Senior Public Engagement and Communications Specialist

What We're Looking For At HNTB, you can invest in a career that is meaningful and rewarding while making a difference for Michigan communities that matter to all of us. As part of a nationwide firm, HNTB Michigan has been a part of delivering solutions for some of the largest and most innovative infrastructure projects across the state. With our historic growth and several office locations across the state, it is an exciting time to join our team of passionate professionals and employee owners working to build a better tomorrow. HNTB is seeking a Senior Public Engagement and Communications Specialist to support a diverse portfolio of impactful transportation projects across Michigan, with opportunities to lead engagement efforts on high-profile and complex initiatives. The position will focus on developing and implementing strategic communications and engagement plans for public agency transportation clients. This role leads the development of communication strategies, materials, and digital and print content that support project goals and inform the community and key project stakeholders. The Senior Public Engagement and Communications Specialist will lead stakeholder and community engagement efforts, support the planning and facilitation of public meetings and workshops, and coordinate closely with clients and multidisciplinary project teams, including planning, environmental, and engineering staff, to ensure alignment with project goals, schedules, and technical work. This role also ensures public input is effectively captured, documented, and integrated into project communications and deliverables. Responsibilities also include task management, research, data gathering, and developing clear, public-facing messaging and communication resources to support project delivery. What You'll Do Develop and help implement effective dissemination of outreach materials, facts and information on project messaging and support client activities to stakeholders according to the public outreach plan including external agencies, associations, and news organizations using print, periodicals, radio, social and/or visual communication media. Review and refine records and reports related to public involvement meetings, forums and public hearings as well as track social engagement and other digital strategies as needed. Draft speeches, create and design presentation materials, prepare remarks, briefing documents and/or compose correspondence for use in mailings, meetings, workshops and other public events. Be responsible for initial fact checking for reports, articles, and other publications. Develop and implement digital strategies for use on web-based communications, including but not limited to websites and social channels. Help develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and review draft reports to indicate a campaign's milestones. Support coordination efforts for public meetings and engagements to best support outreach and initiative goals. Interact with clients to coordinate implementation of communication programs and goals. Perform other duties as assigned. What You'll Need Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Marketing, Communications, English, Journalism or related field and 6 years of relevant experience, or In lieu of education, 10 years of relevant experience. What You'll Bring Strong writing and communication skills, with the ability to lead development of clear, public‑facing messaging across deliverables. Ability to translate complex technical information into clear, public-friendly messaging for diverse audiences. Experience managing production workflows, prioritizing deliverables, and maintaining quality across fast‑paced, concurrent projects. Public engagement, media relations, and community engagement expertise, including leading outreach strategy and execution. Proficiency in Adobe and Microsoft tools, with experience producing high-quality materials and reviewing work of less-experienced staff. Experience developing and guiding social media strategy and content, providing direction to junior staff. Ability to lead research efforts and synthesize findings into clear materials for internal and external use. Experience overseeing stakeholder databases and engagement tracking, including directing updates and maintaining data quality. Ability to plan and lead public meetings, workshops, and outreach efforts, including overseeing logistics, materials, and deliverables. Experience coordinating with clients and multidisciplinary teams to deliver engagement products aligned with project goals and schedules. Strong attention to detail, with the ability to ensure quality control and consistency across all materials and make informed editorial decisions. What We Prefer Experience leading or supporting public engagement for large infrastructure or transportation projects. Experience working with public sector clients. Additional Information Click here for benefits information: HNTB Total Rewards Click here to learn more about Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Locations Detroit, MI East Lansing, MI (Lansing) Grand Rapids, MI Notice To Third‑Party Agencies HNTB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or agencies. Any staffing/employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of HNTB. HNTB will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting staffing/employment agency, person or entity. Staffing/employment agencies who have fee agreements with HNTB must submit applicants to the designated HNTB recruiter to be eligible for placement fees. Job Details Job Type: Regular Full/Part Time: Full time Job Category: Public Engagement and Communications Group ReqID: R-30471 Equal Employment Opportunity & Disability Accessibility Statement HNTB provides a fair and equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status, or other status protected by law. The HNTB Companies ensure nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Any applicant with limited English proficiency or a qualifying physical or mental disability who believes they require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io or call View phone number on click.appcast.io for assistance. HNTB will make determinations on requests for accommodations on a case‑by‑case basis. Hearing and speech‑impaired individuals who seek assistance or accommodation in applying for a position via TTY may dial 711 in the United States. Instruct the TTY operator to call View phone number on click.appcast.io and select option 5 for TTY service. Please indicate to the HNTB agent that you are a candidate seeking assistance in the job application process. Please note that the HNTB Companies will not accept any resume submitted via this email address. To properly submit your application to the HNTB Companies, and to ensure that our recruiters have immediate access to your resume/CV, please search our open positions online, and apply directly through our careers website. Thank you for considering HNTB for your career opportunities. Affirmative Action Policy Statement HNTB has implemented the following policy as part of its longstanding commitment to compliance with all applicable affirmative action requirements. HNTB agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, this affirmative action policy. HNTB is a federal contractor subject to Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended ("Section 4212") and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended ("Section 503"). Accordingly, it is HNTB’s policy to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment protected veterans (disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Armed Forces Service Medal veterans, or active‑duty wartime or campaign badge veterans) and individuals with disabilities at all levels of employment, including the executive level. HNTB also will provide reasonable accommodation to known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified employee or applicant for employment with a disability, unless the accommodation would impose undue hardship on the operation of HNTB. In order to request a reasonable accommodation, employees should contact the HR Solutions Center at General Policy Inquiry - Employee Center and applicants should contact View email address on click.appcast.io. HNTB will recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals in all job titles, and will ensure that all other personnel actions are administered, without regard to an individual’s protected veteran or disability status. All employment decisions will be based only on valid job requirements. In addition, employees and applicants shall not be subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination because they have engaged in or may engage in any of the following activities: (1) filing a complaint; (2) assisting or participating in an investigation, compliance evaluation, hearing, or any other activity related to the administration of any Federal, State, or local law requiring equal opportunity for protected veterans or individuals with disabilities; (3) opposing any act or practice made unlawful by Section 4212, Section 503, their implementing regulations, or any other Federal, State, or local law requiring equal opportunity for protected veterans or individuals with disabilities; or (4) exercising any other right protected by Section 4212, Section 503, or their implementing regulations. The non-confidential portions of the affirmative action program for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities shall be available for inspection upon request by any employee or applicant for employment. These plans are available for review upon request during normal business hours. Any questions or requests to review should be directed to your Human Resources Partner. As Chief Executive Officer, I fully support our affirmative action program and am committed to the implementation of the company’s affirmative action policy. I have delegated overall responsibility for this policy to the Business Integrity Director. The Manager of HR Compliance & Immigration is responsible for the implementation, auditing, and reporting of this policy and program, assisted by the office’s Human Resources Partner. HNTB employees must comply with this policy and report any violations of illegal discrimination, as specified in the Integrity Reporting policy. For Questions or Additional Information For more information on this policy, please contact the HR Solutions Center, General Policy Inquiry - Employee Center, View phone number on click.appcast.io. Robert J. Slimp, CEO #J-18808-Ljbffr HNTB