Communication Specialist (Ord. Title: Strategic Advisor 2, General Govt)

City of Seattle; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 79,000 - 117,000; Full time

Job summary

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is seeking a Communications Specialist to shape the department's internal and external narratives. You will craft announcements, content for channels, and develop new avenues to inform, engage, and inspire employees and the public.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer and natural collaborator who can manage multiple projects across city departments in a fast-paced environment, advising leadership during crises while maintaining transparency and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, or Public Relations with 5 years of public relations experience including writing and editing for print and electronic media.
• Experience publishing content across print and digital channels.
• Equivalent mix of education, training and experience accepted.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute communication plans for key SPD initiatives.
• Write and edit engaging content for internal messaging, newsletters, blogs, and social media.
• Collaborate with city departments and SPD units to tailor messaging.
• Manage and maintain SPD social media channels and public image.
• Advise leadership during turmoil and crises under scrutiny.
• Engage with local, national, and international media on stories.
• Manage relationships with external media partners to balance transparency and accountability.

Skills

Exceptional writing

Editing

Storytelling

Project management

Collaborative skills

Media relations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications or related field

Tools

SharePoint

Media monitoring tools

Job description

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is seeking a talented and creative Communications Specialist to join our team. This role will be crucial in shaping our department's internal and external narratives, ensuring our employees and the public are informed, engaged, and inspired. This individual will have the chance to work on a wide range of projects, from crafting department-wide announcements, creating compelling content for our channels, to developing new avenues for us to communicate. The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer and a natural collaborator who can manage multiple projects spanning multiple city departments in a fast-paced environment. This position offers a unique opportunity to directly impact the culture and communication within a leading law enforcement agency.

About the Department

The Seattle Police Department is comprised of approximately 1,600 dedicated law enforcement professionals all committed to creating and fostering a work environment that is collaborative, innovative, and leading the way in law enforcement principles and practices. Ours is a culture that encourages top performers to adhere to a standard of excellence in the identification of and resolution to complex challenges. At SPD we acknowledge and honor the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals and pledge ourselves to creating and maintaining an environment that respects diverse traditions, heritages, and experiences.

• Developing and executing communication plans for key SPD initiatives.
• Writing and editing engaging content for various channels, including internal messaging, public newsletters, blogs, and social media channels.
• Collaborating with different city departments and units within SPD to understand their communication needs and create tailored messaging.
• Managing and maintaining our social media channels and public image management.
• Advise leadership during times of turmoil and crisis while under intense scrutiny.
• Working directly with local, national, and international media on daily and long-term stories.
• Manage relationships with external media partners helping to shape narratives while balancing trust, transparency, privacy and accountability to the public.

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor's degree in Communication, Marketing, Public Relations or a related field; minimum of five (5) years of public relations experience including creating, writing, editing and publishing in both print and electronic media formats; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Exceptional writing, editing and storytelling skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a natural collaborator.
• Experience with internal communications platforms (e.g., SharePoint, etc.) is a plus.
• Previous experience in a corporate, government, or law enforcement environment.

Position Requirements

• Must pass a Seattle Police Department background investigation.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits.

The full salary range for this position is $56.57 - $84.88 per hour. This is a full-time (1.0 FTE) regular position with full benefits, is FLSA exempt (not eligible for overtime), and falls under the discretionary pay band (for additional information, please visit Personnel Rule 3.2 - Accountability Pay for Executives Pay Program).

If you have any questions, please contact Sr. HR Specialist, Roth Lim, at [e-mail].