Public Information Officer

Krpa; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 53,000 - 79,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Kansas City, Missouri is seeking a Public Information Officer to lead communications for Parks & Recreation and coordinate with City Communications on messaging and events.

The role drafts releases, manages media relations, and ensures accessibility and brand compliance while supporting emergency communications and community engagement.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in public information, media relations, public affairs, journalism, or strategic communications.
• Accredited bachelor’s degree with 3+ years of experience, or accredited master’s with 1+ year.
• Preference for crisis/emergency communications and project management familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes integrated communications plans for Parks & Recreation that align with city priorities.
• Maintains proactive content calendars and coordinates with City Communications on messaging.
• Builds relationships with department heads and City leadership to support sensitive issues.
• Monitors metrics and reports outcomes to adjust tactics to meet KPIs.
• Drafts news releases, advisories, talking points, and interview materials.
• Coordinates press conferences, public hearings, and media events with stakeholders.
• Attends parks events to capture content and promote initiatives.
• Supports emergency public information and after-hours responses as needed.

Skills

Public information

Media relations

Public affairs

Journalism

Strategic communications

Education

High school diploma

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

Asana

Editorial calendaring

Stakeholder management

Job description

Public Information Officer

(Job Opening #524182)

Full-time position available with the Office of the City Manager - City Communications Division in support of the Parks & Recreation Department

Work Location: 4600 E 63rd St

Salary Range: $4,711-$7,067/month

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Weekends and Nights as needed based on event assignments

Application Deadline: October 14, 2026

About the City Manager’s Office

The City Manager’s Office provides executive leadership and operational oversight to ensure efficient, cost-effective delivery of municipal services under the council‑manager form of government. The office serves as a strategic advisor to the mayor and City Council, supporting policy development, budget preparation, and organizational direction. Oversees department leadership appointments, enforces municipal laws and ordinances, and coordinates citywide operations and programs. The City Manager works to deliver staff support to the City Council and its committees, including policy analysis and implementation. Manages high-profile, citywide initiatives and special events, ensuring successful coordination across departments and stakeholders.

What You’ll Do

• Develops and executes integrated communications plans for the Parks and Recreation Department that advance departmental programs and initiatives and align with citywide priorities and Communications & Engagement team goals.
• Maintains proactive content and media calendars; coordinates with City Communications to ensure consistent messaging across departments.
• Builds collaborative working relationships with department heads and City leadership to align objectives and support sensitive issues.
• Monitors performance metrics, including reach, engagement, sentiment, and accessibility compliance; reports outcomes and adjusts tactics to meet departmental and City KPIs.
• Monitors media inquiries and ensures timely responses to media requests.
• Drafts news releases, media advisories, talking points, and interview materials; serves as an on-the-record spokesperson as needed.
• Develops story ideas and media relationships to support proactive outreach with media outlets and community partners.
• Coordinates press conferences, public hearings, and media events; prepares briefing materials for department leaders and subject matter experts.
• Attends parks events, celebrations, and community activations to capture and share content, engage attendees, and promote Parks and Recreation initiatives.
• Supports after-hours and on-call media response for urgent and breaking matters in coordination with the PIO Supervisor and Department or City leadership.
• Writes, edits, and publishes content through approved channels, including websites, intranet, social media, email, newsletters, and print and digital collateral; ensures adherence to brand and style guidelines.
• Produces basic photo and video assets and partners with creative services staff for advanced production needs.
• Collaborates with social media and website professionals to optimize reach, engagement, and user experience.
• Applies plain language principles and accessibility standards; coordinates with the Office of Language Access team for translation and ADA-related language support.
• Prioritizes inclusive communication and equitable engagement in all materials and outreach efforts; integrates resident feedback into communications plans and promotes two-way community engagement.
• Provides internal updates through intranet posts, staff emails, and other communication channels regarding projects and emergency matters; ensures alignment with City standards.
• Uses approved tools and service-level agreements to intake, prioritize, track, and fulfill communications requests; contributes to quality assurance and process consistency.
• Participates in regular meetings with managers and other Public Information Officers to share updates, identify resource needs, and coordinate coverage.
• Serves as a backup for other Public Information Officers during vacations, emergencies, and high-demand periods to ensure deadlines and service-level agreements are met.
• Supports the Emergency Public Information plan by developing rapid response statements, coordinating with public safety and emergency management personnel and managing incident-related communications under the direction of the PIO team.
• Applies established messaging frameworks and communication protocols; monitors misinformation and issues corrections when necessary.

REQUIRES

• High school graduation and 7 years of experience in public information, media relations, public affairs, journalism, or strategic communications; OR
• an accredited bachelor’s degree and 3 years of experience in public information, media relations, public affairs, journalism, or strategic communications; OR
• an accredited master’s degree and 1 year of experience in public information, media relations, public affairs, journalism, or strategic communications.
• Preference given to candidates with experience in crisis/emergency communications and rapid response, coaching non-communications staff on media and messaging and familiarity with project management systems (e.g., Asana), editorial calendaring, and stakeholder management, and 2-4 years of experience in public information, media relations, or strategic communications in a municipal or complex organization.

Apply online at www.kcmo.gov/jobs. EOE. The City of Kansas City, Missouri is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce.