Strategic Communications Lead, Ferry Electrification

State of Washington; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid leave

Tuition assistance

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Washington State Ferries (WSF), a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, seeks a Communications Consultant 5 to lead strategic construction communications for major vessel electrification and infrastructure projects. You will connect customers, communities, and agency partners with the purpose and progress of these investments.

Join a collaborative team driving public trust, conveying milestones and disruptions, and ensuring accessible, plain-language information across

Qualifications

• Strategic communications advising with technical or project leadership.
• Proactive risk communication, reputation management, and issue mitigation.
• Translate complex engineering concepts for public and officials.
• Knowledge of public information policies and program evaluation.
• Experience as a spokesperson or crisis communications lead.
• Strong writing and public speaking across media.
• Ability to build relationships and resolve conflicts.
• Ability to work across remote, office, and field sites.
• Proficiency with Drupal and social media platforms.

Responsibilities

• Advise leadership on public relations, reputation management, risk communication, and public information policies.
• Co-lead communications for terminal electrification and vessel construction projects; align messaging with community impacts.
• Track construction schedules and coordinate messaging on milestones and disruptions.
• Serve as project spokesperson; manage media and social responses; represent at public meetings.
• Develop and coordinate reviews of project messaging, briefs, and crisis communications.
• Coordinate system-wide public and employee communications; provide rotating 24-hour on-call coverage.
• Monitor media and community input; refine strategies based on feedback.
• Edit and manage construction webpages in Drupal; ensure accessibility and plain language.
• Uphold WSF’s priorities and values in the culture through leadership actions.

Skills

Strategic Communications Advising

Risk Communication

Technical Communications

Public Information & Program Eval

Media & Crisis Communications

Writing & Public Speaking

Relationship Building

Digital Communications Tools

Tools

Drupal

Social Media

Web Content Management

Job description

Washington State Ferries (WSF), a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, seeks a Communications Consultant 5 to lead strategic construction communications for major vessel electrification and infrastructure projects. You will connect customers, communities, and agency partners with the purpose and progress of these investments.

Join a collaborative team driving public trust, conveying milestones and disruptions, and ensuring accessible, plain-language information across