Community Engagement Specialist

Summary

Performs mid-level complex work. Work involves supporting all communications and marketing activities of the Public Information Office and collaborating with external partners to facilitate engagement between the city and community. Works under limited supervision, with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgement.

Essential Duties & Required Qualifications

• Strategically communicate with Leander residents and stakeholders by responding to public inquiries and soliciting engagement on important City issues.

• Act as a marketing, communication and citizen engagement resource in support of other City department initiatives.

• Coordinate a recurring Citizen University program to teach Leander citizens about local government operations.

• Manage published content and responses on City social media accounts, and support other City staff in the establishment and execution of best practices while using social media.

• Support daily content creation on the City's website, coordinate training, and update administrative guidelines as needed.

• Review communication materials submitted by other City departments prior to distribution to ensure accuracy, quality and consistency.

• Assist the Public Information Office with crisis communications during emergency events.

• Other duties as assigned by the Public Information Officer.

• Occasional travel and work outside of normal business hours may be required to fulfill duties.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public relations, communications, journalism, or public administration, AND
• Minimum of two years of related work experience.

OR:

• High school graduation or its equivalent and six years of related work experience.

OR:

• A combination (six years) of higher education and related work experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in working for a city or government entity.

• Experience with other similar public sector administration.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Adept at public speaking.

• Skilled at handling conflict in uncertain situations.

• Understands municipal government policies and ordinances.

• Excellent written and communication skills, with emphasis on journalistic standards.

• Adept at using various computer software platforms for graphic design and/or video editing such as Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office Suite, etc.

• Keeps informed of new and emerging trends in communication media and technology. Must be familiar with all social media platforms used by local governments.

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships.

Physical Demands & Additional Information

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear and taste or smell. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified in this position.

Job offer and continuation of employment with the City of Leander is contingent upon:

• Proof of education, certification(s) and experience as listed on the employment application based on the job posting requirements.

• Satisfactory results from a pre-employment criminal history background and driving record check.

• Legal authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship. *

• Compliance with the Selective Service Registration for male US citizens and immigrants, who are ages 18-25.

• The City of Leander participates in E-Verify! Information from each new employee's Form I-9 will be provided to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to confirm work authorization.

The City of Leander is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information in employment.

Applicants should communicate requests for disability-related accommodations during the application process to our Human Resources Department at hr@leandertx.gov or 512-528-2708. Deaf and hard of hearing applicants may contact our office via Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or 1-800-735- 2989 (TTY/TDD).

Your well-being and that of your family matters to you, and so it's important to us too. To support you and your loved ones through life's many challenges, we offer our full time employees access to a wide array of benefits including health, dental, vision, life, disability, accident, cancer, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, employee assistance, paid holidays, paid sick leave, paid emergency leave, longevity pay, golf course discounts as well as generous retirement and deferred compensation programs and social security participation.

Medical

We offer two types of medical plans (a traditional PPO plan and a high deductible health plan) so that you can choose the one that best fits your needs. The premium you pay is based on which plan you select and who you cover. Covering just yourself? The City currently pays the entire employee-only premium for either plan. Covering qualified dependents in your family? Currently, we'll pay your employee premium and split the remainder of the spouse/child/family premium with you - we pay 60%; you pay 40%. That generous cost share reflects our philosophy that our employees and their families should have the best health care we can afford to provide.

Dental

Dental plans include a DMO option (no cost for employee-only coverage) and two more traditional plans whose premiums are also affordable. You can choose to cover yourself or any qualified dependents and choose which plan best suits your dental needs. Currently, for the DHMO option, we pay the employee premium and split the remainder of the spouse/child/family premiums with you - we pay 50%; you pay 50%. Under the more traditional plans, although we don't pay the entire employee-only premium, we still split the incremental dependent premiums with you 50/50.

Vision

Access to $10 eye exam co-pays and up to $150 frame and contact lens allowances make vision insurance a popular benefit among employees. Cover yourself for just a few bucks a pay period or all of your qualified dependents for not much more.

