Employee & Executive Communications Manager (WMS BAND 1)

State-of-Washington-Dept.-of-Enterprise-Service; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Enterprise Services (DES) seeks an Employee & Executive Communications Manager to lead the Employee and Executive Communications team, shaping communications for employees and executive operations. The role reports to the Communications Director and collaborates with leadership to ensure aligned, timely messaging across internal platforms.

Experience in strategic communication planning, media relations, and crisis response is essential, with availability for evenings and weekends

Qualifications

Responsibilities

• The Employee & Executive Communications Manager leads the Employee and Executive Communications team and plans, implements, and measures communications for employees and executive operations.
• Supports agency leadership with strategic messaging, internal coordination, and communications policy guidance.
• Works across the Communications division to align messaging with agency goals, budgets, and legislative priorities.

Job description

Employee & Executive Communications Manager

WMS BAND 1

NOTE: The hiring authority reserves the right to offer the position at any time after the required posting period, and during the recruitment process. It is to the applicant's advantage to apply as early as possible.

The position’s assigned duty workstation is located at: 1500 Jefferson St. Olympia, WA.

This position is eligible for hybrid work with most daily work remote but must be able to come to the Olympia location on an as needed basis. This position requires the incumbent to be available on evenings and weekends to support the communication, and executive operation needs of the agency. This need is typically higher during the month leading up to and during Legislative session.

Who we are:

The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) provides centralized business services to state government agencies; to other public entities such as cities, counties and tribes; and to Washington residents. DES’ mission is to strengthen the business of government for a sustainable and just future. Learn more about DES.

About the Opportunity:

Communications is responsible for ensuring that DES is connecting with its audiences to achieve its strategic goals, assess and minimize risk, build and protect the agency’s public reputation and brand, and help agency customers easily understand, access, and connect with DES services.

Communications is a critical component of successful policy and government relations work, providing aligned messaging to support agency budget and legislative requests and stakeholder management for high-risk, sensitive, and politically charged issues. Work includes strategic communication planning, media relations, crisis and emergency response, agency brand, graphic design, digital platforms including website and social media, internal communications, public outreach, and all internal and external communication activities. Communications is responsible for creating communication plans to carry out federal, state, and agency law, rule, and policy implementations.

The Employee and Executive Communications Manager (EECM) reports directly to the Communications Director and is a trusted and confidential advisor on matters related to the employee and executive operation communication activities of the agency to the communications director, division staff and leadership, and by extension the agency cabinet. This position manages the Employee and Executive Communications team that plans, implements, and measures communications for employees and executive operations. This position is a member of the Communications leadership team and helps inform communications policy. The EECM manages communication activities and strategies that effectively support agency strategic and public