Public Information Officer II

City of Oakland; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Oakland Police Department is seeking a Public Information Officer II to lead media relations, craft clear messages, and guide public information during emergencies. You will produce content, manage social platforms, and coordinate with departments to inform residents, businesses, and visitors.

Ideal candidates are strong writers with experience in crisis communications, digital media, and community engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mass communications, journalism, or related field.
• Three years of progressively responsible experience in media or public relations, including two years as supervisor/lead staff.
• Desirable: Fluency in Spanish or Chinese; knowledge of emergency management standards (NIMS/SEMS) and experience delivering public information in emergencies.

Responsibilities

• Consult with departments and Citywide Communications and Engagement teams.
• Provide timely responses to media inquiries and develop messages and talking points for leaders.
• Monitor news and social media to identify issues and opportunities for public engagement.
• Create and edit social media and web content, managing visual assets for clear communication.
• Draft news releases, advisories, statements, and other public-facing communications.

Skills

Strong writing

Crisis communications

Media relations

Digital media

Public speaking

Community engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in mass communications or journalism

Tools

Social media management

Video/content creation

Job description

The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why join the City of Oakland's Police Department?

Do you know how to tell a story that gets people’s attention and helps them understand what matters?

The Oakland Police Department is looking for a Public Information Officer II to join the media team and help shape how Oakland sees, understands, and connects with its Police Department.

You will be on the front lines of communications, working with the media, highlighting the people behind the badge, creating content, managing social media, producing videos, and sharing information important to Oakland residents, businesses, and visitors during some of the most challenging moments our community faces.

If you are ready to put your communications skills to work in a meaningful public service career and join a team that is Building Trust and Strengthening Community, we want to hear from you!

We are looking for someone who is:

• A strong writer. You can explain complex information clearly and accurately to the public during critical incidents, and you can pivot quickly when situations change without sacrificing accuracy or composure.
• Community-first minded. You are genuinely invested in building trust between the Police Department and the community we serve.
• A confident and skilled public speaker. You can communicate clearly and build relationships with people at all levels, from elected officials and senior City leaders to reporters, front‑line staff, and community members.
• Collaborative, creative, self‑motivated, team‑oriented, and compassionate. You bring a positive, solutions‑focused approach to your work and remain focused on achieving shared goals.
• A knowledgeable media professional. You are comfortable working with reporters, understand news cycles, and can build strong, professional relationships with local media outlets.
• Experienced in social media and photo/video production. You can create engaging, data‑informed content for the public and have experience in digital media, journalism, visual storytelling, or crisis communications.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Consulting with departments and collaborating with the Citywide Communications and Engagement team.
• Providing timely responses to media inquiries and working with departmental experts to gather information, develop accurate messages, and prepare talking points for department leaders.
• Monitoring the news and social media to identify emerging issues, misinformation, and opportunities to strengthen public engagement.
• Creating and editing social media and web content, including managing visual assets (videography, photography, infographics) to support clear and simple visual communications.
• Supporting employee communications.
• Participating in the City’s Emergency Public Information Officer Team and supporting public information needs in an emergency or disaster.
• Drafting news releases, advisories, statements, social media posts, and other public-facing communications.

A few reasons you might love this job:

• You will be part of a cohesive, high-performing, collaborative, and effective citywide communications and engagement team that readily brings their array of skills, innovations, and insights to serve the public good.
• You will have the opportunity to tackle new tasks and challenges every day.
• You will tell stories and address every crisis that influences how Oakland perceives and trusts its police department.
• You will develop quickly in this role, gaining exceptional exposure to media relations, crisis communications, content creation, and public strategy.
• Your work will matter to the people we serve and what you do every day will have a direct and tangible impact on the people who live and work in Oakland - on their health, well-being, access to services, and safety.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• Your work can be demanding and can change quickly. One moment you might write a news release; the next, you could prepare for a news conference, record video, manage social media, or help during a major incident.
• You will encounter challenging situations and interact with people during their most difficult moments. You may respond to serious crimes or traumatic events and speak with victims, families, and witnesses experiencing grief, fear, or uncertainty. Your work environment will often be dynamic and unpredictable.
• Our community’s needs often surpass the City’s available resources. This challenge drives us to innovate and approach our work with compassion.

Competencies Required:

• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing
• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
• Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
• Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment
• Professional Impact: Presenting self as a positive representative of the organization
• Informing: Proactively obtaining and sharing information
• Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
• Adaptability: Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
• Strategic Thinking & Perspective: Evaluating immediate actions in context of achieving long range objectives
• Involving Others (Engaging Teams): Engaging others for input, contribution, and shared responsibility for outcomes
• Political & Organizational Savvy: Working skillfully with politics, procedures, and protocols across organizational levels and boundaries
• Industry Monitoring: Grasping the external political, economic, competitive, and social factors affecting the industry

This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill Public Information Officer II vacancies citywide for the duration of the list.

This is a public contact position. The City highly encourages all bilingual candidates to apply! Some positions may require bilingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin. Under the authority of Civil Service Rules Section 5.03, if a position requires bilingual language skills, only those candidates who have indicated they are bilingual in the required language(s) will be referred. Bilingual candidates will be required to successfully pass a language proficiency test if selected for hire.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in mass communications, journalism, or a related field from an accredited college or university. A Master's degree is desirable.

Experience:

Three years of progressively responsible experience in the media or as a public relations representative including two years as supervisor or lead staff.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Fluency in Spanish or Chinese.
• Knowledge of emergency management standards (NIMS, SEMS) and experience delivering public information in an emergency or crisis.
• Understanding of Oakland’s history, policies, and communities.
• Knowledge of the neighborhoods, communities, geography, and what makes The Town special.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Journalism or Communications is preferred but candidates with at least seven (7) years of demonstrated professional experience in media or public relations, news reporting, writing for publications or other related experience including two years as supervisor or lead staff will be considered.

Recruitment Process:

The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the “minimum qualifications” listed for each position. Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas. Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications. In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final. For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be sent a writing exercise (weighted 100%), which will then be evaluated and rated by subject matter experts. You will have 7 days from the time you receive the exam link to complete and submit your written responses. The tentative date that the writing exercise will be sent to you for completion is the week of October 26, 2026. Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by clicking on this link or by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it: https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Request-for-Reasonable-Accommodation-in-Testing-2.9.22-Fillable.pdf. Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst: Will Sun at [e-mail]. Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you’re applying to a “restricted” posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass. The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

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