What are the responsibilities and job description for the ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST (COMMUNICATOR) position at City of Cincinnati?
General Statement of Duties
This position acts as the public information officer and outreach coordinator for the City of Cincinnati's Emergency Communications Center (ECC), a 911 and 311 agency. To learn more about ECC, visit:https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/ecc/about-ecc/
This employee exercises independent judgment and performs highly responsible technical, administrative, and analytical duties as the Communications Specialist for the assigned department. The employee is responsible for researching, writing, and editing assorted materials for various publications including communications on internet and intranet websites, reports to meet regulatory requirements including the annual report and customer information on a variety of topics. Duties also include preparing and distributing a variety of educational materials; making public presentations; coordinating public speaking events; and preparing emergency communication plans. Employee assists the department in communicating through the news media and may serve as spokesperson for the department. Performs related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications (KSAs)
(Illustrative only. Any one position may not require all of the listed KSAs nor do the listed examples include all the KSAs, which may be required.)
Knowledge of:Concepts, methodologies, and tools pertaining to the organizing, tracking, and reporting aspects of project management.Specific area of assignment as well as major principals, practices, methods, and techniques of administration relating to areas such as general management, budgeting, human resources, or finance.
Skill to:Operate specialized hardware devices or software programs relating to assigned function.
Ability to:Conduct independent, original research based on sound analysis and leading to appropriate recommendations to resolve specific issues.Develop strategies to problems of moderate complexity focused on a specific program, function, or service area; adapt guidelines, including unwritten policies, precedents, and practices that are not always completely applicable to changing situations.Enhance partnerships with key internal and external stakeholders. Apply comprehensive grasp of most factors affecting area of responsibility.Evaluate situations having multiple (and sometime conflicting) elements/considerations.Make judgments and decisions that are still guided by policies, procedures, and management imposed limits, but latitude exists for non-reviewed actions or decisions on routine and some non-routine matters. Understand, apply, and/or adapt complex/conflicting oral or written regulations or guidelines to diverse and dissimilar situations.Act independently and know when to refer situations to higher-level authority.Prepare cost projections and monitor/control budgetary compliance.Understand and apply contract terms and provisions.Organize, analyze, and evaluate tangible and intangible data soundly and impersonally.Understand, interpret, and apply rules, standards, or procedures and persuade others to accept or adopt recommendations.Formulate reasonable and effective conclusions.Conduct thorough investigations, determine methodologies, and obtain basic data necessary to evaluate solutions to complex problems and issues with multiple variables.Train, supervise, or evaluate assigned staff and their work.
Required Education And Experience
Each applicant must have a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in English, Communications, Psychology, Public Relations, Speech, Information Technology, Public Administration, Business Administration, Education or related field. In addition, each candidate must have two years of communication experience that includes writing and editing newsletters, brochures, educational material and/or press releases, or similar material.
Working and Physical Conditions
Examples of Work Performed
This position acts as the public information officer and outreach coordinator for the City of Cincinnati's Emergency Communications Center (ECC), a 911 and 311 agency. To learn more about ECC, visit:https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/ecc/about-ecc/
This employee exercises independent judgment and performs highly responsible technical, administrative, and analytical duties as the Communications Specialist for the assigned department. The employee is responsible for researching, writing, and editing assorted materials for various publications including communications on internet and intranet websites, reports to meet regulatory requirements including the annual report and customer information on a variety of topics. Duties also include preparing and distributing a variety of educational materials; making public presentations; coordinating public speaking events; and preparing emergency communication plans. Employee assists the department in communicating through the news media and may serve as spokesperson for the department. Performs related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications (KSAs)
(Illustrative only. Any one position may not require all of the listed KSAs nor do the listed examples include all the KSAs, which may be required.)
Knowledge of:Concepts, methodologies, and tools pertaining to the organizing, tracking, and reporting aspects of project management.Specific area of assignment as well as major principals, practices, methods, and techniques of administration relating to areas such as general management, budgeting, human resources, or finance.
