Director of Communications and Public Information

DESCRIPTION

The County of Yolo is recruiting to fill one (1) regular full-time position in the class of Director of Communications and Public Information at the County Administrators Office. The first application review date is 30 days after the initial publication of this job announcement.

Department

The County Administrators Office implements the policies and strategic plan of the county organization as set by the Board of Supervisors and provides executive management for the County departments and agencies. For additional info see County Administrator Yolo County .

The role of the Director of Communications and Public Information is to manage the Countys communications with the public through press releases social media videos live media and the County website. The Director of Communications and Public Information informs and engages the community and other stakeholders regarding County activities services and strategies. The Director of Communications and Public Information also functions as the County Spokesperson which requires knowledge of County programs and policies. As a member of the County Emergency Operations Center personnel the Director of Communications and Public Information also acts in a lead capacity in disseminating information during an emergency.

The Ideal Candidate

• is an experienced dedicated innovative and proactive media relations professional who possesses outstanding team-leading skills high integrity solid ethical standards and can exercise appropriate independent judgment.
• understands the dynamics of County government and is exceptional in the art of articulating messages to the community through all available outlets.
• enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and is able to respond quickly and thoroughly to Yolo Countys communications/information needs.
• has strong public speaking and interpersonal communication skills.
• is highly collaborative and successful at cultivating and maintaining effective working relationships with their teams the community media outlets and other agencies.
• leads by example and delivers outstanding customer service with compassion and empathy at all times.
• has experience working in multilingual communities.

To view the full Director of Communications and Public Information job description click here.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should submit an online County of Yolo Employment Application resume verification of education and responses to the supplemental questions at the t ime of filing . For important and detailed information regarding the application and selection process for this recruitment please see the APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS section of this job announcement.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Leads the development implementation and evaluation of the highly visible County-wide communications and public information program that supports organizational priorities and engages internal and external audiences.
• Serves as the Countys advisor on media relations public messaging and communication strategy and coaches County leaders and departments on media protocols and response practices.
• Prepares and directs the creation and dissemination of written digital and multimedia materials including newsletters reports press releases speeches presentations and major publications.
• Acts as the Countys primary spokesperson and represents the organization with the media community groups partner agencies and the public.
• Provides strategic oversight of the Countys digital presence including social media website content branding and digital engagement to ensure accuracy consistency and effective messaging.
• Builds and maintains relationships with media outlets community organizations and internal stakeholders and responds to complex and sensitive inquiries with professionalism and tact.
• Leads and implements County public outreach efforts including briefings workshops events and major communication campaigns and directs emergency communication planning and participation in the Emergency Operations Center when needed.
• Guides cross-departmental communication initiatives to ensure consistent messaging and alignment with County policies and priorities.
• Develops and implements communication policies procedures and standards that promote transparency and improve public understanding of County programs and services.
• Designs leads and implements internal communication strategies that inform and engage County employees and oversees employee communication tools and channels.
• Monitors trends issues public sentiment and emerging topics and uses research surveys and other assessments to advise County leadership and inform communication strategies.
• Oversees the work of contractors and consultants supporting communication projects and manages related contracts and deliverables.
• Evaluates emerging public issues identifies potential impacts on County operations or public perception and recommends proactive strategies and policy adjustments.
• Prepare and edit written material including internal and external newsletters brochures and other publications that provides information to enhance the understanding awareness and support of the county operations and programs.
• Responsible for the Countys social media policy and creating maintaining the County-wide social media sites and presence.
• Design plan implement content to support county outreach activities utilizing diverse platforms and communication tools.
• Provides leadership and supervision to assigned staff including assigning work setting priorities evaluating offering guidance and feedback and supporting professional development to ensure high-quality and timely delivery of communication services.
• Design plan implement and participate in internal and external communications programs to inform train and motivate County employees; direct the dissemination of information to County employees.
• Responsible for the Countys social media policy and creating maintaining the County-wide social media sites and presence.
• Work with website support and design team to ensure accurate and up to date information on the Countys website.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: A bachelors degree from an accredited college or university. A masters degree is desirable.

Experience: Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in public information communications media relations marketing or a related field including experience developing and managing comprehensive communication strategies. Experience leading a communications team or major communication initiatives is highly desirable.

License: This classification requires incumbents to possess and maintain a valid California drivers license Class C or higher to carry out job related duties. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

To view the Knowledge Skills and Abilities and full Director of Communications and Public Information job description click here.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS

Application Process

It is recommended that you print this job bulletin for future reference. Your application should highlight all relevant education training and experience and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. Application information must be current concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. A resume should be included with your application; however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application. V erification of education (official/unofficial transcripts or copy of diploma) must be attached to your application. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.

