BACKGROUND

MAJOR DUTIES

• Draft and edit press releases, media advisories, talking points, and briefing documents.
• Assist in developing and executing proactive and reactive media strategies.
• Conduct daily outreach to local and national media to promote the administration’s priorities, programs, and events.
• Monitor news coverage and provide daily media clips and analysis to senior staff.
• Respond to media inquiries and coordinate interview logistics.
• Build and maintain relationships with reporters, editors, and producers.
• Help prepare principals or spokespeople for interviews, including writing prep memos and conducting research.
• Maintain press lists and contact databases.
• Coordinate and manage the logistics of press conferences and media events, including scheduling, site setup and press outreach.
• Staff press events to ensure smooth execution and handle on-site media coordination.
• Develop and utilize a variety of communication modalities to inform, involve and engage employees in the administration’s mission, values, and programs.
• Develop compelling and persuasive material (such as brochures, issue papers, presentations, testimony, articles, web content, audiovisuals, and newsletters) to inform, educate, and motivate key decision-makers and the public to understand and support the administration's mission, programs, and policies.
• Build and maintain positive public relations by monitoring public perception, sharing information with the media, responding to inquiries, and ensuring the administration projects a strong, positive image.
• In collaboration with senior leaders, plan and develop goals and objectives for the implementation of long and short-range communications' efforts of the administration.
• Plan and direct the preparation of informational materials to be used by the print and electronic media, professional publications, and the public.
• Develop strategies, techniques, and distribution methods to ensure that administration employees have various and continuous access to information, including material for newsletters, intranet postings, flyers, posters, events, and audio-visual support.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Superior writing, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Strong understanding of the media landscape and political or policy issues
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• Mastery of the principles, methods, and techniques of effective communications.
• Mastery of the methods, practices, and procedures used in public relations, marketing, and research, mass media, advertising, special interest groups, community relations, and government relations, as they relate to large, organized projects and initiatives.
• Strong analytical, strategic, and creative skills to develop and implement public outreach programs and skill in developing strategies to disseminate information.
• Superior ability to manage multiple priorities and fast-paced work.
• Ability to effectively develop, organize, and present ideas and concepts to diverse groups, including government officials, journalists, analysts, and District residents.
• Strong, persuasive, compelling, and engaging writing skills, in order to convey information concerning complex programs and functions to publics having diverse levels of understanding of the administration's programs and activities.
• Superior skill in responding orally to criticism of the administration's functions or performance and to logically and effectively explain programs, functions, and activities, in order for the public to gain an understanding of the administration's efforts.
• Superior skill and ability to formulate, articulate, and coordinate an overall communications program that integrates departmental issues and conveys complex information regarding policies, programs, and decisions.
• Superior interpersonal relation skills to serve as the principal advisor and authority on communication issues for the administration and to work with the senior leaders to address problem solving through communications.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Special note - security sensitive

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

1. be a District of Columbia resident at the time of appointment; or
2. become a District resident within one hundred eighty (180) days of appointment.