Skill to:Operate specialized hardware devices or software programs relating to assigned function.
Ability to:Conduct independent, original research based on sound analysis and leading to appropriate recommendations to resolve specific issues.Develop strategies to problems of moderate complexity focused on a specific program, function, or service area; adapt guidelines, including unwritten policies, precedents, and practices that are not always completely applicable to changing situations.Enhance partnerships with key internal and external stakeholders. Apply comprehensive grasp of most factors affecting area of responsibility.Evaluate situations having multiple (and sometime conflicting) elements/considerations.Make judgments and decisions that are still guided by policies, procedures, and management imposed limits, but latitude exists for non-reviewed actions or decisions on routine and some non-routine matters. Understand, apply, and/or adapt complex/conflicting oral or written regulations or guidelines to diverse and dissimilar situations.Act independently and know when to refer situations to higher-level authority.Prepare cost projections and monitor/control budgetary compliance.Understand and apply contract terms and provisions.Organize, analyze, and evaluate tangible and intangible data soundly and impersonally.Understand, interpret, and apply rules, standards, or procedures and persuade others to accept or adopt recommendations.Formulate reasonable and effective conclusions.Conduct thorough investigations, determine methodologies, and obtain basic data necessary to evaluate solutions to complex problems and issues with multiple variables.Train, supervise, or evaluate assigned staff and their work.
Required Education And Experience
Each applicant must have a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in English, Communications, Psychology, Public Relations, Speech, Information Technology, Public Administration, Business Administration, Education or related field. In addition, each candidate must have two years of communication experience that includes writing and editing newsletters, brochures, educational material and/or press releases, or similar material.
Working and Physical Conditions
Examples of Work Performed
- Performs professional level analytical and technical work in the formulation and administration of department or division budgets, development and management of contracts, management of department level procurement, and/or assists in coordination of personnel functions.
- Investigates administrative or operational problems; assists administrators in determining and implementing solutions to problems; makes recommendations affecting aspects of programs and policy; makes presentations to interested groups on various administrative programmatic or operating aspects of department.
- Obtains information from a variety of sources concerning departmental procedures; prepares comprehensive reports and correspondence outlining recommendations for improvements; assists in the installation of new and revised methods, procedures, and systems; evaluates operational efficiency of existing programs and makes recommendations for change.
- May assume administrative responsibility for specific project, either conducted independently or with the aid of lower-level employees; identifies resource needs and may develop action plan; may set up plans and procedures for achieving objectives and providing leadership to work teams as assigned.
- Plans and oversees special community and media events that enhance the visibility of the assigned department.
- Processes transactions involving multiple steps and the application of varied, complex, and/or ambiguous guidelines; may determine eligibility and/or compliance; approves exceptions within assigned scope of authority.
- Reviews documents to determine how they will effect internal processing and determines appropriate course of action/response within assigned scope of authority.
- Authors/customizes/revises communication materials to fit a particular individual, situation, or activity; researches, assembles, and disseminates function-related materials and documentation as required; searches records to locate specific information; checks materials for accuracy, completeness, and/or procedural compliance.
- Applies rules and regulations to provide administrative direction for assigned city programs or management systems which may include personnel management, purchasing processes, training programs, or others.
- Assists department supervisory and management staff in annual budget development and administration processes; researches and collects data; prepares schedule and notifies staff of deadlines and material needs; monitors expenditures and ensures adherence to department budget; identifies need for budget adjustments and modifications as appropriate and necessary.
- Collects, compiles, and analyzes information from various sources on a variety of specialized topics; compiles reports and activity logs; makes recommendations or findings; undertakes a variety of special projects as assigned.
- Prepares written materials to communicate departmental activities and programs for internal and external distribution; assists with public relations activities; acts as a resource to persons with inquiries about departmental services, activities, and programs.
- May serve as an assigned department liaison with other city departments, divisions, and outside agencies; negotiates and resolves sensitive issues.
- May be assigned to develop program standards, policies, and procedures.
