Communications Director (Legislative Senior Aide I, Grade N18)

Montgomery County (MD); Rockville (MD); On-site; USD 64,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Montgomery County (MD) seeks an experienced Communications Director to translate leadership and initiatives into timely, accurate information for residents. You will own strategy across written, digital, visual, multimedia, media, and events, collaborating with staff to elevate community understanding.

The ideal candidate is a proactive strategist and hands-on producer who can plan ahead, manage competing demands, and deliver polished work with limited oversight in a fast-changing government

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university.
• One year of progressively responsible experience in legislative/policy research or communications.
• Equivalency may be substituted.
• Preferred: four or more years of hands-on communications experience in government or similar field.
• Ability to manage digital platforms and produce multimedia content.
• Strong project management, editorial planning, writing, analytics, and rapid-response skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise the Councilmember and Chief of Staff on communications strategy, audience, timing, message, platform, opportunity, and risk.
• Translate legislative initiatives and budget decisions into accessible communications explaining benefits to the local community.
• Develop and manage an integrated communications plan, editorial calendar, and production schedule.
• Draft and edit speeches, press releases, newsletters, website content, and briefing materials.
• Create and publish social media, graphics, photography, video, emails, and printed materials.
• Lead media relations by pitching stories and coordinating interviews.
• Support press conferences, community meetings, and events with planning and on-site coverage.
• Engage departments and stakeholders to communicate initiatives accurately.
• Use analytics to assess performance and adjust strategy.
• Ensure compliance with public-records and confidentiality; escalate risks early.
• Support Economic Development through research and stakeholder coordination.
• Participate in evening/weekend meetings and time-sensitive communications.

Skills

Communications strategy

Content production

Editorial planning

Social media management

Analytics

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Please Note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $64,104 - $82,149, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Office of a Montgomery County Councilmember seeks an experienced, hands-on Communications Director to translate the Councilmember's leadership, the office's work, and legislative initiatives into timely, accurate, and compelling information that helps residents understand, access, and benefit from County government. Reporting to the Chief of Staff and working closely with the Councilmember, this position owns communications strategy and execution across written, digital, visual, multimedia, media, and public-event settings.

The ideal candidate is a proactive strategist and skilled producer who can independently plan ahead, recognize opportunities, manage competing demands, and deliver polished work with limited oversight. The role requires excellent judgment, political awareness, creativity, disciplined time management, and the ability to adjust quickly as legislative developments, community needs, and public priorities evolve.

Key Responsibilities but not limited to:

• Advise the Councilmember and Chief of Staff on communications strategy, audience, timing, message, platform, opportunity, and risk; bring forward clear recommendations rather than waiting for detailed direction.
• Translate legislative initiatives, committee leadership, budget decisions, constituent priorities, and the S.M.A.R.T. agenda into accessible, accurate communications that explain why the work matters and how it benefits the local community.
• Develop and manage an integrated communications plan, editorial calendar, and production schedule that balances planned campaigns with rapid-response needs and competing office deadlines.
• Independently, draft and edit speeches, talking points, statements, press releases, media advisories, newsletters, website content, constituent communications, presentations, opinion pieces, and briefing materials.
• Create, schedule, publish, and evaluate platform-appropriate social media, graphics, photography, short-form video, reels, captions, scripts, email content, and printed materials.
• Lead media relations by pitching stories, responding to inquiries, preparing the Councilmember for interviews, monitoring coverage, maintaining relationships, and identifying opportunities for timely amplification or correction.

• Support press conferences, public appearances, community meetings, and office events through advance planning, messaging, media coordination, on-site content capture, and prompt follow-up.
• Work across the office to gather facts, confirm policy and legislative context, coordinate approvals, anticipate communications needs, and ensure staff responsibilities and deadlines remain clear.
• Engage County departments, Council offices, community organizations, businesses, residents, and other stakeholders to communicate initiatives accurately and elevate relevant community voices.
• Use analytics and audience feedback to assess performance, strengthen reach and engagement, and recommend adjustments to strategy.
• Maintain accuracy, accessibility, brand consistency, confidentiality, public-records compliance, and appropriate approval protocols; escalate material risks, uncertainties, or delays early under the office's no-surprises standard.
• Support the Councilmember's Economic Development portfolio through research, constituent correspondence, stakeholder coordination, issue tracking, briefings, and related public information.
• Participate in evening and weekend meetings, community events, and time-sensitive communications as required.

Experience

One (1) year of progressively responsible experience in legislative/policy research or communications and/or professional level experience in a subject area relevant to local government administration.

Education

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree.

Equivalency

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to manage digital platforms, create multimedia content, communicate complex information clearly, exercise sound judgment, and meet short deadlines.
• Four or more years of progressively responsible, hands-on communications experience in government, legislative affairs, public policy, advocacy, political communications, journalism, public relations, or another high-volume public-facing environment.
• Independent ownership of communications strategy and production across social media, websites, newsletters, email, graphics, photography, video, speeches, media materials, presentations, and live events.
• A record of proactively identifying communications opportunities, translating complex policy or legislative work for diverse audiences, and producing accurate, publication-ready work with limited substantive revision.
• Strong project management, editorial planning, writing, proofreading, analytics, accessibility, and rapid-response skills, including sound judgment in sensitive or fast-changing situations.
• Knowledge of Montgomery County, local government, economic development, public health, housing, environmental policy, or other issues relevant to the Councilmember's priorities.