Communications Lead

Title: Communications Lead

Salary $75,852.00 - $91,776.00 Annually

Location Thurston County – Olympia, WA

Job Type Full Time - Permanent

Job Number 2025-PSP-004

Department Puget Sound Partnership

Job Description:

The starting salary offer will be determined based on the successful candidate's qualifications within the range of $75,852 - $83,814 annually. This salary range reflects the July 1, 2025 General Wage Increase percentage for state employees. There is ability for salary progression in the salary range for the individual. 

Who We Are

The Puget Sound Partnership is a non-regulatory state agency under Governor Ferguson's Office leading the region's collective effort to restore and protect the Puget Sound natural ecosystems. Our mission is to accelerate ecosystem recovery with our partners to achieve more vibrant habitats, water quality, food webs, and healthy human populations in Puget Sound. 

We are proud to offer a suite of "Employer of Choice" initiatives and benefits in addition to state government's full compensation and benefits. All of the Partnership's employees have access and are welcome to enjoy the following:

• A healthy/work balance by offering flexible and alternative work schedules.
• Active and engaging equity and inclusion programs, including an affinity group and an employee-led Accountability Buddy Program.
• Exclusive access to the Employee Assistance Program's Work/Life web portal that provides additional benefits and resources to Partnership employees.
• An Infant at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns. 
• An agency-paid ORCA card for public transit use in the Puget Sound region.
• A tax-free hiring incentive that includes a one-time $200 Amazon allowance for ordering at-home office equipment or preferred supplies to support the telework experience. 
• SmartHealth Wellness Program with a $125 incentive towards state medical plan deductibles each year.  
• An annual professional development allowance for gaining skills that advance the employee's career in their current field of work.

Equity and Environmental Justice is foundational to the mission of the Puget Sound Partnership. While responsibilities may vary across our staff for implementing the specifics of our Pro-Equity Anti-Racism (PEAR) Strategic Plan and our Healthy Environment for All Act (HEAL) Implementation Plan, we know that each of us must do self-awareness work towards recognizing how extensively systemic racism affects our perspectives and how it impacts others. To be successful in both of these plans, we must advance the powerful mobilization efforts of communities, particularly those of color, who have experienced generations of racist land use decisions and social injustices. As we engage with communities and staff, we must hold ourselves accountable for responding to recommendations intended to remedy inequitable policies, systems, or practices within the Partnership's area of influence. To learn more about Puget Sound Partnership's principles of partner respect and engagement, see here.

For more information, visit our website: www.psp.wa.gov.

Position Details

This full-time Exempt Management Service (EMS) unrepresented position is a member of the Strategic Communications Program and External Programs Division. The position reports to the Communications Manager. This position is exempt from civil service law. 

The Communications Lead supports the Communications Program in executing and monitoring communications strategies. Few communication roles let you write materials for Congress that tell human-interest stories that move us towards a healthier Puget Sound ecosystems for future generations and advocates for the importance of environmental recovery funding. This role involves creating public relations, agency publications, press releases, blog posts, and newsletters that impact tribal governments, scientists, local environmental restoration organizations, and federal agencies. This role also involves tracking and reporting analytics on marketing and communications campaigns, distilling technical data, and coordinating promotional events. This position leads the creation and publication of one of the agency's key communication product, the quarterly Making Waves magazine, and is responsible for writing talking points and speeches for the Executive Director and other directors in public speaking roles. The Communications Lead will be an equity champion, ensuring every product meets ADA-accessibility, inclusive-language, and tribal-consultation standards.

The Communications Lead is eligible to telework but is required weekly to report on-site for in-office work and possibly meetings with partners at project locations. This position will not be eligible for out-of-state telework. The default assigned work location of all Partnership positions - both on-site and telework - is within the State of Washington. Employees have a choice for their onsite work between our Olympia, Tacoma, or Seattle locations.  

What does "EMS" mean? Exempt Management Service (EMS) is the term used to identify positions exempt from state civil service law. These positions do not have the same rights as classified positions. What does exempt from state civil service law mean?

The annual starting range of compensation for this position is between $75,852 - $83,814 depending upon qualifications. The full position salary range for is $75,852- $91,776. Hiring supervisors can negotiate employment offers with candidates for this recruitment within the boundaries of the starting salary range based on a formulaic approach. The position range is the broader range the newly hired person can expect their salary to grow during their tenure in the position. Salary ranges will increase when future legislatively approved general wage increases for non-represented state employees occur. Bonuses, benefits, and/or additional pay may be available based on recruitment, retention, and incentives approved through legislative acts.

CONDITIONS OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT (with or without accommodations):

Core business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. There are times when irregular hours will be required. The nature of this role relies heavily on remote and in-person collaboration. This position may require you to work more frequently in an office setting than others if you're unable to effectively conduct work remotely or as business needs arise. Travel requirements will be limited, however, there may be occasions when an employee is required to travel and work to attend meetings or trainings. Duties of this position require the use of standard office furniture and equipment, including setup for remote work. The employee is responsible for providing and maintaining a safe, ergonomic, and secure workspace at their remote location. Newly hired employees must begin their appointment within 90 days of the date of accepting the employee offer and the date employment begins. In addition, if currently living outside of Washington state, newly hired employees must relocate to Washington state within 30 days of starting employment and report to the Olympia office headquarters in person on the first day of employment. 

Required Qualifications:

• Five (5) years of experience in professional-level writing and editing storytelling, with a proven track record of translating complex information into accessible, culturally responsive, and compelling products.
• Proven experience in media relations and public relations, including crafting executive-level speeches, talking points, and publications while expertly adapting to the voice of others.
• Strong writing and editing skills with experience in technical document editing and a solid understanding of the Chicago Manual of Style, complemented by effective writing for campaign performance results.
• Demonstrated leadership in communication projects, successfully setting goals, identifying audiences, and fostering collaboration to deliver effective outcomes.
• Proficient in social media analytics, with the ability to collect and analyze data to measure account performance, audience engagement, conversions, and targeting.
• Exceptional organizational, planning, and proofreading abilities, showcasing strong time management, attention to detail, analytical thinking, and a commitment to accuracy, clarity, and grammatical correctness.
• NOTE: The required qualifications listed above can be gained concurrently.

In addition to the above required qualifications, a candidate must possess one (1) of the following required education and/or experience options:

[OPTION 1]

• Bachelor's degree or higher in English, public relations, communications, journalism, or relevant field; AND
• Four (4) years of experience leading communication strategies, marketing, and public relations.

[OPTION 2]

• Associate degree in English, public relations, communications, journalism, or relevant field; AND
• Six (6) years of experience leading communication strategies, marketing, and public relations.

[OPTION 3]

• Eight (8) years of experience leading communication strategies, marketing, and public relations.

Preferred Qualifications

These additional qualifications are not required, but highly desirable:

• Seven (7) years of experience in a relevant communications position 
• Master's degree in English, public relations, communications, journalism, or relevant field 
• Experience with communication of environmental issues

You don't check every qualification listed? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that traditionally marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification - even if they might be a great fit for the role! If you're excited about this opportunity but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every single qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider applying. If you have lived experience that is equivalent to the preferred experience mentioned above, please apply! Tell us about it in your cover letter and how that experience qualifies you for this work. 

OTHER INFORMATION

This is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.

The Puget Sound Partnership celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws. Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, or need this job announcement in an alternative format, contact.