Note: The first round of application review is 30 days after the initial publication of this job announcement.

Additional documents may be submitted to the Yolo County Human Resources Department in any one or more of the following ways:

• As an attachment to the online application
• By e-mail to
• By fax to
• By hand-delivery to 625 Court Street Room 101 Woodland CA 95695. Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Human Resources is not responsible for the untimely delivery of materials sent via U.S./specialized mail or County interoffice mail.

Selection Procedure

The selection process steps may change with or without notice. The following is a tentative schedule of events that will occur as part of the selection process:

• Screening for Minimum Qualifications
• Screening for Best Qualified
• Department Selection Interviews
• Reference Checks
• Conditional Job Offer pending: Pre-Employment Exams
  • Drug & Alcohol Screening
  • Department of Justice Live Scan
• Confirmed Job Offer

Verification of Education

Acceptable forms of educational documentation are official or unofficial transcripts that list the students name institution name field of study and date the degree was awarded. For recent graduates who have not received proof of their degree a letter from the registrars office stating that all requirements for graduation have been met and listing the field of study will be sufficient proof of graduation.

Please do not send originals ; copies of the required documents are acceptable. Any submitted documents will not be returned.

All foreign transcripts or diplomas must be in English. If the institution does not provide these documents in English the applicant will need to provide a translation which has been done by a professional agency. The County of Yolo will accept education as equivalent to U.S. accreditation from Institutions that are listed as members of the International Association of Universities. You may check for your school by visiting the IAU web site ( who possess a degree or completed coursework that is not from an accredited college or university must submit one of the following:

1. A written statement from a U.S accredited university or college that states that the applicant is qualified for entrance to a program of graduate studies for which a degree in a related field is required.
2. An evaluation of the applicants degree and coursework equivalency by a private organization that provides foreign credential evaluation services. The evaluation must include a comparison of comparable U.S. courses for content credit and grade.

Note : Foreign language documents must include a precise word-for-word English translation of all foreign language documents. It is the responsibility of each applicant to prove to the satisfaction of the County that the applicant meets the specific requirements listed on the job announcement for each specific examination. The following is a list of private organizations that provide foreign credential evaluation services. Fees range from $50 to $400 per document; processing times vary from 5-20 business days. For further information please contact the organization(s). The County of Yolo does not endorse these business entities; this list has been developed for informational purposes only.

EDUCATIONAL RECORDS EVALUATION SERVICE

601 University Ave. Suite 127

Sacramento CA 95825

FOREIGN EDUCATION DOCUMENT SERVICE

P.O. Box 151739

San Diego CA 92175

CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH EVALUATION & EDUCATION INC.

P.O. Box 18358

Anaheim CA 92817

GLOBAL SERVICES ASSOCIATES INC.

409 North Pacific Coast Highway # 393

Redondo Beach CA 90277

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION CREDENTIALS

EVALUATION SERVICE

P.O. Box 3665

Culver City CA 90231-3665

Screening for Best Qualified
The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidates experience education and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification. If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely. Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question. If you have no experience write no experience for the appropriate question. Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire the applicants education training and experience will be evaluated to determine those applicants that are best qualified.

Contact Information

For questions about the position or about employment with the County please contact Human Resources by e-mail at or by phone at .

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is the policy of the County of Yolo to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons regardless of sex sexual orientation race color ancestry religious creed national origin physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS) mental disability medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information) age (40 or over) marital status pregnancy childbirth and related medical conditions or any other classification protected by federal state or local laws or ordinance. The County will comply with all of its obligations under State and Federal laws regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations to applicants.

Reasonable testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants with disabilities or who are unable to attend a scheduled test due to religious reasons in accordance with the Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please call the County of Yolo Human Resources Office at at least five (5) business days prior to the scheduled test date to request accommodation. Documentation from a medical doctor rehabilitation counselor or other qualified professional will be required.

Yolo County a place where YOU belong!

The average person spends one third of their life at work. Why not spend that time in an environment where you are seen for who you are celebrated for the diversity you bring and valued for your potential to contribute to an innovative and dynamic workforce Yolo County is committed to creating and sustaining an inclusive and equitable workplace which supports and values our diverse community.

Come join us! This is where YOU belong.

Required Experience:

Director