Senior Public Engagement Rep.

Harris County Toll Road Authority; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) seeks a Public Engagement Specialist to assist the Assistant Director in planning and directing outreach activities. You will develop and nurture community relationships to advance HCTRA projects and services, coordinating events and public meetings, and ensuring staff awareness of engagement plans.

The ideal candidate has a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of progressive experience in community engagement and public speaking, with excellent

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Political Science or related field from an accredited institution.
• Minimum five years progressive experience in community engagement and public speaking.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with Houston region community organizations and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Plan, develop, and facilitate community engagement activities and public meetings.
• Identify partners and build relationships to support initiatives.
• Coordinate outreach plans to raise awareness of HCTRA services.
• Maintain stakeholder database with up-to-date contact information.

Skills

Public engagement

Public speaking

Communication

Organizational skills

Stakeholder management

Community relations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Communications, Government, Marketing, Public Administration, Urban Planning, or Social Sciences

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Assists the Assistant Director, Public Engagement, with planning and directing HCTRA's public engagement activities by developing new and existing community relationships designed to advance HCTRA's project and service initiatives. This role supports the Assistant Director, Public Engagement, with implementing engagement and outreach plans that focus on building community relationships, raising awareness about HCTRA services and creating opportunities for public participation in project initiatives. In coordination with the Assistant Director, Public Engagement, the role will also ensure HCTRA construction plans and course of action is coordinated and known among agency staff, government entities, area residents and businesses.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Performs administrative and field duties that support the planning, development, and facilitation of community engagement activities, including: making public presentations on HCTRA projects and programs to community groups and stakeholders; coordinating and facilitating community meetings and special events (groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings, ceremonies and multi-cultural events).
• Identifies potential community partners and builds lasting relationships that support HCTRA’s initiatives; develops mechanisms to assist the general public in understanding HCTRA’s role in regional mobility planning in an effort to garner support for project initiatives; monitors the quality of HCTRA's standing with community organizations, businesses, and individual stakeholders.
• Keeps Assistant Director, Public Engagement, informed of public responses and sensitive issues that may arise; confers with Assistant Director, Public Engagement, to prioritize activities based on HCTRA’s focus on agency goals.
• Maintains stakeholder contact database. Ensures that the database of stakeholders is current and has up-to-date information.

Other Duties

This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Management may, at its discretion, assign, or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Communications, Government, Marketing, Public Administration, Urban Planning, Social Sciences from an accredited institution. Minimum five (5) years progressive experience in a community engagement and public speaking.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Ability to lead, organize and communicate ideas and make effective public presentations.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to meet changing and multiple deadlines and prioritize and work on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Personal computer skills with a proficiency in Microsoft office suite.
• Knowledge of HCTRA's service area, geographies and demographics.
• Familiarity with Houston region community organizations, neighborhood leadership and business environment.
• Knowledge of regional and local political and corporate leadership.
• Working knowledge of issues related to public works projects preferred.
• Must display creativity, initiative, and possess the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Physical Demands

Light work - Exerting up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg control requires exertion of forces greater than that of sedentary work and if the worker sits most of the time, the job is considered light work.

Position Type and Typical Hours Work

• This is a full time position.
• Days of work are Monday-Friday.
• Hours may vary based on business needs of the department to include evening and weekend hours.

Work Environment

There are no major sources of discomfort. A normal office environment with acceptable lighting, temperature, and air conditions is provided. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Reporting Relations

Reports To Position: Assistant Director, Public Engagement
Supervises Positions: N/A

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, or any other protected class in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.
https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx
If you need special services or accommodations, please call [phone] or email:[e-mail]

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.