EDUCATION & OUTREACH SPECIALIST I

Thurstonstormwater; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Thurston County Public Works in Olympia seeks an Education & Outreach Specialist I to enhance community awareness through strategic communication and outreach efforts. The ideal candidate will collaborate closely with various teams to develop effective communication strategies, ensuring wide-reaching engagement while maintaining the county's core values of accountability, innovation, and teamwork.

Benefits

Work-Life Balance

Deferred Compensation Plans

Flexible Spending Account

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field or equivalent experience.
• Three years of experience in public health or outreach roles.
• Ability to use personal computer software effectively.

Responsibilities

• Analyze technical information for communication purposes.
• Develop media campaign materials for outreach.
• Evaluate communication effectiveness and suggest modifications.

Skills

Strong editing

Proofreading

Writing abilities

Social media familiarity

Email marketing

Basic graphic design skills

Content creation interest

Video editing

Basic web editing

Education

Bachelor's degree in education, public health, environmental science or related field

Tools

Canva

Adobe Express

Job description

The salary range for this position is $5,405.00 - $7,189.00 monthly.

Thurston County Public Works is recruiting for an Education & Outreach Specialist I to join our dynamic, energetic, and innovative team. The successful candidate will have experience implementing planning efforts to build community awareness, education, and outreach activities.

Essential functions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Analyzes and interprets technical information and assists in developing new communication assets targeted to effectively reach appropriate audiences.
• Uses social marketing to identify and reach target groups to promote awareness.
• Develops, reviews, updates, and revises communication assets. May oversee graphic design and production of materials.
• Develops materials for and assembles components of media campaigns targeted toward appropriate audiences.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of communication materials and methods and makes suggestions for modification.
• Collaboratively works as a team member with others to ensure communication effectiveness. Coordinates activities and efforts to maximize program success in the community.

To view the full job classification, click here: Education & Outreach Specialist I

Essential Personnel:This position is considered to be an essential worker and may be required to work during non-business hours or closures in order to meet operational requirements and needs, such as issuing impact alerts.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work Environment – Office setting in Olympia, Washington, primarily working at a desk or in meeting spaces.
• Schedule - Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Workload demands may occasionally require work outside the assigned work hours.
• Travel Requirements - Occasional travel may be required to attend meetings or trainings.
• Customer Interactions - Daily interactions via phone, in-person, and video with Thurston County staff and the public.

WHO WE ARE:

TheThurston County Public Works Department,located in Olympia, Washington, is a national award-winning agency in delivering quality projects to our community. Our mission is to provide excellent public services in all areas of our business. We actively help our staff develop and grow professionally, we bring together resources across divisions to achieve organizational goals, we are always ready to respond to community needs, and we are an American Public Works Association accredited agency, consistently meeting industry best practices benchmarks.

Our Core Values:

• Accountability – We take responsibility for our actions and the resulting outcomes.
• Customer Service – We provide our customers with the highest level of service and quality.
• Innovation – We strive to continuously improve processes, performance, and results.
• Safety – We demonstrate an uncompromising commitment to safety.
• Teamwork– We work together toward achieving a common recognized end.

Mission - to provide excellent public services in all areas of our business.

Vision – The premier public works organization, accountable and transparent in all services we provide to our community.

Thurston County values the diversity of the people it hires and serves.Inclusion to us means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized, appreciated, and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each person’s talents and strengths.We are dedicated to recruiting and developing a talented workforce from various cultures, lifestyles, backgrounds, and perspectives who are committed to our vision and core values. Thurston County Racial Equity and Inclusion Webpage.

WHAT WE OFFER OUR EMPLOYEES:

• Work-Life Balance: We are committed to ensure that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individual’s lifestyle.
• PlanFor Your Future: As a member of our team, you will enjoy great employee benefits, including a retirement plan, pre-tax savings accounts, as well as comprehensive health care and dental/vision care for you and your family. Please visitThurston County Employee Benefit Plansfor more information.
• Paid Leave: Full-time regular employees earn paid vacationin addition to paidholidays.
• Robust Training Program: Employees are encouraged to attend County paid training to help them further their career, learn new skill sets, and stay on top of emerging trends in our industry. We also encourage our staff to participate in professional organizations and attend conferences.
• Flexible Work Schedules: Some of the options that employees may take advantage of include alternative or compressed schedules and/or remote working.
• Deferred Compensation:The County offers 3 voluntary deferred compensation plans for employees who would like to set aside additional deferred tax dollars into a retirement savings plan.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA):Employees can take advantage of Section 125 flexible spending accounts for out-of-pocket health care and daycare expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness: This is a federal program that allows full-time public service employees who have made qualifying payments for certain loans, to get their student loans repaid.Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Why you’ll love it here: Thurston County is located between Seattle and Portland in Western Washington’s South Puget Sound Region. Perched in between the mountains and the ocean, the area boasts the perfect blend of year-round outdoor activities including boating, hiking, skiing, and more. The region is also home to the state capitol city of Olympia, known for its many restaurants, microbreweries, coffee shops, farmers markets, kids’ activities, history, and art events. Discover more about life in Thurston County atExperienceolympia.com.

Message to potential applicants: We understandthat some potential applicants are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the functions or skills listed in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and we understand that may be someone who will learn some of these skills on the job. If you are interested in this position, and meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to go ahead and apply! Feel free to think about how you will bring your own set of skills to the role and tell us about the potential that you hold.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in education, public health, environmental health, environmental science, or other closely related field.Additional experience can be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.
• Must have three years experience working in public health, environmental issues, or other related field promoting education, outreach, media campaign, public relations or other comparable experiences to successfully perform duties and responsibilities of the classification.
• Must have the ability to utilize a personal computer with related software to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Current Washington State Driver's License or have requested and obtained an appropriate accommodation.

DESIRED SKILLS:

• Strong editing, proofreading, and writing abilities
• Familiarity with social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube
• Experience with email marketing and newsletter development
• Basic graphic design skills using Canva or Adobe Express
• Interest in content creation, including blog-style writing and public outreach material development
• Video editing experience
• Basic web content editing using Drupal or a similar CMS
• Familiarity with Formsite, Adobe Illustrator and/or Adobe Photoshop

OTHER RELATED RECRUITMENT INFORMATION:

Questions about this recruitment? Please contact:Zach Davis-Price, Communications & Outreach Supervisor, [e-mail] or [phone].

This position is:

• Represented by a Union
• Eligible for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Eligible for benefits

Items required for consideration:

• Application
• Resume
• Letter of Interest

Learn more about Thurston County at:Thurston County

Please note: Information in this announcement is subject to change without notice at any time during the length of the job advertisement

THURSTON COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Thurston County is committed to provide equal opportunity to all persons seeking or having access to its employment, services and activities, which is free from restriction based on race, sex, marital status, color, creed or religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, pregnancy, status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, unless based upon bona fide occupational qualifications. Applicants with disabilities who need accommodation with the application or selection process should contact Thurston County’s Human Resources, at [phone]. Those who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or speech impaired may use the statewide relay system to reach Thurston County offices and departments to conduct their business telephonically. Relay users can simply dial 7-1-1 (or 1-800-833-6388) to connect with Washington Relay.