Communications Officer I (AFSCME)

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART); California (MO); On-site; USD 119,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

The Communications Officer I at BART supports the Media Relations team in a fast‑paced public communications environment, keeping over 200,000 riders and the public informed about service changes, safety initiatives, and district programs.

The role emphasizes writing for news releases and social media, responding to media inquiries, crisis communications, event planning, after‑hours on‑call work, and managing multilingual media contacts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, or communications from an accredited college or university.
• Equivalent of one year of full‑time professional experience in a public information program or newsroom.
• Additional professional experience may substitute for education year‑for‑year.
• Must have a valid California driver’s license and satisfactory driving record.
• Willing to work off‑shift hours, holidays and weekends, and travel within the local area.

Responsibilities

• Under daily, time‑sensitive deadlines, prepares content highlighting District plans and programs for press releases, social media, and passenger communications; disseminates to media and public.
• Assists in responding to media inquiries by gathering information and coordinating interviews.
• Supports crisis communications by drafting news releases and aiding public outreach.
• Plans events with District staff; coordinates media participation and provides staff support.
• Participates in after‑hours on‑call rotation for service disruption inquiries.
• Posts content on District social media channels about disruptions and events.
• Writes and develops content for social media channels and other digital platforms.
• Assists with website content, multimedia content, passenger communications, and edits news articles.
• Maintains media contact lists including bilingual outlets and builds reporter relationships.
• Attends Board meetings and may assist with A/V needs as required.
• Contributes creative public outreach ideas to advance District priorities.

Skills

News writing

Media relations

Crisis communications

Social media content

Public speaking

CMS platforms

Media monitoring

Event coordination

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in English, journalism, or communications

Job description

Pay Rate

AFSCME Pay Grade 10

$119,184.00/year (Minimum/Step 1) - $144,892.80/year (Maximum/Step 5)

Note: The negotiable salary offer will be commensurate with education and experience.

Reports To

Manager of Media Relations

Days Off

Saturday/Sunday

Who May Apply

All current BART employees and future BART employees

Current Assignment

This job announcement will be used to fill one (1) vacancy.

The Communications Officer I position supports BART's Media Relations team within a fast-paced, high-visibility public communications environment. This position plays a central role in keeping over 200,000 average daily riders and the broader Bay Area public informed about service changes, safety initiatives, capital projects, and District programs.

Current operational priorities for this position include supporting communications around BART's ongoing fleet modernization and station modernization projects, contributing to real-time passenger communications during service disruptions, and assisting with public information efforts tied to safety and security initiatives across the system. This position also supports the District's continued growth in digital and social media engagement, helping to expand reach and responsiveness across multiple platforms during both routine operations and emergent situations.

This position requires availability for on-call rotation and off‑hours response, as service disruptions and newsworthy events often occur outside standard business hours. Successful performance in this assignment requires the ability to synthesize complex, technical, or sensitive information into clear, accurate, and timely public‑facing content under deadline pressure.

The most qualified candidates for this position will have highly developed competencies in the following areas, which will be reinforced with related work experience and will be articulated during the selection process:

• Writing clear, accurate, and engaging content for news releases, social media, and passenger communications under tight deadlines
• Responding professionally and efficiently to media inquiries, including gathering facts, coordinating interviews, and preparing background materials
• Applying sound judgment to identify and prioritize newsworthy information
• Using content management systems, social media platforms, and media monitoring tools effectively
• Maintaining composure and accuracy while communicating during crisis or service disruption events
• Building and maintaining effective working relationships with reporters, District staff, and the public

Responsibilities

1. Under daily, time-sensitive deadlines, prepares written, digital, and multimedia content that highlights District plans, activities, and programs; disseminates information to the news media and general public through press releases, social media posts, passenger bulletins and news articles.
2. Assists in responding to media inquiries by gathering information, preparing background materials, coordinating interviews, and providing factual information under established guidelines.
3. Supports crisis communications by gathering information, writing news releases, and assisting with public outreach.
4. Participates in planning events with other District staff; contacts media in order to ensure participation; attends events and provides staff support.
5. Participates in after-hours on-call rotation to respond to media inquiries about service disruptions and other newsworthy events that occur outside of the hours of 9am-5pm.
6. Posts content on the District’s social media channels regarding service disruptions and other newsworthy events.
7. Writes and develops content for the District’s social media channels.
8. Assists in developing website content, multimedia content, passenger communications, and social media content; and edits news articles as assigned.
9. Assists with maintaining media contact list, including bilingual news outlets; and develops relationships with reporters who cover District news.
10. Attends Board of Directors and other public meetings at BART facilities and may be assigned to assist with audio/visual needs for those meetings on an as-needed basis.
11. Contributes creative public outreach ideas to advance District priorities.

All applications will be reviewed by the Talent Acquisition Division to determine whether applicants meet the established Minimum Qualifications (MQs). Applicants who meet the MQs may be referred to the hiring department for further evaluation as part of the selection process.

The selection process for this position may include one or more of the following: a skills or performance demonstration, written examination, and/or panel or individual interview.

The selected candidate must demonstrate a work history reflecting reliability and dependability and may be required to provide copies of certificates, diplomas, or other documentation required by law, including proof of authorization to work in the United States.

Pre-employment processing will include a background check. This requirement does not apply to current full‑time District employees unless the position requires additional evaluations or clearances.

Education

A Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, communications, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.

Experience

The equivalent of one (1) year of full-time professional experience in a public information program or working in a professional newsroom as a reporter, producer, or editor responsible for writing, editing, and preparing creative content.

Substitution

Additional professional experience as outlined above may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.

Other Requirements

• Must possess a valid California driver’s license and have a satisfactory driving record.
• Required to work off-shift hours and on-call, including on holidays and weekends, and be able to travel within the local area.

Knowledge of

• Methods and techniques of journalism, copy writing, script writing, and editing.
• News value and an understanding of what makes something newsworthy.
• Operational procedures of television, radio and print news media.
• Principles of digital communications and social media engagement.
• Content management systems and web publishing tools.
• Media monitoring and social media analytics tools.
• Principles and practices of public speaking.
• Current office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and word processing and spreadsheet applications.
• Basic knowledge of social media platforms.
• Methods and techniques of researching and verifying data and information.
• Principles and practices for writing clear and concise content.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Digital media center operations.
• Related Federal, State and local codes, laws, and regulations.

Skill in

• Developing and delivering public information materials.
• Writing clear and concise content for public information purposes.
• Performing under the pressure of consistent deadlines.
• Monitoring media coverage and public sentiment.
• Using digital communication platforms and content management systems.
• Skill in digital media, including the ability to learn operating switching equipment.
• Responding to requests and inquiries from news reporters.
• Preparing, editing, and proofreading written materials.
• Working independently in the absence of supervision.
• Researching and analyzing materials.
• Typing at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.