Government and Public Relations Manager

Eagle River Water and Sanitation District; Vail (CO); On-site; USD 132,000 - 198,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Housing stipend program

Wellness program

Retirement plans (414h and 457)

13.5 paid holidays

PTO

Job summary

Eagle River Water and Sanitation District (ERWSD) is seeking an experienced Government and Public Relations Manager to lead a team delivering public communications, community outreach, and emergency communication plans. You will serve as ERWSD’s Public Information Officer and shape the organization’s strategic communications.

You’ll guide messaging for executive leadership, manage media relations, and oversee branding, content strategy, and digital channels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, public administration or related field.
• 7+ years in strategic communications, public relations, journalism, public information, media or related field.
• 5+ years leadership experience with supervisory responsibilities.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills for executive, public, digital, media and community audiences.
• Experience advising executives on communications strategy, messaging and sensitive issues.
• Ability to translate complex technical information into clear, audience-friendly communications.

Responsibilities

• Advise CEO/General Manager and leadership on messaging strategy and public response.
• Lead development of ERWSD's communications strategy aligned with district priorities.
• Produce and edit high-visibility communications, including CEO messaging, board materials, press releases, newsletters and web content.
• Translate complex information into clear, accessible communications for diverse audiences.
• Oversee grants communications and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Lead digital and social media strategy and measurement.
• Act as Public Information Officer and primary media spokesperson; manage crisis communications.
• Coordinate Board communications, materials, and meeting processes.

Skills

Strategic communications

Leadership

Media relations

Crisis communications

Public information

Content strategy

Public speaking

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Public Administration

Tools

Photography

Videography

Graphic design

CMS platforms

Job description

Eagle River Water & Sanitation District (ERWSD) provides sustainable and high-quality water treatment services to the Vail Valley. We are looking for an experienced Government and Public Relations Manager to lead a team that develops and delivers ERWSD’s public communications, community outreach, and emergency communication plans. This role will be part of ERWSD’s management team and responsible for supporting and shaping the organization’s strategic vision. This is a great opportunity for someone that wants to shape the conversation of water in the west.

As the Government and Public Relations Manager, you will serve as ERWSD’s Public Information Officer. You will lead public outreach and community engagement initiatives, oversee branding, media relations, and content strategy across digital and print channels, and play a critical role in emergency response communications. You’ll also provide guidance to leadership on board and government relations matters. If you are an experienced leader in communications, public relations, or public outreach, we look forward to meeting you!

What You’ll Do

• Serve as the primary strategic communications advisor to the CEO/General Manager and Executive Leadership Team, providing counsel on organizational messaging, positioning, communication strategy, emerging issues, and public response.
• Develop and lead ERWSD’s communications strategy, ensuring communication supports the District’s strategic priorities and maintains a consistent organizational voice, tone, message, and brand.
• Serve as a lead writer and editor for executive and high-visibility communications, including CEO/GM messaging, Board communications, talking points, presentations, public statements, press releases, newsletters, reports, web content, social media, and other strategic materials.
• Anticipate communication needs and proactively advise executive leadership on how significant organizational decisions, projects, financial matters, operational changes, and emerging issues should be communicated internally and externally.
• Translate complex technical, operational, financial, regulatory, and policy information into clear, accessible, audience-focused communications without losing accuracy or context.
• Support the development, administration, and execution of the District’s grant program, including identifying funding opportunities, coordinating applications, tracking requirements and deadlines, supporting grant reporting and compliance, and collaborating with departments to align grant funding with organizational priorities.
• Develop strategic messaging and communication plans for major District initiatives, including water conservation, rates and financial matters, capital projects, service impacts, regulations, organizational initiatives, and other issues affecting customers and the community.
• Lead ERWSD’s digital and social media strategy, including content strategy, storytelling, campaigns, audience engagement, channel management, and performance measurement.
• Serve as ERWSD’s Public Information Officer and primary media spokesperson, managing media inquiries, interviews, press relationships, public information, and crisis communications.
• Lead emergency and crisis communications, including participation in emergency response activities and all-hours communication support when significant incidents occur.
• Lead public outreach and community engagement, including public presentations, stakeholder engagement, community meetings, open houses, facility tours, and special events.
• Oversee ERWSD’s brand and establish quality standards for written, visual, digital, and public-facing communications.
• Support the CEO/General Manager and Board of Directors through coordinated Board communications, presentation development, key messages, public-facing materials, and clear communication of organizational priorities and decisions.
• Oversee and continuously improve Board meeting and communication processes, including coordination of Board materials, presentation standards, communication deadlines, and consistency across departments.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with municipalities, elected officials, governmental partners, community organizations, media representatives, and other key stakeholders.
• Partner with Directors, managers, subject-matter experts, and project teams to identify communication needs early and develop coordinated communication strategies.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Government and Public Relations department and team while establishing clear priorities, quality standards, accountability, and professional development.
• Monitor media coverage, community sentiment, engagement data, and emerging issues to identify communication risks and opportunities and advise leadership accordingly.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Public Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communications, public relations, journalism, public information, media, or a related field.
• Five or more years of leadership experience, (particularly in diverse teams and leading complex projects that span across mutiple business units and departments within an organization) including at least three years of direct supervisory responsibility.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with demonstrated ability to establish and adapt voice, tone, style, and complexity for executive, public, digital, media, and community audiences.
• Demonstrated experience advising executives or senior organizational leaders on communications strategy, messaging, sensitive issues, and public-facing decisions.
• Strong strategic judgment and the ability to anticipate communication implications, identify reputational risks and opportunities, and recommend an appropriate communication approach.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex technical, financial, operational, regulatory, or policy information into understandable and compelling communication.
• Strong experience developing strategic messaging, storytelling, and integrated communication campaigns.
• Proven experience managing social media, digital communications, websites, email communications, and content strategy.
• Proven experience in media relations, crisis communications, and public information.
• Strong presentation, facilitation, and public speaking skills.
• Ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives and deadlines while maintaining exceptional attention to detail and communication quality.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships across organizational levels and work effectively with executive leaders, technical subject-matter experts, elected officials, community partners, and the public.
• Sound judgment, discretion, political awareness, and composure when communicating about sensitive, controversial, or rapidly evolving issues.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving as a strategic communications advisor to the CEO/General Manager, executive team, elected officials, or governing board.
• Experience working in water, wastewater, utilities, local government, special districts, or another public-sector environment.
• Experience supporting governing boards, Board meetings, elected officials, or governmental communication processes.
• Experience with photography, videography, graphic design, website/CMS platforms, and digital content production.
• Experience using communication analytics and engagement data to evaluate and improve communication effectiveness.
• Professional certification or advanced training in public relations, strategic communications, marketing, crisis communication, or public information.

Pay Range

The pay range for a manager at ERWSD is $132,246.40 – $198,369.60 annually. The starting range depends on qualifications but generally falls within the minimum and midpoint of the pay range.

At ERWSD, we value life-work balance and are leaders in the industry with our holistic benefits package, which includes but is not limited to:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Employee housing and monthly housing stipend program
• Wellness program
• Retirement savings plans (414h and 457) – We are a social security exempt organization
• 13.5 Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Loan programs for: Ski Passes, Electric Vehicles, and Computers
• Relocation Assistance (if applicable)

Click this link to learn more and view our full 2026 Benefits Guide.

All District employees must submit to a pre-employment drug screen and extensive background check including an educational verification and reference check. For a full position description including work environment and physical demands, email [e-mail].

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer

We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job-related factors.