Public Communications Specialist I

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART); California (MO); On-site; USD 119,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

The Communications Officer I at BART supports the Media Relations team in a fast‑paced public communications environment, keeping over 200,000 riders and the public informed about service changes, safety initiatives, and district programs.

The role emphasizes writing for news releases and social media, responding to media inquiries, crisis communications, event planning, after‑hours on‑call work, and managing multilingual media contacts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, or communications from an accredited college or university.
• Equivalent of one year of full‑time professional experience in a public information program or newsroom.
• Additional professional experience may substitute for education year‑for‑year.
• Must have a valid California driver’s license and satisfactory driving record.
• Willing to work off‑shift hours, holidays and weekends, and travel within the local area.

Responsibilities

• Under daily, time‑sensitive deadlines, prepares content highlighting District plans and programs for press releases, social media, and passenger communications; disseminates to media and public.
• Assists in responding to media inquiries by gathering information and coordinating interviews.
• Supports crisis communications by drafting news releases and aiding public outreach.
• Plans events with District staff; coordinates media participation and provides staff support.
• Participates in after‑hours on‑call rotation for service disruption inquiries.
• Posts content on District social media channels about disruptions and events.
• Writes and develops content for social media channels and other digital platforms.
• Assists with website content, multimedia content, passenger communications, and edits news articles.
• Maintains media contact lists including bilingual outlets and builds reporter relationships.
• Attends Board meetings and may assist with A/V needs as required.
• Contributes creative public outreach ideas to advance District priorities.

Skills

News writing

Media relations

Crisis communications

Social media content

Public speaking

CMS platforms

Media monitoring

Event coordination

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in English, journalism, or communications

Job description

The Communications Officer I at BART supports the Media Relations team in a fast‑paced public communications environment, keeping over 200,000 riders and the public informed about service changes, safety initiatives, and district programs.

The role emphasizes writing for news releases and social media, responding to media inquiries, crisis communications, event planning, after‑hours on‑call work, and managing multilingual media contacts.