Public Affairs Coordinator

  • Jefferson County
  • Lakewood, Colorado
  • Sep 19, 2024
Full Time Political or Public Affairs Public Health

Job Description

Apply By:
10/06/24
Division:
Public Health Division
Management Level:
Individual Contributor
Scheduled Weekly Hours:
40
Benefit Eligibility:
This position is eligible for Standard Benefits which includes dental, medical, and vision insurance, paid time off and holidays, retirement matching, wellness programs, and tuition reimbursement.

Description:

Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) is seeking a Public Affairs Coordinator to support the Health Communications Teamin maximizing internal and external strategic communications between staff, the public, the media and outside agencies/partners. Work involves developing and implementing written and verbal communications to increase the public's knowledge of public health information and engagement with initiatives and programs designed to improve health, prevent injury and disease and promote policy/systems change and health equity. This position will play a key role in supporting Jefferson County Public Health's role in crisis communications and managing our digital platforms including social media and the website, prioritizing accessibility and transparency. This work includes content development, posting, monitoring and social listening, data tracking and analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs) to develop analytic reports and to measure effectiveness and optimize strategies. The position is part of the Office of Policy and Public Affairs and reports to the Public Affairs Manager.

About Jefferson County Public Health:

This position is part of the Office of Policy and Public Affairs, a new unit that supports the department's strategic communications and community-centered policy efforts.Led by the Director of Policy and Public Affairs and reporting to the Executive Director, the office includes the Public Affairs and Policy teams. They drive policy and systems change aligned with the County Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) and lead the department's strategic communications, both internal and community-facing, through day-to-day and crisis situations.

Creating health equity, which means everyone has the opportunity to attain their highest level of health, is a guiding principle of Jefferson County Public Health. All positions within the agency are expected to contribute toward achieving health equity in Jefferson County. JCPH is committed to the diversity of its staff, as well as providing culturally responsive programs and services that help to reduce health inequities in Jefferson County. As such, JCPH welcomes and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds and abilities to apply for positions within the agency.

The Ideal Candidate

The Public Affairs Coordinator is responsible for the development of strategic, responsive, timely and effective messages and content deliverables that advance the efforts of the department. They play a key role in ensuring that the department is seen as a credible, transparent and present across the county.

The ideal candidate is a creative, adaptable professional with experience managing social media channels, designing high-quality marketing materials, as well as analyzing and producing data reports. Organized and detail-oriented, they excel at managing multiple projects under tight deadlines and thrive in fast-paced, collaborative environments. They are eager to learn and grow, open to expanding their skills.

The candidate will also demonstrate a commitment to learning, innovation, equity, accountability, transparency, collaboration and partnership with both internal and external partners. They value open dialogue and actively contribute to a positive, inclusive environment.

Jefferson County Public Health employees may be activated to participate in public health or other emergency responses as needed.This position will participate in a compensated, rotating on-call schedule for media and communications needs that may arise during evenings and weekends.

Jefferson County Public Health Department provides employment opportunities in compliance with all pertinent federal, state and local laws. We value and respect employee participation in the delivery of quality services to and on behalf of our community.

Mission:

Promoting and protecting health for all people across the lifespan through prevention, education, treatment, response and regulation.

Vision :

By 2030, we will achieve success with Healthy People, Healthy Places by purposefully serving and engaging the community, acting efficiently and effectively to address public health needs, using actionable and high-quality data and cultivating a thriving workforce.

Values:
  • Respect : We approach all people with esteem, understanding, dignity and empathy.
  • Equity : We approach all people with fairness, impartiality and a willingness to help others.
  • Collaboration : We work collectively for the mutual benefit of the community through the sharing of information, responsibility, resources and ideas to achieve our mission.
  • Trust : We act with benevolence, integrity, transparency, reliability and competence.
  • Innovation : We empower our staff to develop ideas, measure processes and improve methods to achieve our vision.


Please note the schedule for this role offers both a full in-office or hybrid work schedule, Monday-Thursday, 4’10s. Given the nature of this position, occasional evenings or weekend work hours may be necessary.

Target Hiring Range: $69,000.00 - 77,000.00 USD Annual

Compensation will be determined based on education, experience and skills.

