Communications Specialist

Henry County Water Authority; Illinois; On-site; USD 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Henry County Water Authority seeks a Communications and Outreach Coordinator to assist with coordinating external and internal communications, educational programs and community outreach. The role involves managing outreach events, creating social media and web content, and developing flyers and other marketing materials for public education on water topics.

The position requires strong written and verbal communication, professionalism and tact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications or closely related field with 2–3 years in public relations or journalism.
• Experience in a water utility or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate indoor and outdoor outreach activities (e.g., Fix-A-Leak Week, Cubihatcha Kids) and plan events.
• Present water efficiency ideas to professional and school groups; represent HCWA at community functions.
• Develop and maintain brochures and presentations on conservation programs and grease management.
• Create and maintain a digital internal employee newsletter to improve internal communications.
• Maintain and update HCWA website content regularly.
• Create content calendars for social media; monitor activity and responses.
• Collaborate with Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center on public education and events.
• Provide information for quarterly newsletter to public relations consultant.
• Support the Executive Team and staff with communications; ensure customer-service oriented environment.
• Update Master Calendar and Event Calendar; distribute to employees.
• Track yearly educational outreach for annual reporting.
• Assist in gathering documentation for Education Award applications.
• Respond to event and tour requests; schedule with staff.
• Set up and order items for community events; manage outreach supplies inventory.
• Assist Communications and Regulatory Coordinator and Executive Management as needed.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Environmental Education, or closely related field

Two to three years experience in public relations or print media and journalism

Job description

Summary: The individual is responsible for assisting with coordinating external and internal communications as well as educational programs and outreach for the Henry County Water Authority. Under general supervision, coordinates outreach and event efforts, creates social media and web content, creates flyers, graphics and other marketing materials. Provides education to the public, both adults and children, on a variety of water industry topics. The individual will have a high level of professionalism, diplomacy and tact, and must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Responsible for participating, coordinating, and/or planning indoor and outdoor outreach activities such as Fix-A-Leak Week, Cubihatcha Kids, Model Water Tower Competition, and others as needed.
• Presents water efficiency and conservation ideas to professional and school groups as well as represents HCWA at community service and public relations functions.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining brochures and presentations on various topics, including residential and commercial conservation programs and grease management.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining a digital internal employee newsletter to increase internal communications about projects, initiatives, and goals of the Authority.
• Responsible for maintaining and updating Authority website content on a regular basis.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining a content calendar for all social media accounts, as well as monitoring accounts for activity and responses.
• Responsible for collaborating with the Cubihatcha Outdoor Education Center on certain public education and events.
• Provides relevant information for development of quarterly newsletter to public relations consultant for distribution.
• Provide communications support to the Executive Team and all staff while ensuring a high level of performance and a customer service-oriented work environment.
• Responsible for updates to the HCWA Master Calendar and Event Calendar and distributing to all employees.
• Responsible for tracking yearly educational outreach for annual reporting.
• Provides Communications team with supporting documentation for the annual Education Award application.
• Responds to event and tour requests and schedules with staff accordingly.
• Provides set up and orders items needed for community events.
• Manages inventory of HCWA outreach supplies.
• Assists Communications and Regulatory Coordinator and Executive Management team as needed.

Education and/or Experience: Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Environmental Education, or closely related field; two to three years experience in public relations or print media and journalism; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience working for a water utility or related field preferred.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Valid Georgia Driver's License; Project Wet certified preferred, but not required.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to handle or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; fumes or airborne particles; and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Applications for this position will not be accepted after5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16th, 2026.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to take phone calls regarding the statusof an application. You will be contacted if you are selected to be interviewed. We appreciate your interest inHCWA!

Henry County Water Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer.