Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist - Office of the Deputy Mayor (DMPED)

POSITION: Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist

OFFICE: Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED)

OPEN: February 10, 2025

CLOSED: Open until filled

GRADE: Excepted Service, Grade 8 (ES-8)

SALARY: $106,497 - $159,747

This is an Excepted Service position. Selected candidate must be a District resident or establish residency within 180 days of hire.

Current District of Columbia residents will receive priority and advanced preference for screening and interviews.

background

This position is located in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. This position is located in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and serves at the pleasure of the Deputy Mayor under the direction of the Chief of Staff. The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) assists the Mayor in the coordination, planning, supervision, and execution of economic development efforts in the District of Columbia with the goal of creating and preserving affordable housing, creating jobs, and increasing tax revenue. DMPED pursues policies and programs that create strong neighborhoods, expand and diversify the local economy, and provide residents with pathways to the middle class.

The primary purpose of this position is to plan, develop and execute media relations and communications strategies and initiatives to promote the District Government's image to internal and external audiences, and to support the goals and objectives of the District Government. The incumbent is responsible for (1) day-to-day communication and interaction with the public, press, stakeholders, business leaders and potential businesses, both domestically and internationally and (2) the Office's long term strategic communication, including marketing and branding. Coordination between the two roles requires positioning day-to-day activities in terms of the Deputy Mayor's larger goals and objectives.

Major duties

• Day-to-day communication and interaction with the public, press, stakeholders, business leaders and potential businesses, both domestically and internationally
• The Office's long term strategic communication, including marketing and branding.
• Positioning day-to-day activities in terms of the Deputy Mayor's larger goals and objectives.
• Production of press advisories, press releases, policy statements, statements of fact, talking points and speeches for the Mayor and other high level officials, Op-Eds various letters, including Letters to the Editor, and press releases and newsletters.
• Updating the DMPED website, including headline rotation, the addition of new content, and/or the removal/refreshment of old and/or outdated information.
• Interacting with the press through fielding media calls, coordinating press releases, coordinating press requests, speaking on behalf of the DMPED, making DMPED officials available for comment, preparing them for interviews, proactively releasing stories to local and national media outlets, responding to inaccuracies and/or unfair characterizations of DMPED and/or Administration work, and responding to all requests within the business day, or updating on that day, the media on the status of their requests.
• Interacting with stakeholders by preparing information for business leaders, potential businesses, and for Council; fielding calls from residents; working with Agency partners; and working with internal offices, to coordinate, respond to, request, or proactively disseminate information.
• Leading strategic communications, including issues and crisis response, by predicting problems before they arise and laying out a strategic direction and focused course of action to solve them.
• Working with DMPED, external vendors, and partner agencies to produce high quality, branded & co-branded marketing materials (all mediums) that showcase DMPED’s accomplishments and programs
• Integrating public relations and policy relating to the DMPED's larger projects such as Great Streets, New City Center, MLB, and the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative; coordinating with the Mayor's representatives on using communications and public relations for the successful passage of Mayoral legislation; ensuring that communications on Individual DMPED initiatives fit into the DMPED's overall message; and serving as the message coordinator among DMPED agency PIO's, providing direction and leadership on cluster communication.
• Plans, assigns, and evaluates work for subordinates; gives advice, counsel, or instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters; interviews candidates for positions in the unit; recommends appointment, promotion, or reassignment to such positions.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
  
  

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Demonstrated experience in traditional public relations and media relations strategies and tactics - from concept to execution and follow up and demonstrated professional, highly motivated, detailed and goal-oriented individual who possesses demonstrated abilities and skills to perform high level internal and external communications, as well as public and media relations.
• Demonstrated excellent writing, proofreading, and editing experience, as well as a sharp eye for detail, superior command of grammar/punctuation, style, and format to perform media outreach, public speaking, and event planning.
• Demonstrated superior ability to be well organized in order to manage and drive multiple projects to completion; multitask and work in a fast-paced environment to meet deadlines; and work in a cross functional team setting to achieve a common goal.
• Demonstrated strong customer service skills and excellent personal relationships to be proactive and interact with diverse audiences, the media, and to manage and handle crisis communications.
• Demonstrated expert proficiency with computer, web-building, and marketing and expertise in graphic design concepts, needs, tools, and resources; demonstrated experience with web content development, updating, information accuracy, and dissemination, as well as superior background in dealing with printing vendors.
• Mastery knowledge of communication strategies and superior creative skills to generate creative ideas and the excellent analytical skills necessary to evaluate their effectiveness.
• Mastery knowledge of program management and assessment, as well as superior knowledge of District Government departments and programs; to interpret and apply federal, District, and DMPED rules, regulations, and guidance.
  
  

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS

Incumbent work under the supervision of DMPED who makes assignments in terms of projects and program objectives. Incumbent operates with authority to establish work goals and methods of accomplishment. Incumbent plans, schedules, coordinates, executes, and monitors the effectiveness of work and work products. Completed work is reviewed primarily for results In achieving mission goals and objectives, budgetary constraints, and overall effectiveness.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work is performed primarily in-person in an office setting. Times in the field are permitted when there is a related event.

SPECIAL NOTE - SECURITY SENSITIVE

This position is deemed security sensitive. The incumbent of this position will be subject to enhanced suitability screening pursuant to Chapter 4 of DC Personnel Regulations, Suitability – Security Sensitive.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

There is a legal requirement that each new appointee to the Excepted Service either:

• be a District of Columbia resident at the time of appointment; or
• become a District resident within one hundred eighty (180) days of appointment.
  
  

The law also requires that Excepted Service employees remain District residents during the duration of the individual’s appointment. Failure to remain a District resident for the duration of the appointment will result in forfeiture of employment.

If you are interested in this role, please upload your resume and answer the questionnaire. Only the candidates deemed most suited for the position based on resume will receive a call to schedule further discussion.