Manager of Public Affairs

JOB SUMMARY:

The Manager of Public Affairs leads and executes the City's comprehensive communications, marketing, and branding strategies to enhance public engagement, transparency, and trust. This position oversees media relations, content development, production, and community outreach efforts, ensuring that residents, businesses, and stakeholders are informed and engaged. The Manager of Public Affairs collaborates with city departments to align messaging, respond to public inquiries, and build strong neighborhood and community partnerships.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Communications & Media Relations:

• Develops and implements strategic communication plans to effectively convey city initiatives, policies, and services.
• Serves as a spokesperson for the city when appropriate and coordinates with city leadership on media responses.
• Drafts press releases, speeches, op-eds, and other messaging materials for the Mayor and city leadership.
• Manages crisis communications and ensures timely, accurate information is shared with the public.

Marketing & Branding:

• Oversees the development of branding initiatives to ensure consistency across all city materials and platforms.
• Manages advertising, promotional campaigns, and marketing efforts to enhance public awareness of city programs and initiatives.
• Ensures accessibility and inclusivity in all communications.

Production & Content Development:

• Supervises the creation of digital, video, and print content for the city's website, social media channels, newsletters, and other platforms.
• Leads the city's storytelling efforts through multimedia content and engagement strategies.
• Oversees production of public affairs programming, including video production, podcasts, and special event coverage.

Community Engagement & Neighborhood Affairs:

• Develops and implements engagement strategies to foster meaningful relationships with residents, businesses, and community groups.
• Manages neighborhood affairs efforts, ensuring residents have opportunities for input and involvement in city decision-making.
• Coordinates public meetings, forums, and community conversations on key city initiatives.

Leadership & Team Management:

• Supervises public affairs staff, providing guidance, professional development, and performance management.
• Fosters collaboration across departments to ensure a unified communications strategy.
• Manages the public affairs budget and oversee contracts related to communications, marketing, and engagement services.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Political Science, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of experience in public affairs, communications, journalism, media relations, or a similar role, preferably in government or public service.
• Experience with digital media, video production, and social media management.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES AND/OR LICENSES:

• Vehicle Operator's license with satisfactory driving record that meets insurability standards of the City's insurance carrier is required. The employee must maintain the license for the duration of their employment.

REQUIRED SKILLS (Communication/Language; Mathematical; Computer; etc.):

• Strong writing, editing, and public speaking skills.
• Ability to manage high-profile projects and respond quickly in crisis situations.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to engage diverse stakeholders.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to remain in a stationary position in the office approximately 50% of the time. The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, and computer equipment, to bend, twist, squat, and climb. This individual will operate a computer and other office productivity tools to compile and retrieve information from computers, printers, telephones, etc., draft and write, handle paperwork and position self in the course of work. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

The other 50% of the time, the employee will be outside the office, driving, moving about, remaining in a stationary position, and/or traveling for long periods of time. The person in this position needs to have the ability to conduct those activities safely and consistently.

This person must have the ability to exchange information with others (staff, the public and elected officials) - both face-to-face and in writing or via computer.

Talking: The employee must have the ability to express or exchange ideas in the English language by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately or quickly.

Hearing: The employee perceives the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and making fine discriminations in sound.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/CONDITION: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.