Life/AD&D

Your basic employee $15,000 term life insurance policy is paid for by the city. Accidental Death & Dismemberment under the plan would pay an additional $15,000 to your beneficiary if you die in an accident. More life insurance coverage is paid for by the City and provided through our Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) program. If that's still not enough coverage, you can purchase more life/AD&D coverage for yourself and your qualified dependents. Over the age of 65? These coverages are subject to an age reduction schedule.

Disability

Both short and long term disability plans which provide up to 60% income replacement are available to purchase at competitive rates.

Accident & Cancer

Need extra coverage for off-the-job medical injuries or a cancer diagnosis? Supplemental plans that pay cash for some of life's most unexpected events are available for purchase.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Want to set aside some pre-tax dollars for health care expenses or dependent care expenses? If you select the traditional EPO medical coverage, you can set aside pre-tax money for medical expenses through the City's Section 125 medical FSA plan, which is managed by an outside carrier. You can do the same for dependent day care expenses, regardless of which medical plan you select.

Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

The high deductible health care plan has its own provisions for pre-tax health savings (HSA) so you can set aside money for your qualified health care expenses. The City will add $1000 to your health savings account to get you started each plan year.

Employee Assistance Program

We know that sometimes your needs are much different than a doctor visit or a prescription, so the City pays for a generous employee assistance program through Alliance to help you or any household member with counseling, legal referrals or simply a safe ride home.

Holidays

The City has thirteen designated holidays each year.

Vacation Leave

Most full time, regular employees (excluding firefighters on a 24 hour shift schedule and department heads) accrue 3.69 hours of vacation time each pay period and are eligible to use that time after just six months of employment. The longer you work for the city, the more vacation time you receive, with those accrual rates going up at 4, 9 and 14+ years of service. Never use your vacation time? Don't worry; you can bank up to two times your annual accrued hours before you stop accruing.

Sick Leave

As a full time regular employee (excluding firefighters on a 24 hour shift), you accrue 3.69 hours of sick leave each pay period, which you are eligible to use after your first pay period with the city. You can also continue to build your sick leave balance up to 480 hours for those unexpected emergencies.

Emergency Leave

The City allows up to five days of paid leave (or two 24 hour shifts for 24/48 hour fire department) for regular employees in the event of the death of an immediate family member (as defined in city personnel policy).

Longevity Pay

Regular full-time employees after they've been employed for one year or more are eligible for an annual payout of $5 for every month of City service. So, while that first year $60 check might not seem like a ton of money, that $1500 check (minus taxes of course) for your 25 years of service which is paid around Thanksgiving will likely help you feel very thankful for a little extra cash for Christmas shopping.

Retirement

All regular full-time employees participate in our Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS). Your 7% investment each payroll period is matched 2 to 1 by the City and is vested at 5 years. You can retire at age 60 with 5 or more years of service or younger if you have at least 20 years of service. You can also receive service credit for certain types of military service. The City's TMRS plan is one of the most generous retirement plans around.

Deferred Compensation

If saving 7% with a 2 to 1 match through TMRS isn't enough to meet your financial goals, you can stash even more on a pre-tax basis through the City's 457 plan. Start or stop saving at any time - up to $18,000 annually if you're under 50, and up to $24,000 if you're older.

Social Security

City of Leander employees also participate in the social security system under FICA regulations.

Golf Course

We have a gorgeous golf course. Want to learn how to play? As a City employee you can play for 50% off. Check it out!

01

Select your level of education and experience?

• High School graduate or its equivalent and six years of related work experience.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and two years of related work experience.

• A combination (six years) of higher education and related work experience.

• None of the above

02

Please describe your related work experience in detail. If no related experience, enter N/A.

03

Do you have experience in working for a city or government entity?

• Yes

• No

04

Do you have experience with other similar public sector administrations?

• Yes

• No

05

If you answered Yes above, indicate the experience you have with city, government entity, or similar public sector administration. If no related experience, enter N/A.

Required Question

Agency City of Leander

Department City Manager Address 105 N Brushy Street

Leander, Texas, 78641

Phone 512-528-2700

Website https://www.leandertx.gov