Communications Consultant 4
State of Washington
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) seeks two Communications Consultants in Shoreline, WA. You will lead real-time incident communications, act as a spokesperson, and respond to media and stakeholder inquiries with urgent, clear information.
You will translate complex transportation details into accessible updates, craft strategic communications across platforms, and collaborate across teams to ensure timely, accurate messaging during maintenance, emergencies, or major
Qualifications
- Advanced communication skills across multiple platforms including social media, news releases, and briefings.
- Judgment and decision-making abilities to assess needs and escalate appropriately.
- Media relations and spokesperson experience handling inquiries under pressure.
- Technical-to-public translation of complex information for public audiences.
- Editorial judgment ensuring accuracy, context and consistency.
- Strategic communications applying objectives, audiences and tools.
- Applied communications knowledge from education or hands‑on experience.
- Growth mindset and service-oriented approach to meet stakeholder needs.
Responsibilities
- Provide real-time public information and media communications during traffic incidents and emergencies.
- Develop and implement strategic communications for programs and issues.
- Translate complex transportation information into clear public messaging.
- Draft public-facing content: news releases, advisories, travel information, talking points.
- Coordinate communications with agencies and stakeholders for consistency.
- Draft and manage content across media and online platforms.
Skills
Job description
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is a multimodal agency with a global reputation for excellence. Our dedicated workforce plans, designs, builds, and operates an integrated transportation system that safely and efficiently moves people and goods throughout the state. In addition to maintaining over 20,000 lane miles of state highway and 4,100 bridges, WSDOT leads an award-winning Active Transportation Plan, manages the world's longest floating bridge, and operates the largest ferry system in the nation!
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is a multimodal agency with a global reputation for excellence. Our dedicated workforce plans, designs, builds, and operates an integrated transportation system that safely and efficiently moves people and goods throughout the state. In addition to maintaining over 20,000 lane miles of state highway and 4,100 bridges, WSDOT leads an award-winning Active Transportation Plan, manages the world's longest floating bridge, and operates the largest ferry system in the nation!
WSDOT is seeking two talented Communications Consultants to join the Northwest Region in Shoreline, WA. In this highly visible role, you’ll lead real-time incident response communications, serve as a WSDOT spokesperson, and respond to media, community, and stakeholder inquiries often when the need is immediate and the work is critical.
From maintenance and emergency response to planned construction and major incidents, you’ll help people understand what’s happening on our state highway system and what it means for their travel. You’ll take complex, fast-moving information and turn it into clear, timely and useful communication across a variety of platforms. This role calls for strong judgment, creativity and the ability to see both the immediate issue and the bigger picture. If you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, collaborating across teams and finding the clearest way to tell an important story, we’d love to hear from you.
- Provide real-time public information and media communications during traffic incidents, emergencies and other significant transportation disruptions.
- Develop and implement strategic communications for WSDOT Traffic, Maintenance and Operations programs, priorities and emerging issues. Translate complex transportation, operational and technical information into clear, accurate and useful information for the public, media and partners. Develop and implement communications plans for maintenance and operations issues as they arise.
- Identify, research and respond to issues that arise and become progressively more independent as the knowledge base increases.
- Craft and implement short and long-term communications plans to meet external and internal audiences.
- Coordinate communications with WSDOT staff, partner agencies, transit providers and other stakeholders to ensure timely and consistent information. Review public correspondence and manage content.
- Communicate clearly and concisely through written materials.
- Draft and manage public-facing content, including news releases, travel advisories, web content, correspondence, talking points and other communications materials. Provide media relations and social media management to support real-time response and transportation demand management strategies.
To be considered for this opportunity, the following competencies are required:
- Advanced Communication Skills — Produces clear, accurate and audience-appropriate written, verbal, visual and digital communications across multiple platforms, including social media, media responses, news releases, webpages, talking points, briefing materials and communications plans.
- Judgment and Decision-Making Skills/Abilities — Ability to assess communications needs, evaluate available information, determine appropriate actions and make sound decisions with limited supervision. Demonstrates the ability to prioritize competing demands, recognize when additional information or coordination is needed, and appropriately escalation issues based on urgency, risk and potential public or organizational impact.
