COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COORDINATOR

City of Columbia SC; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care

Dental

Vision

Retirement

Deferred compensation plans

Flexible spending accounts

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Holidays

Vacation

Sick leave

Job summary

The City of Columbia is seeking a Public Relations Liaison within the Parks and Recreation department to coordinate communications, streamline requests, and promote programs and events. The role includes managing department webpages and social media, and serving as department photographer with responsibility for a photo library.

You will assist leadership in messaging that supports the department's mission while engaging neighborhood leaders and stakeholders to inform the public about services

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, marketing or a closely related field.
• Two (2) years of relevant prior experience.
• Valid South Carolina Class “D” Driver’s License.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary liaison between the Parks and Recreation department and the Public Relations Department, facilitating Public Relations requests for marketing materials, promotional items, promoting department activities, events and programs.
• Assist department leadership in crafting messaging that supports the mission of the department and City of Columbia.
• Assist staff in creating department public events that fosters community engagement.
• Serve as the department photographer, taking photographs of activities and events for use in promotional materials and maintaining a library of photos.
• Serve as the primary Content Manager for the department webpages and social media platforms; editing, developing and monitoring content for accuracy and relevancy.
• Assist in department community engagement, communicating with neighborhood leaders, community advocates, partners and other stakeholders to ensure that citizens are aware of the services and programs offered at the local parks.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Public relations

Content management

Social media

Photography

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in public relations/journalism/marketing or related field

Job description

Under the direction of the Director of Parks and Recreation, this position will serve as the primary point of contact between the Parks and Recreation department and the Public Relations department. The position will assist in communicating, streamlining, organizing and coordinating Parks and Recreation department requests and efforts to promote Parks and Recreation activities, programs and events. The work is considered light and involves walking or standing most of the time and involves exerting up to 20 pounds of force on a recurring basis, or skill, adeptness and speed in the use of fingers, hands or limbs on repetitive operation of mechanical or electronic office or shop machines or tools within moderate tolerances or limits of accuracy. The work requires the following physical abilities to perform the essential job functions: hearing, mental acuity, speaking, talking, and visual acuity. Work environment involves exposure to no known environmental hazards; and is safe and secure that may periodically have unpredicted requirements or demands.

Essential Job Functions

• Serves as the primary liaison between the department and the Public Relations Department, facilitating Public Relations requests for marketing materials, promotional items, promoting department activities, events and programs;
• Assist department leadership in crafting messaging that supports the mission of the department and City of Columbia;
• Assist staff in creating department public events that fosters community engagement;
• Serve as the department photographer, taking photographs of activities and events for use in promotional materials and maintaining a library of photos;
• Serve as the primary Content Manager for the department webpages and social media platforms; editing, developing and monitoring content for accuracy and relevancy;
• Assist in department community engagement, communicating with neighborhood leaders, community advocates, partners and other stakeholders to ensure that citizens are aware of the services and programs offered at the local parks;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK

• Bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, marketing or a closely related field;
• Two (2) years of relevant prior experience;
• Valid South Carolina Class “D” Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledge of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percentages;
• Ability to gather, organize, analyze, examine or evaluate data or information and may prescribe action based on such data or information;
• Ability to provide information, guidance or assistance to people to directly facilitate task accomplishment; may give directions or assignments to helpers or assistants;
• Ability to handle or use machines, tools or equipment requiring brief instruction or experience, such as computers for data entry, fax machines, copiers, telephones or similar equipment; may service office machines, including adding paper and changing toner;
• Ability to perform skilled work involving rules/systems with almost constant problem-solving;
• Ability to read journals, manuals, and professional publications; speaking informally to groups of co-workers, staff in other organizational agencies, general public, people in other organizations; composing original reports, scripts, articles, press releases, brochures, and other publication materials using proper language, punctuation, grammar and style;
• Ability to perform professional level work requiring the application of principles and practices in a wide range of administrative, technical, or managerial methods in the solution of administrative or technical problems; requires general understanding of operating policies and procedures and the ability to apply these to complex administrative problems; requires continuous, close attention for accurate results or frequent exposure to unusual pressure; and
• Ability to guide others, requiring frequent decisions affecting co-workers and others who depend on the service or product; works in a somewhat fluid environment with rules and procedures but with many variations from the routine.

The City of Columbia is proud to offer a complete benefits package to full‑time employees.

Benefits

• health care
• dental
• vision
• retirement
• deferred compensation plans
• flexible spending accounts
• life insurance
• long‑term disability
• holidays
• vacation
• sick leave

Part‑time or temporary employees, including interns, are not eligible for City benefits.