Communications Strategist

City-of-Dublin,-Ohi; Dublin (OH); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Dublin, Ohio seeks a Communications Strategist to lead strategic content planning, audience engagement and digital communications efforts. The role serves as a senior advisor on content strategy, analytics and emerging trends, collaborating across City departments to inform decisions and strengthen community trust.

As the lead strategist for audience engagement, you will develop campaigns across channels, coordinate with the Communications & Marketing team, and drive measurable

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, digital media or a related field.
• Experience developing and implementing strategic communications plans and integrated campaigns.
• Experience using analytics and audience research to guide communication decisions.
• Experience developing content strategies and editorial planning processes.
• Experience managing social media, digital engagement or public information initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements strategic communication plans and integrated campaigns for City initiatives.
• Collaborates with City departments to identify objectives, audiences and messages.
• Advises departments on how to communicate with stakeholders.
• Ensures communications align with City priorities, brand and goals.
• Identifies opportunities to communicate emerging issues and initiatives.
• Maintains enterprise editorial calendar and content roadmap.
• Leads audience engagement and digital strategy; explores emerging platforms.
• Analyzes performance data and builds reports with actionable insights.

Skills

Strategic communication

Audience engagement

Content strategy

Digital communications

Analytics and reporting

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, digital media or related field

Job description

Overview

The Communications Strategist develops and advances strategic communications initiatives that inform, engage and connect residents, businesses, visitors and stakeholders with the City of Dublin. The position leads the planning, coordination and evaluation of integrated communications campaigns and serves as a strategic advisor on audience engagement, content strategy, digital communications and emerging communication trends.

This position combines strategic planning, content leadership, digital engagement, audience insights and marketing principles to ensure the City’s communications are effective, audience-centered and aligned with organizational priorities. The Communications Strategist works collaboratively across City departments to develop communication approaches that build understanding, strengthen trust and support informed decision-making.

The position serves as the department’s lead strategist for audience engagement and content planning, using research, analytics, performance data and emerging communication practices to guide communications decisions and improve outcomes across communication channels.

Primary Focus

The Communications Strategist leads the City's strategic content planning, audience engagement initiatives and digital communications efforts while identifying emerging technologies and communication trends that support organizational goals.

Given the nature of this classification's duties/responsibilities, it has been designated as Exempt under the governing Fair Labor Standards Act regulations and, therefore, is not entitled to formal overtime compensation and/or formal compensatory time.

Supervisory Responsibilities

C&M interns Essential Functions

• Develops and implements strategic communication plans and integrated communications campaigns for major City initiatives, projects, programs and events.
• Collaborates with City departments to identify communication objectives, target audiences, key messages and effective outreach strategies.
• Serves as a trusted communications advisor, helping departments determine how, when and where to communicate with stakeholders.
• Ensures communications efforts support the City’s strategic priorities, brand and organizational goals.
• Identifies opportunities to proactively communicate emerging issues, projects and initiatives.

Content Strategy & Editorial Leadership

• Develops and maintains the City's enterprise editorial calendar, content roadmap and strategic content planning process.

• Develops content strategies that align organizational priorities with audience interests and communication objectives.
• Identifies emerging topics, community interests, trends and cultural moments that create opportunities for timely and relevant communications.
• Identifies opportunities for storytelling across City services, infrastructure projects, economic development initiatives, community events and quality-of-life topics.
• Collaborates with Communications & Marketing staff to coordinate content across communication channels.
• Coordinates communications planning and content development timelines to ensure projects are strategically planned, appropriately resourced and executed proactively.
• Ensures consistency in messaging, brand voice and communication standards.

Audience Engagement & Digital Strategy

• Serves as a subject matter expert on audience engagement, digital communication and social media strategy.
• Evaluates audience behaviors, communication preferences and engagement trends to inform communication approaches.
• Recommends strategies to reach underrepresented or difficult-to-reach audiences.
• Researches emerging communication platforms, technologies and trends and evaluates their potential value to the City.
• Identifies and implements innovative approaches to increase awareness, engagement and participation.
• Develops strategies and campaigns that increase audience engagement, reach and growth across City communication channels.

