EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ADMINISTRATOR 1 - 74631

Executive Service

This position has the potential opportunity to work from home up to 40% of the time.

Who we are and what we do:

The Community Relations & Public Information Officer serves as a key communications professional within the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). This position is responsible for telling the agency's story through clear, engaging, and data-informed communications.

This position blends creative storytelling, integrated marketing, and public information responsibilities. The officer leads proactive outreach and preparedness communications during non-emergency periods (Blue Skies) and provides operational public information support during emergency activations (Gray Skies).

How you make a difference in this role:

Blue Skies Role - Preparedness, Outreach & Storytelling

• In non-emergency periods, the Community Relations Officer focuses on proactive engagement, public education, and creative storytelling to increase preparedness across Tennessee.
• Plan and execute proactive communications initiatives that support preparedness, mitigation, and resilience efforts statewide.
• Lead the development and execution of integrated public education campaigns.
• Create engaging, audience-focused content for digital platforms, including social media, blogs, newsletters, videos, graphics, and website features.
• Identify and leverage storytelling opportunities, trends, and innovative formats to increase reach and engagement.
• Represent TEMA at public events, preparedness fairs, trainings, and stakeholder meetings.
• Maintain editorial and content calendars to ensure consistent, coordinated messaging across channels.

Gray Skies Role - Public Information & Emergency Communications

During disasters and emergency activations, the Community Relations Officer supports TEMAs communications and external affairs operations by serving as a reliable conduit of information between operational staff, leadership, and external partners.

• Support emergency communications operations during disasters and activations, including work in the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), Joint Information Center (JIC), or other designated locations.
• Assist with real-time information gathering, message coordination, and situational awareness.
• Draft and disseminate timely, accurate public information products, including press releases, social media updates, talking points, and visual content.
• Monitor public sentiment, media coverage, and misinformation to inform communication strategy and response adjustments.
• Coordinate messaging with internal divisions, leadership, and external partners to ensure consistency and clarity.
• Provide surge communications support as operational needs shift during response and recovery.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a related field.

• At least three years of professional experience related to communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a related field.
• Strong written, verbal, and visual storytelling skills. Experience creating and managing content across social and digital platforms. Demonstrated ability to use analytics to guide communication strategies and decision-making.
• Experience supporting or coordinating public-facing campaigns or outreach initiatives.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and comfort engaging with diverse audiences and partners.
• Willingness to travel statewide and deploy during emergencies, including evenings or weekends as needed.

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee's Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State's policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person's race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.