Community Engagement & Communications Specialist

City of Champaign; Champaign (IL); On-site; USD 94,000 - 131,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

11 paid holidays per year

IMRF pension

Job summary

The City of Champaign seeks a Community Engagement Coordinator for the Fire Department. This role offers front-row access to emergency response and public safety operations, with responsibilities to craft content and share the department’s story with residents.

You will develop communication strategies, respond to incidents, create visual and written content, participate in community events, and serve as the department’s voice under the Fire Chief.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, English, public administration or related field.
• Considerable progressively responsible related experience in public administration, public information, community or public relations, communications, marketing or a related field.
• Professional or volunteer experience with social media content management.
• An equivalent combination of work experience and training that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills, and abilities will be considered.
• Current, valid driver’s license.
• Ability to respond to emergencies outside of normal business hours, which can include evenings, weekends, or holidays.
• Public sector or public safety experience.
• Experience developing clear, engaging, and audience‑focused content for communication across multiple platforms (e.g. websites, social media, email, public‑facing documents).
• Experience preparing news releases and/or public service announcements.
• Experience with media interactions and/or community briefings.
• Experience with coordinating and/or planning community events.
• Experience delivering presentations, trainings, or educational programs to target audiences.

Responsibilities

• Creating and delivering communications that help residents understand Fire Department programs, services, and emergency responses.
• Developing and executing outreach strategies through social media, printed materials, videos, presentations, and public-facing digital content.
• Preparing press releases, public service announcements, and other public communication for routine and emergency situations.
• Managing website and social media updates to keep public information accurate, timely, and accessible.
• Responding to media inquiries and gathering verified information during incidents to support transparent public communications.
• Building relationships with community partners, advisory groups, and residents to strengthen fire/community relations and encourage public participation.
• Monitoring the effectiveness of communication channels and adjusting strategies to improve engagement and reach.
• Preparing presentations, reports, and messaging that support department objectives, City initiatives, and command-level decision‑making.

Skills

Communication skills

Social media content management

Public relations

Community outreach

Event planning

Crisis communications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, English, public administration or related field

Tools

Social media management tools

Website content management

Job description

The City of Champaign seeks a Community Engagement Coordinator for the Fire Department. This role offers front-row access to emergency response and public safety operations, with responsibilities to craft content and share the department’s story with residents.

You will develop communication strategies, respond to incidents, create visual and written content, participate in community events, and serve as the department’s voice under the Fire Chief.