Analytics, Research & Performance Measurement

• Analyzes communication performance data, audience insights and engagement metrics to evaluate effectiveness.

• Develops reports, dashboards, presentations and recommendations that translate performance data into actionable communication strategies.
• Establishes measurable goals and key performance indicators for campaigns and communication initiatives.
• Uses audience insights, research and performance data to refine communication approaches and improve outcomes.
• Supports public engagement efforts by helping evaluate surveys, feedback and other forms of community input.

Multimedia & Campaign Support

• Leads the City’s overall video and short-form video strategy, including Reels, Shorts and emerging formats.
• Identifies opportunities to use video, podcasts, digital content and emerging formats to support City objectives.
• Collaborates with internal staff, contractors and creative partners to ensure content aligns with strategic goals.
• Supports development of communication materials, presentations, digital content and public information campaigns.

Departmental & Public Information Support

• Supports assigned City departments/divisions through communication planning, writing, editing and public information activities.
• Assists with media relations, community outreach, event communications and issue-specific communication efforts as assigned.
• Supports communication needs during emergencies, incidents and other time-sensitive situations.
• Serves as a member of the Communications & Marketing team and performs related duties as assigned, including, but not limited to, participating in the on-call PIO schedule and 24/7 social media monitoring rotation.
• Supports efforts of Digital Media Team for visual brand standards

Performs other related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, digital media or a related field; and four years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, marketing, digital communications or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Experience developing and implementing strategic communications plans and integrated campaigns.

Experience using analytics and audience research to guide communication decisions.

Experience developing content strategies and editorial planning processes.

Experience managing social media, digital engagement or public information initiatives.

Demonstrated experience utilizing major social media platforms and digital engagement tools, including content strategy, audience development, analytics and paid social advertising.

Knowledge of strategic communications and marketing principles, including audience segmentation, message development, content strategy and campaign planning.

Experience evaluating communication effectiveness and reporting outcomes to leadership.

Experience planning, implementing and evaluating digital advertising or paid media campaigns.

Experience working in local government, public-sector, nonprofit or similarly complex organizations.

Experience with video, multimedia storytelling and emerging communications technologies.

Familiarity with artificial intelligence tools and their application in communications, audience engagement and content development.

Excellent project management skills

Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment

Ability to collaborate with team members

Ability to engage community members and partners

Must be able to participate in 24/7 social media monitoring rotation and after-hours and weekends on-call incident response

Physical Requirements

Ability to operate standard office equipment (e.g. personal computer, copier, telephone).

Ability to work in all types of weather conditions specifically for response to police PIO incidents and during events and observances.

Special Requirements

Valid driver's license

Other Requirements

Regular attendance, as governed by and in accordance with applicable rules, regulations, procedures and laws, is regarded as an essential requirement of this classification.

Compliance with training directives established by supervisory/managerial personnel. Adherence to all applicable Federal and State safety laws, rules, and regulations and

City safety policies/procedures.

Core Competencies

Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services, acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.

Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people-up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.

Functional/Technical Skills: Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills to do the job at a high level of accomplishment.

Problem Solving: Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn't stop at the first answers.

Delaying with Ambiguity: Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn't upset when things are up in the air; doesn't have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.

Time Management: Makes decisions in a timely manner, sometimes with incomplete information and under tight deadlines and pressure; able to make a quick decision.

Patience: Is tolerant with people and processes; listens and checks before acting; tries to understand the people and the data before making judgments and acting; waits for others to catch up before acting; sensitive to due process and proper pacing; follows established process.

Action Oriented: Enjoys working hard; is action oriented and full of energy for the things he/she sees as challenging; not fearful of acting with a minimum of planning; seizes more opportunities than others.

Learning on the Fly: Learns quickly when facing new problems; a relentless and versatile learner; open to change; analyzes both successes and failures for clues to improvement; experiments and will try anything to find solutions; enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks; quickly grasps the essence and the underlying structure of anything.

Priority Setting: Spends his/her time and the time of others on what's important; quickly zeros in on the critical few and puts the trivial many aside; can quickly sense what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal; eliminates roadblocks; creates focus.