Communications Specialist (Ventura Water)

Water Otter Job Board; Ventura (CA); On-site; USD 82,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Professional development

Vacation & holiday compensation

Deferred compensation

CalPERS retirement

Tuition reimbursement & bilingual pay

Job summary

Ventura Water, City of Ventura, is seeking a Communications Specialist to shape and strengthen communications, community engagement, and customer service programs.

The role reports to the Ventura Water General Manager and focuses on strategic communications, content creation, and coordinating public events to connect residents and businesses with Ventura Water services and projects.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in public relations, strategic communications, and community engagement.
• Experience providing one-on-one customer assistance, explaining programs clearly.
• Creative and collaborative approach to developing communication strategies and content.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement communications, PR, marketing, and outreach initiatives for Ventura Water.
• Create engaging content for social media, websites, newsletters, press releases, and more.
• Support customer assistance programs and respond to inquiries promptly.
• Lead the Ventura Water Outreach Task Force and coordinate events and logistics.
• Plan community outreach activities, meetings, workshops, and public events.
• Prepare notices and educational materials on water rates, conservation, and notices.
• Coordinate branding and outreach for VenturaWaterPure and capital projects.
• Collaborate with internal/external stakeholders for consistent messaging.
• Issue media releases and manage press activities to raise awareness.
• Evaluate campaigns using feedback and engagement data to improve public education.

Skills

Public relations

Strategic communications

Community engagement

Customer service

Writing & editing

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or related field

Tools

Social media management

Job description

Job Description

Applications are accepted exclusively through the City of Ventura Career Site: www.cityofventura.ca.gov/jobs . Submissions through other websites or methods will not be accepted.

Applications and supplemental questions will be accepted untilMonday, November 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Pay & Benefits

• C ompetitive pay and benefits
• Strong supportfor 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-facing 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

• 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 .

Eligibility List

The Eligibility List established for this classification may be used to fill other regular and temporary vacancies at the discretion of the City.

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 .

Questions? Contact the Recruitment Team
[e-mail]
[phone]

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you need an accommodation in a selection process, please notify the Human Resources Department in writing by the final filing date of the position you are interested in. The Human Resources address is: 501 Poli Street, Room 210, Ventura, CA 93001, [phone], e‑mail: [e-mail].

The City is an equal opportunity employer and strives to attract qualified applicants from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law. We aim to create an environment that celebrates and embraces the diversity of our workforce. We welcome you to join our team!