- Media Relations and Spokesperson — Responds effectively to media inquiries and demonstrates confidence, accuracy and composure during live, recorded and print interviews. Communicates clearly under pressure and represents the agency professionally and credibly.
- Technical-to-Public Translation — Translates complex transportation, maintenance, engineering and operational information into clear, accessible language that helps the public understand what is happening, why it matters and what they need to know.
- Editorial Judgment and Accuracy — Reviews and develops public-facing information with strong attention to accuracy, clarity, consistency and context. Recognizes when information requires verification or additional coordination before release.
- Strategic Communications Application — Develops and implements communications strategies that support agency, program and operational objectives. Identifies audiences, communications needs, risks, key messages and appropriate communications tools.
- Applied Communications Competency — Demonstrates professional-level knowledge and skill in communications, public relations, journalism, emergency management or a closely related field through education, professional experience, structured training or a combination of these.
- Experience-Based Professional Equivalency — Shows the ability to perform at a professional communications level through practical, hands‑on experience that substitutes for formal education, demonstrating competency through work samples, portfolio materials, or documented performance.
- Growth Mindset: Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.
- Service-Oriented: Takes action to meet the needs of others.
- Ability to maneuver and transport various materials and/or equipment weighing up to 40 pounds.
- Ability to work nights, weekends, holidays, and perform emergency callouts/stand‑by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Independent Work and Accountability — Demonstrated ability to independently manage assigned work, identify necessary next steps, meet established expectations and deadlines, and take ownership of work through completion or appropriate transition. Seeks assistance or escalates issues when needed without relying on repeated direction or prompting.
- Prioritization and Concurrent Work Management — Experience successfully managing multiple assignments, incidents or competing priorities in a deadline-driven environment. Demonstrates the ability to distinguish urgent work from routine work, adjust priorities as circumstances change and maintain progress across concurrent responsibilities.
- Process Discipline — Demonstrated ability to consistently follow established procedures, protocols, templates and workflows while exercising appropriate professional judgment.
- This recruitment may also be used to fill additional positions per business needs.
- This position is not eligible for remote work. This position is required to report to the Transportation Management Center located in Shoreline in person Monday through Friday schedule, covering one (1) of two (2) TMC shifts: 6AM - noon or 12 PM - 6PM. This role requires occasional night, weekend and holiday hours as needed. This position serves as part of a standby rotation for one week at a time on an ongoing basis throughout the year. This standby rotation will include standby service one or more holidays.
- The salary listed includes the legislative approved 5% salary premium for positions in King County.
- In addition to base salary, employees may be entitled to other forms of compensation depending on the type, duties, or location of the position. For union-represented positions, more information on other forms of compensation can be found in the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements. Information on other compensation types for non-represented positions can be found in Chapter 357‑28 of the Washington Administrative Code.
- WSDOT does not use the E-Verify system, therefore we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov
- Work-Life Balance – We offer flexible work schedules that allow you time for your life outside of this excellent opportunity.
- Paid Leave – In addition to 12 paid holidays, full-time employees may earn up to 25 paid vacation days per year!
- Tuition Assistance – Permanent employees have several options for assistance with education expenses, including tuition reimbursement programs, government discounts at participating colleges throughout the state, and eligibility for federal student loan forgiveness.
- Plan For Your Future – WSDOT offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes a variety of healthcare options. Employees also have a choice of state retirement programs, and much more. Go to State Benefits for more information.
Check out this video to learn more: Why WSDOT?
WSDOT is an equal opportunity employer. We value the importance of creating an environment in which all employees can feel respected, included, and empowered to bring unique ideas to the agency. Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace. All persons, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, and/ or gender identity, are encouraged to apply. Persons with disabilities needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the recruiter listed.
For inquiries about this posting, you may contact the assigned Recruiter at amanda.strebeck@wsdot.wa.gov . Please be sure to reference Communications Consultant 4 #13102 in the subject line.
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.
We understand that your life revolves around more than simply your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That’s why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part‑time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.
If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.
- Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.
- Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax‑deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long‑term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.
- To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.
- Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre‑tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.
- Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.
- The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well‑being of employees.
State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.
Employees also have the ability to participate in the
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