Communications Specialist

Job Description

Who We Are

At the City of High Point, we celebrate the creator in everyone. Building on our rich cultural history steeped in industrialism and innovation, our employees seek not only to transform themselves, but the world around us. We are collaborators, we are makers, we are visionaries.

We invite you to explore the many opportunities to serve our community, by sharing your talents, skills, and expertise. You'll join a dynamic team of over 1300 individuals dedicated not just to making a career, but a difference; because what we create in High Point, changes the world!

Our Core Values:

• Integrity:Saying what we mean and consistently doing what we say with no desire other than the good of the citizens we serve. It means standing up for beliefs.
• Responsibility:A continual process that emphasizes a high level of personal accountability by each member of the organization.
• Partnership:Adding competitive value and quality to the services provided to our residents, businesses, and visitors through responsible fiscal stewardship, increased innovation, greater use of technology, and expanded civic, neighborhood and regional partnerships.

What We Offer:

The City of High Point offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed monthly pension upon retirement, vested after 5 years of service
• Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans effective day one
• 401K and 457B Retirement Plans
• PTO earned within first year
• 12 Paid Holidays per year
• Tuition Reimbursement Plan

Essential Tasks

Your Purpose:

Are you an imaginative, forward-thinking communicator with a passion for storytelling? Do you have the technical expertise to produce broadcast-quality video content while collaborating with a dynamic team? If so, we want you to be part of our Communications and Engagement team in High Point!

As the Communications Specialist, you will play a vital role in bringing the vision of our city leaders to life, sharing impactful stories, and connecting with the community through visual storytelling. Your primary focus will be supporting video projects for the City of High Point Cable channel, helping to promote city events and initiatives. You'll work with creative teams and executives, ensuring that our messaging reaches residents in engaging and informative ways.

What You'll Do:

• Video Production: Use professional video technology to capture content and city activities for distribution across city media platforms.
• Content Management: Maintain and update content on the City's cable channel to deliver timely information about local events and initiatives.
• Public Engagement: Act as a liaison at various events, including occasional weekends, evenings, and High Point City Council meetings.
• Team Collaboration: Provide guidance to student interns and staff in video technology, ensuring smooth workflow and knowledge sharing.
• Project Coordination: Schedule and coordinate interviews with staff and community members, oversee scriptwriting and video editing processes.
• Technical Expertise: Support various department projects by providing the necessary technical expertise in video production.
• Public Relations: Assist with writing newsletters, employee communications, speeches, news releases, and content for print, websites, and the city's web page.
• Drones: Operate the CPE department's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for aerial footage.
• Safety Compliance: Ensure all work follows OSHA and City Safety Standards.

What You'll Bring to the Team:

• Clear Communicator: You can articulate ideas and provide direction to your production team, ensuring smooth communication throughout the production process.
• Collaborative & Creative: Work effectively with directors, producers, and other team members, staying calm under pressure and adapting to creative needs.
• Attention to Detail: You'll interpret storyboards, scripts, and production notes to assemble engaging video content that aligns with the city's vision.
• Passionate Storyteller: A genuine love for storytelling, with the ability to connect with the community through impactful visuals and narratives.
• Tech-Savvy & Strategic: Strong technical expertise combined with strategic thinking, capable of working both independently and as part of a team.
• Adaptability: Comfortable working in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment while maintaining a focus on deadlines and quality.
• Public Awareness Advocate: Skilled at raising public awareness of City programs and initiatives through various media channels.
• Discretion & Integrity: You handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism, maintaining neutrality in politically diverse environments.

Qualifications

We realize your time is valuable, so please ensure you meet the required minimum qualifications before applying:

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• A valid Driver's License.
• At least three (3) years of professional video camera operation, video editing,and broadcast-quality video content production experience.
• Proficiency and experience with digital communications, including social media and web platforms.
• Strong knowledge of camera equipment, lighting techniques, and broadcast production.
• Excellent written, oral, interpersonal, and analytical communication skills, including being comfortable on camera.

Preferred Qualifications

• Graphic Design Experience: Familiarity with design principles and proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud for visual content creation.
• Experience using a Tricaster for live broadcasts.
• High technical proficiency, including the ability to configure and operate a variety of cameras and equipment.
• Certified Part 107 Drone Pilot or ability to obtain certification within the first 6 months of employment.
• Knowledge of current video production trends and technologies.
• Strong conceptualization and execution of creative video content ideas.

Physical Requirements:

• Light work: Lifting up to 20 pounds occasionally, 10 pounds frequently. Most work is seated, with occasional walking, standing, and reaching.
• Reaching, handling, and fingering: Ability to use hands and fingers for various tasks such as answering phones, handling documents, and operating equipment.
• Talking and hearing: Ability to engage in conversations, listen to concerns, and communicate with citizens, city staff, and stakeholders.
• Seeing: Clear vision, with the ability to discern objects at a distance and close up, and depth perception for safe operation of equipment.

Mental Requirements:

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills to handle diverse situations with good judgment.
• Ability to use arithmetic and statistical methods for budgeting and reporting purposes.
• Ability to read and understand complex documents, including technical manuals, city ordinances, and reports.
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication for internal and external correspondence.

Environmental Conditions:

• Primarily indoors, but occasional outdoor work for meetings and events in varying weather conditions. No significant occupational hazards associated with the position.

Our Commitments

"The City of High Point is dedicated to fostering an inclusive work environment that values individuals from all backgrounds and seeks to attract and retain the most qualified partners in service to the citizens of High Point.As an at-will employer, the City allows employees to terminate their employment, or be terminated, at any time, with or without cause, as long as it is not prohibited by law."

The City of High Point is committed to classifying and compensating its employees fairly for the work they do, weighing both the internal capabilities and the external market. While the job description is not intended to and does not create a contract of employment, we are excited to use this "living document" as a guide for managing performance and positions to ensure job descriptions are reflective of the current work required by the incumbent or expected by any candidate to whom an offer of employment is extended.

The City of High Point is committed to providing a safe, comfortable working environment for all employees. To that end, we are proud to comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, as well as make reasonable accommodations to candidates and employees as we are able in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Candidates selected for employment must undergo (a.) a drug screening, in accordance with the City's drug and alcohol policy and (b.) a background screening to determine whether there is any current, pending, or previous charge, conviction or other infraction deemed incompatible with service in the capacity for which the candidate is being hired. Certain positions are considered so critical to the health and safety of others that a candidate cannot be placed in any of those positions without passing a pre-placement physical exam. Successful results from these conditions will result in an offer of employment.

Please Note: This job posting may be removed earlier than the stated closing date due to high applicant volume. If you are interested in the position, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.