Benefits : Jefferson County offers a generous benefits package that supports your personal and professional life. Benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, paid time off and holidays, retirement matching, wellness programs, tuition reimbursement, flexible schedules, remote work options and more. For more information, click here for our Total Rewards summary.

Essential Duties :
  • Design, create and produce high-quality public information and marketing materials (e.g., talking points, media releases, op-eds, newsletters, photography, flyers, posters, social media and web graphics and displays) and other publications using Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud and/or other professional design software.
  • Strategize content and message framing using data insights and understanding of communications best practices.
  • Develop relationships with employees to enhance communication strategies.
  • Provide accurate and timely information to employees, the media, elected officials, and the public using strategic communications and messaging, including crisis communications.
  • Represent Jefferson County at meetings of elected officials, committees, directors, other divisions and departments and citizens. Advise county employees regarding future projects and communication strategies.
  • Review, edit and provide feedback to communications materials developed by other JCPH workforce members/programs.
  • Support media monitoring, engagement, and planning.
  • Support communications needs and promotion of department and community events with internal staff and community partners.
  • Other duties as assigned.


Qualifications:

Research shows that women and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups tend to apply only when they check every box in the posting. If you are reading this and hesitating to click “apply” for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! A true passion and excitement for making an impact is just as important as work experience.

Minimum Qualifications:
  • A bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, public health, web/graphic design, English, journalism, or similar field and;
  • A minimum of 1 year of experience in a communications or public health-related role.
  • Or any equivalent combination of education and experience.


Knowledge, skill and attributes that lead to success in this role include:
  • Have outstanding strategic communications skills, including written and verbal.
  • Have outstanding creative judgment with a solid understanding of design standards, copy and web best practice guidelines. Have outstanding editing and proofreading skills, with an eye for aligning message framing to the intended audience.
  • Basic knowledge of graphic design tools and strategies.
  • Basic knowledge in writing public relations materials, such as news releases, reports, blog articles, etc.
  • Organized, able to delegate and prioritize effectively and efficiently.
  • Demonstrate adaptability including the ability to work on multiple projects with tight deadlines and changing priorities simultaneously
  • Be digital-savvy, with an ability to quickly learn and adapt as technology changes.
  • Be a creative thinker, with the ability to tell engaging stories and identify innovative ideas and solutions.
  • Be teamoriented (e.g., flexible, work well with others, ability to give and receive feedback).
  • Be a self-starter.
  • Able to synthesize and translate complex scientific information and data into relevant and easy to understand educational information.
  • Have a basic understanding of health equity and the social determinants of health and a willingness to increase that knowledge.
  • Familiarity with or a willingness to learn accessibility best practices.
  • Familiarity with or a willingness to learn risk communication.


Please provide a resume and at least TWO examples of work from your portfolio. Consider at least one writing sample, and one graphic design sample. Written responses in the supplemental questions will serve as a writingsample in addition to your attached portfolio.

Additional Job Information:
  • Offer of employment contingent upon successful completion of criminal history, motor vehicle report, education verification, and/or references.
  • Must have a valid driver's license. If you are from out of state, you must have a valid Colorado driver's license within 30 days of hire date, and you must not have any major violations, nor more than one DUI, DWI,DWAIconviction in the past three years.
  • Must provide immunization record at time of hire or prove immunity to comply with departmental Communicable Disease Control Policy within 30 days of hire date.
  • Please note that supplemental questions requiring a written response will serve as a writing sample.



How to Apply:

Applications will be accepted electronically at Jefferson County Colorado Career Opportunities .

Applicants complete an online form and have the option to provide a resume and detailed cover letter that describes why you are the best candidate for the position. Applications are reviewed for minimum qualifications listed in the qualifications section of the job bulletin, and applicants are contacted directly by the hiring team regarding next steps. To view the status of your application or direct communication from the hiring team, please log into your candidate portal .

For more details on the recruitment process, please visit https://www.jeffco.us/1860/FAQs

Questions:
  • County Recruitment Team: 303-271-8400 or careertalent@jeffco.us


Education:
Bachelor's Degree
Experience:
Work Experience: Minimum one year

Certifications:

Languages:

Category:
Administrative, Business Programs and Services

Job Address

Lakewood, Colorado United States View Map