents the Department at public meetings and events as liaison, spectator, or presenter as assigned.Based on general direction provided by the Director and Assistant Directors, develops, coordinates and implements strategic communications plans to increase public awareness of Public Works programs including capital projects. Encourages public participation in the City's decision-making processes.Coordinates interdepartmental and interagency efforts to maintain and promote Public Works web pages. Monitors the process whereby content is placed in the Public Works sections of the City's website. Coordinates with department staff to ensure information is current, relevant and accurate. Coordinates with Information Technology staff to ensure that web links are viable. Serves as Department Public Information Officer (PIO) during emergencies to coordinate, develop and release information. Coordinates with and supports the Office of Emergency Management during emergency and regular operations. May serve as PIO or other supporting role during an event under the Incident Command System within the City or externally, including for Whatcom Unified Emergency Management.ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED : May prepare scopes of work for solicitation of consultants on small communications contracts.May train, direct, and review the work of lower classified staff as assigned to assist with education and outreach programs.Performs other related work of a similar nature or level.WORKING ENVIRONMENT : Generally works in an office environment with extensive time spent at a computer workstation. Work may occasionally be performed outdoors in all weather and on uneven terrain. Duties may frequently be performed under the stress of information deadlines, pressure from the public, and / or news media for information on sensitive issues. The conditions encountered will vary depending on the sensitivity and complexity of the information to be disseminated. Work requires attendance at evening meetings and response to after-hours callouts. This is a sedentary position with minimal physical exertion requirements.Physical ability to perform the essential functions of the job, including : Frequently communicate accurate information and ideas with others;Frequently operate a computer and other office machinery such as a keyboard, mouse, phone, and fax machine. Experience and Training Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, public administration, or related field. Three years of increasingly responsible experience in communications with responsibility for advising staff on communications and public relations issues.Demonstrated experience in working with print, broadcast and social media.An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to provide the applicant with the knowledge, skills and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the job will be considered. Necessary Special Requirements Adaptability and flexibility to accept schedule changes, as necessary, and willingness to accept "call out" status for emergency situations.Employment contingent upon passing a criminal background check (see Fair Hiring Practices below).Valid Washington State driver's license and good driving record. Candidates must submit a three-year driving abstract prior to hire.National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) training, or the ability to obtain within 18 months, including Incident Command Systems 100, 200, 300, 700 and Washington State G290 and Emergency Management Institute E388.Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire. Selection Process

• You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along
• Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience / training requirements. As part of the City's commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.As part of the application process, please include the following required documents : A cover letter (no more than one (1) page) addressing the following : Why you are interested in this position, why this position is the next right step for you in your career.A detailed summary of your professional experience in communications, including your experience working in public works or the public sector, and advising staff on communications and public relations issues. Provide a writing sample that demonstrates your ability to communicate complex technical information to a non-technical audience (no more than 5 pages). (Note : do not include any links, they will not be reviewed.)Interviews for the most qualified candidates are tentatively scheduled for the week of March 3, 2025. Invitations to participate in the Interview process will be sent via e-mail on or around February 21, 2025. Please Note : Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.Equal Opportunity : Our environment is characterized by respect for cultural backgrounds, belief systems, and ethnic diversity. The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in its work force. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40 ), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment. Fair Hiring PracticesThe City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment. The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made. The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied. The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.There are many good reasons for working at the City of Bellingham. The work is rewarding and you have an opportunity to serve your community. Another good reason is the great benefits that the City offers its employees. See our for additional information.This position is represented by the Teamsters 231 bargaining unit. Specific benefit information including Holidays, Vacation Accruals, Health, Dental and Vision Plans with cost sharing and Deferred Compensation Match can be found in the This position is covered by the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems PERS plan. PERS requires mandatory employee and City contributions. Please visit the for more information on PERS.01 Thank you for your interest in this position at the City of Bellingham! To ensure a consistent review, only the City of Bellingham job application and required supplemental documents will be reviewed. Cover letters and resumes are not reviewed unless they are required as part of the process. When applying for this position, you must thoroughly complete each section of your application, and provide a thorough response to each of the supplemental questions. Please do not indicate "see resume" or copy content that is unrelated to the position being applied for from your resume when answering these questions. Have you read and understood the information listed above? Yes No 02 As part of the application process, have you included the following required documents? A cover letter (no more than one (1) page) addressing the following : Why you are interested in this position, why this position is the next right step for you in your career. A detailed summary of your professional experience in communications, including your experience working in public works or the public sector, and advising staff on communications and public relations issues. Provide a writing sample that demonstrates your ability to communicate complex technical information to a non-technical audience (no more than 5 pages). (Note : do not include links, they will not be reviewed.) Yes, I have included the required documents. I have not included the required documents and understand my application will be considered incomplete. 03 Do you have a Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, public administration, or a related field? Yes No 04 Do you have three years of increasingly responsible experience in communications with responsibility for advising staff on communications and public relations issues? Yes No 05 Do you have demonstrated experience in working with print, broadcast, and social media? Yes No 06 Or, in place of the above requirements, do you have a combination of relevant education and experience that provides you with the required knowledge, skill and ability to be considered? If yes, please briefly describe. 07 Do you have or are you willing to obtain a Washington State drivers license and provide a 3-year driving history prior to hire if required by the position? Yes No 08 Are you willing and able to be adaptable and flexible to accept schedule changes, as necessary, and willingness to accept "call out" status for emergency situations? Yes No 09 Do you have the ability to obtain within 18 month of hire or do you currently have National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) Training, including Incident Command Systems 100, 200, 300, 700 and Washington State G290 and Emergency Management Institute E388? Yes No 10 Describe a time when you had to develop a communication plan for a complex project with multiple stakeholders. What challenges did you encounter, and how did you overcome them? Required Question

Salary : $88,248 - $106,920