Senior Communications Consultant

Metropolitan Council; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 104,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The Metropolitan Council seeks a Senior Communications Consultant to develop and manage communication strategies that advance the Council’s brand, vision, and goals. The role supports externally focused projects requiring high-level consultation on public policy and legislative requests.

Ideal candidates bring experience in strategic planning, content creation across channels, and collaboration with executive leadership.

Qualifications

• The role requires strategic communication planning and execution for external audiences.
• Experience guiding messaging for public policy or legislative requests is preferred.
• Ability to collaborate with leadership and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a communications strategist and provide consultation and implementation support.
• Lead development and execution of strategic communication plans including print, online content, and social media.
• Act as brand strategist for council messaging and audience targeting.
• Coordinate with media relations to craft content and prep spokespeople.
• Research and analyze business needs to align with organizational goals.
• Plan events with measurable goals and stakeholder engagement.

Skills

Strategic communications

Media relations

Brand strategy

Public policy

Crisis communications

Project management

Analytics

Executive communication

Diversity and outreach

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher in marketing, communications, English, journalism, or related field

Job description

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website.

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Communications provides strategy and planning; digital user experiences; writing, editing, graphic design, and video production services; facilitates relations with a wide range of news media; provides information content, design and organizational framework for the Metropolitan Council’s public-facing website; and maintains an ongoing presence on social media.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

The Senior Communications Consultant assists in the development, implementation, and management of communication strategies to meet the ongoing needs of the Metropolitan Council brand, vision, and strategic goals. This position supports the communications needs of departments or divisions with projects that are primarily externally focused and of the highest complexity, requiring communications consultation and strategy on public policy or legislative requests.

Candidate's permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin. This position will create a six-month eligibility list for current and future openings.

Full Salary Range:$42.90 - $69.63 hourly/$89,232 - $144,830 yearly

Anticipated Salary Range:$49.91 - 55.29 hourly/$103,813 - $115,003 yearly

The starting salary will depend on the selected candidate's experience, skills, education, and internal salary equity.

• Serve as a communications strategist and provide consultation, strategic communications recommendations, and support for implementation of strategies.
• Lead the development and execution of strategic communication plans from concept to distribution including print collateral, publications, reports, online content, and social media, using project management processes.
• Serve as brand strategist for Council management, providing communication recommendations to assist in messaging to key audiences. Provide message refinement, vision setting, and adjustment of style, method, and delivery as needed.
• Partner with media relations team to provide content for media stories, prep spokesperson to ensure messaging and delivery aligns with Met Council strategy. Support general media relations activity which may include serving as a point of contact, facilitating meetings with public relations managers, providing key content for press releases, etc.
• Research and analyze current and future business needs in order to provide recommendations to meet organizational strategic goals.
• Lead the planning of events including establishing clear measurable goals and themes; engaging key stakeholders; delegation of event tactics to ensure appropriate system/brand presence.
• Participate in cross-functional projects and advocate for the inclusion and correct presentation of marketing and informational communications. Help facilitate meetings, planning sessions, and retreats.
• Manage day-to-day relationships with external vendors and agencies.
• Establish metrics to measure communication strategies outcomes and conduct organization and communication audits to provide recommendations to enhance communication channels.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Any of the following combinations of completed education (in marketing, communications, English, journalism, or a related field) and experience in a professional communications role, including experience communicating with various audiences:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher and 4 years of experience.
• Associate's degree and 6 years of experience.
• High school diploma/GED and 8 years of experience.

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Strategic marketing experience.
• Background in audience analytics.
• Prior government experience (local, state, federal).
• Crisis communications knowledge and experience.
• Emergency management communications.
• Experience working directly with and advising organizational leadership.
• Experience with and/or knowledge of Agile project management processes.
• Second language proficiency.
• Experience working with a diverse workforce and diverse communities and reaching diverse audiences.

What knowledge, skills and abilities you should have within the first six months on the job:

• Knowledge of communication strategy including presentations, facilitation and front-facing communications.
• Knowledge of communication metrics and reporting.
• Knowledge of contract management.
• Knowledge of communication trends.
• Knowledge of design, photography and videography.
• Knowledge of crisis communications.
• Skilled in creating and implementing communication strategies.
• Planning and project management skills.
• Communication skills, including the ability to write for various outlets (internal, external, web, emails, newsletters).
• Facilitation skills.
• Persuasion skills.
• Advanced skillset in written and oral communications.
• Ability to communicate with various audiences such as industry representatives, organization management levels including senior executives and department leadership.
• Ability to collaborate with advocacy and other colleagues to ensure consistent messaging.
• Ability to maintain effective relationships with the team and external partners.
• Ability to explore alternatives and positions to reach agreements and solutions that gain support and acceptance.

What you can expect from us:

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
• We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement.
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits and a good work/life balance.

More about why you should join us!

Union/Grade: Non-Represented / Grade H

FLSA Status: Exempt

Safety Sensitive: No

What your work environment would be:

You would perform your work in a standard office setting. Work may sometimes require travel between your primary work site and other sites.

The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affiantive Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the region and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply.

If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email [e-mail].