Emergency Management Communications Specialist

Title: Emergency Management Communications Specialist - (Communications Specialist 3)

Location: Tacoma, WA

Department: Communications

Salary

$92,678.68 - $118,404.65 Annually

Job Type

Career Service - Full Time

Remote Employment

Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number

26-01115

Department

Communications

Division

Com-Administration

Job Description:
 

 This is a hybrid position with 3 days onsite at Emergency Management, 1 day onsite at Communications, and 1 day remote, based on business needs. 

Summary

Do you have a passion for managing public information in high-stakes, emergency situations? Then this Communication Specialist 3 position may be the role for you.
 
The Communications Department provides communication counsel and support to all three branches of Pierce County government. Our goal is to create engaging and timely information about programs, projects, activities, and actions taken by County leaders and departments. To learn more about the Communications Department, please visit our website.

Why It's a Great Opportunity:

As a member of the Communications team supporting Emergency Management, you will be an influential key partner in sharing Pierce County's emergency preparedness story. Your immediate primary focus will be on reviewing and updating the County's Crisis Communication Plan to effectively reach and inform people during emergencies. You will be given the flexibility to create unique content, design public education campaigns, and promote the Department of Emergency Management through social media and community engagement. This position is only limited by your creativity and energy!

Why It's a Great Department: 

The Pierce County Communications Department connects residents to the government that serves them. We believe that informed communities are stronger communities. When people have access to clear, timely, and honest information, they can make better decisions for themselves and their families, stay safe, and participate fully in civic life.

Our work spans all three branches of Pierce County government, providing strategic communications counsel and creating engaging content about programs, projects, and County actions. We are trust builders. Transparency is not just a value we hold; it is the foundation of everything we do.

If you are a passionate communicator who believes in the power of public information to strengthen communities, you will find a dynamic, collaborative, and deeply purposeful home here.

To learn more about the Communications Department, please click here.
How to be Successful in the Role: 

This role demands flexibility and a readiness to respond at any hour; emergencies don’t follow a schedule. When a crisis occurs, you’ll be relied upon to deliver clear, timely, and strategic communication across multiple platforms. Building strong, collaborative relationships with first responders and agency public information officers across the County will be essential. Your ability to advise the director and leadership team on community engagement, preparedness strategies, and public awareness efforts will be a key factor in your success.

During training, you’ll meet regularly with your supervisor and the Emergency Management leadership team to set personal goals, align on expectations, review client satisfaction feedback, and evaluate the performance and reach of social media efforts.

Your Future in this Role: 

The Communications and Emergency Management Departments will work together to provide you with real-time training opportunities alongside other experienced teammates. You will have additional training/educational opportunities through the county’s leadership development program, CivicPlus publishing platform, the Communications Director and colleagues, and LinkedIn Learning. Your work will directly impact your community, and it offers a great foundation for future positions within the Communications Department and Pierce County.

Core Daily Responsibilities:

• Design and lead communications strategy and campaigns for an assigned group, which may be a department, major program area, or portfolio.
• Own the assigned group’s proactive external communications agenda, including identifying stories, campaigns, educational opportunities, and public-facing content.
• Meet directly with leadership of assigned group to understand priorities and translate them into communications objectives and strategic plans.
• Advise leadership of assigned group on communications opportunities, risks, messaging, and public response.
• Write speeches, talking points, briefing materials, and other leadership communications.
• Participate in and support development, measurement, and execution of the mission, goals, and objectives of the county, department, division, and individual work groups.

This announcement is not intended to reflect all duties to be performed by our next team member, but shall present a descriptive list of the range of duties that may be performed. To view the complete classification, click here.

Minimum Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in a related field may substitute for up to four (4) years of the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
• A resume, cover letter, and three (3) work samples are required for this position. Applications without a resume, cover letter, and three (3) work samples will not be considered.
• Seven (7) years of related experience, to include three (3) years in a marketing, public relations, or communications role involving public-facing communication.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership experience, such as leading projects or providing work direction to other staff.
• Experience serving as a department or organizational spokesperson

As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case-by-case basis and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration.

Our Welcoming Workplace Commitment: 

Pierce County is committed to fostering a Welcoming Workplace where employees are supported, respected, and able to thrive. We believe a strong public workforce is representative of the community it serves and that fair and just access to opportunity strengthens public service. 

Guided by the County Executive’s Forward Together mission, Pierce County works to build communities that are safe, welcoming, and connected. This same commitment shapes how we recruit, develop, and retain our employees. County employees make a direct and visible impact in the lives of residents every day, and we invite you to join us in helping keep Pierce County a place people are proud to call home.