Communications Specialist (Ventura Water)

Ventura, City of (CA); Ventura (CA); On-site; USD 82,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Ventura is seeking a Communications Specialist to join Ventura Water. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape communications, engage residents and businesses, and support customer service initiatives related to water programs and infrastructure projects.

Reporting to the Ventura Water General Manager, you will develop and execute outreach strategies, create engaging content across channels, coordinate events, and help convey important information about water rates,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or related field with two years of progressive experience in marketing, media, public relations or communications.
• Ability to explain programs and services clearly to customers.
• Creative, collaborative approach with strong writing and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic communications for Ventura Water programs and public outreach.
• Create content for social media, websites, newsletters, press releases, and educational materials.
• Support customer assistance programs and respond to inquiries and complaints promptly.
• Coordinate community outreach events and maintain consistent messaging with stakeholders.

Skills

Public relations

Strategic communications

Community engagement

Customer service

Writing

Organization

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in marketing/communications

Job description

Pay & Benefits

Whether you're starting your career journey or seeking new opportunities, we welcome all and offer:

• Competitive pay and benefits
• Strong support for professional development
• Vacation & Holiday Compensation
• Deferred Compensation
• CalPERS Retirement
• Tuition Reimbursement & Bilingual Pay

Pay (Salary DOQ):

• $82,413.35 - $110,434.69 Annually

About the Opportunity

The City of Ventura is hiring a creative, collaborative, and community-focused Communications Specialist to join Ventura Water! This newly created position offers a unique opportunity to help shape and strengthen Ventura Water communications, community engagement, and customer service support efforts.

Reporting directly to the Ventura Water General Manager, the Communications Specialist will develop and implement strategic communications initiatives, coordinate community outreach and public education efforts, and create engaging content that connects residents and businesses with Ventura Water programs, services, and projects. The position will also support customer assistance initiatives, coordinate public events, and help communicate important information about water, infrastructure improvements, and VenturaWaterPure.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Developing, coordinating, and implementing communications, public relations, marketing, and community outreach initiatives to promote Ventura Water programs, services, projects, and customer support efforts.
• Creating engaging and informative content for various communication channels, including social media, websites, newsletters, press releases, presentations, public service announcements, advertising campaigns, and educational materials.
• Supporting Ventura Water customer assistance programs by conducting outreach, assisting customers with program enrollment, monitoring customer-fac communication portals, and coordinating timely responses to customer inquiries, concerns, and complaints.
• Leading and coordinating the Ventura Water Outreach Task Force, including scheduling meetings and outreach activities, recruiting and training participating staff, developing consistent messaging, and overseeing event logistics.
• Planning and coordinating community outreach activities, public meetings, educational workshops, facility tours, ribbon-cutting and groundbreaking ceremonies, community academies, and other special events to strengthen public awareness and engagement.
• Developing public communications, notices, and educational materials related to water and wastewater rate studies and adjustments, Proposition 218 noticing requirements, and water conservation regulations, ensuring information is clear, accurate, and accessible to the community.
• Coordinating communications, branding, and community outreach efforts for VenturaWaterPure, water and wastewater infrastructure improvements, capital improvement projects, and other major Ventura Water initiatives.
• Collaborating with the City's Communications Division, Ventura Water staff, City staff, and external stakeholders to ensure consistent messaging. Coordinating internal communications and presentations, and communicating critical information during planned service interruptions, water outages, and emergencies.
• Preparing and distributing media releases, feature articles, public service announcements, and promotional materials, coordinating media coverage, advertising placements, and public relations activities to increase awareness of Ventura Water's services and initiatives.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of communications and community outreach campaigns, analyzing customer feedback and engagement data, and identifying opportunities to strengthen public education, customer experience, and community relations.

The Ideal Candidate – Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Demonstrated experience in public relations, strategic communications, and community engagement.
• Experience providing one-on-one customer assistance, explaining programs and services, and responding to customer questions with clarity and professionalism
• A creative and collaborative approach to developing effective communication strategies and compelling content.
• Exceptional writing and interpersonal skills, including the ability to translate complex technical information into clear, accessible messages for diverse audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and resourcefulness, with experience managing multiple projects and coordinating public outreach initiatives.
• The ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• A commitment to public service, environmental stewardship, and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
• Professional experience or knowledge of the water, wastewater, or public utilities industry, is highly desirable.

Minimum Qualifications – Required

A combination of training, education, and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field, and two years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, media, fundraising, public relations or communications, including some supervision and coordination of major functions is required.

License

Depending on assignment, possession of a valid California Class C driver's license may be required.

About Ventura Water

Ventura Water provides drinking water to more than 109,000 people through approximately 32,000 water service connections. This complex water system has more than 391 miles of pipeline, 3 water treatment plants, 23 pump stations and 31 reservoirs. Our community relies on three 100% local water sources - the Ventura River, Lake Casitas, and local groundwater wells, as well as, providing reclaimed water from the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility to two municipal golf courses, the Ventura Marina area, and private customers for landscape irrigation. We maintain a full-service laboratory and monitor our water quality daily.

For more information about Ventura Water, visit https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/2268/Ventura-Water.

Additional Information

For additional information on the duties and responsibilities of the position, refer to the job descriptions located on the City’s Career Page at City of Ventura Jobs or by viewinghere Communications Specialist.

To learn more about the City’s hiring process, visit the City of Ventura Hiring Process page.