Public Information Manager

City of Richmond; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 74,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Richmond, Office of Strategic Communications, is seeking a Public Information Manager to coordinate the development, distribution, and timely release of information to the public and media.

You will lead content creation, manage media relations and social media, support public engagement, assist in crisis communications, and ensure messaging is accurate across city agencies. This role requires collaboration with assigned agencies and strong writing and presentation skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in public relations, communications, journalism, marketing, or related field.
• Five years of public communications experience with supervisory experience preferred.
• Equivalent combination of training and experience may be used to meet the minimum qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Content Creation: Lead campaign creation, develop and edit press releases, social media posts, newsletters, and other communication materials.
• Media Relations: Serves as the official point of contact and spokesperson for assigned agency, coordinating interviews and maintaining positive relationships with local media outlets.
• Social Media Management: Work with the City’s Social Media Manager to update the City’s social platforms and ensure consistent messaging.
• Public Engagement: Support and, at times, lead public outreach efforts, including attending community events and coordinating meetings.
• Crisis Communication: Assist in preparing and disseminating information during emergencies.
• Research & Reporting: Conduct research on communication trends and prepare reports on outcomes.
• Website Maintenance: Update and manage content on the City’s website and ensure accessibility.
• Collaboration: Coordinate with departments to ensure consistent messaging.

Skills

Media relations

Public speaking

Social media

Graphic design

Content creation

Writing/editing

Project management

Interpersonal comm

MS Office

Adobe Creative Suite

CRM / GIS

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

CRM

GIS

Photo editing software

Job description

The anticipated salary range for this opportunity is $73,672 - $94,749

INTERNAL RECRUITMENT

This opportunity is for current City of Richmond Office of Strategic Communications employees ONLY.

Public Information Manager

The City of Richmond Office of Strategic Communications is seeking highly qualified candidatesfor the position of Public Information Manager. The Public Information Manager assists in the development, coordination, and dissemination of information to the public and media. This role is key in ensuring that accurate and timely information about City initiatives, programs, and events is communicated effectively. The Manager will work closely with the assigned agencies for media relations, social media management, and special event management as needed.

• Content Creation: Lead campaign creation, develop and edit press releases, social media posts, newsletters, and other communication materials that accurately represent the City's initiatives and programs.
• Media Relations: Serves as the official point of contact and spokesperson for assigned agency that includes but is not limited to responding to media inquiries, coordinating interviews, and maintaining positive relationships with local media outlets.
• Social Media Management: Work with the City’s Social Media Manager to update the City’s social media platforms, ensuring consistent and engaging content that aligns with the City’s communication strategy.
• Public Engagement: Support and, at times, lead public outreach efforts, including attending community events, coordinating public meetings, and distributing informational materials.
• Crisis Communication: Assisting the preparation and dissemination of information during emergencies, ensuring the public and media are kept informed with accurate and timely updates.
• Research & Reporting: Conduct research on communication trends, public opinions, and media coverage to inform the City’s communication strategies. Prepare reports on communication efforts and outcomes.
• Website Maintenance: Update and manage content on the City’s website, ensuring information is current, accessible, and user-friendly.
• Collaboration: Coordinate with other departments to gather information and ensure consistent messaging across all city communications.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

TYPICAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: These are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.

• Graphic design concepts and production through concept, design, planning, production, and publication phases
• Familiarity with still photography
• Script writing and editing
• Video production
• Special event production through theplanning, budgeting, and implementation phases
• Practical applications of journalism and writing
• Marketing and communications principles and theories
• Social media platforms
• Marketing and business research
• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, CRM, GIS, or other similar graphic design programs, and photo editing software
• Website content management and website analytics
• Media relations
• Event planning and production
• People management
• Oral and written communication
• Interpersonal communication
• Presentations
• Public speaking

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in public relations, communications, journalism, marketing, or directly related field.
• Five years of public communications experience with supervisory experience preferred.
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.