Community Information Officer

The City of Long Beach is seeking a highly qualified and experienced Community Information Officer to work in the Department of Public Works.

THE COMMUNITY

Ideally located on the Pacific Ocean south of Los Angeles, adjacent to Orange County, the City of Long Beach, California (population 470,000) is frequently described as a series of strong, diverse interwoven smaller communities within a large city. Enjoying an ideal Southern California climate, Long Beach is home to an abundance of cultural and recreational options. The Long Beach Convention Center, Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, and the annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, plus a wide variety of other attractions (two historic ranchos, three marinas, and five golf courses), serve to draw 6.5 million visitors a year. The City is also home to California State University, Long Beach and Long Beach City College. Cal State Long Beach is the second largest university in the state and was recently ranked the No. 3 best-value public college in the nation. Covering approximately 50 square miles, Long Beach is supported by a wide mix of industries with education, health and social services, manufacturing, retail trade, and professional services comprising the highest representation. Known for its livable and desirable neighborhoods, Long Beach was named by America's Promise Alliance as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People two years in a row. While it offers all the amenities of a large metropolis, many say Long Beach offers the added benefit of having maintained a strong sense of community and cohesiveness despite its growth. A superb climate, quality schools, a vibrant downtown, and a wide variety of neighborhoods help make Long Beach one of the most livable communities in the country.

CITY GOVERNMENT

Long Beach, a charter city formed in 1897, is governed by nine City Council Members elected by district and a city-wide elected Mayor. Other elected officials include the City Attorney, City Auditor, and City Prosecutor. The elected officials are elected to staggered four-year terms. The City Council appoints the City Manager and City Clerk. The City Manager is responsible for the efficient administration of all City departments, excluding those under the direction of a separately elected official, Board or Commission. Long Beach is one of only three cities in California with its own Health Department and one of the very few municipalities with its own Utilities Department (Water and Gas) and Energy Resources Departments. The City is supported by a FY 2024 total budget of approximately $3.3 billion, with a General Fund budget of $719 million. More than 6,000 full and part-time employees support municipal operations with the vast majority being represented by twelve employee associations. To learn more about the City of Long Beach, go to: www.longbeach.gov.

THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Public Works mission is "to maintain and enhance the City's infrastructure and environment for the benefit of the public." The Department strives to operate, preserve, and enhance the City's physical infrastructure and transportation systems. The Department provides a variety of community services including the repair, rehabilitation and general upkeep of City streets, public trees, sidewalks, and City structures. The Department's six bureaus: Business Operations, Engineering, Environmental Services, Project Management, Public Service, and Transportation Project Management total over 580 budgeted positions with an annual operating budget of $250 million and an annual capital improvement program budget of $150 million. Additional information on the Department can be found at www.longbeach.gov/pw.

THE POSITION

The Community Information Officer is an unclassified, at-will management position that reports to the Business Operations Bureau Manager and is responsible for managing the Communications Division. The Community Information Officer leads a team of five and oversees all facets of public communication and outreach efforts for the Department of Public Works including media content creation, website management, branding consistency and responding to media inquiries.

Duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Oversee data management and digital transformation efforts to enhance efficiency, transparency, and communication with the public.

• Support customer service workgroups to improve response time and overall performance.

• Inform and educate internal City partners, business owners, and residents about Public Works projects, policies, and services.

• Strategically plans the communications of the Public Works department to the general public and all internal and external stakeholders, encompassing all forms of media.

• Coordinate activities of the Communications Division.

• Oversee content creation for all Department social media channels.

• Manage the Department's website, including updates on citywide infrastructure projects and resident/business services.

• Develop and oversee public communications programs and events.

• Work on the department's Communications Plan and implement public information campaigns.

• Manage contracts for public outreach services and purchases of community outreach materials and supplies.

• Serve as the department's spokesperson with the media and community, including during emergency responses.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The Community Information Officer will be an effective communicator with exceptional written and verbal communication skills, have a demonstrated ability to manage a wide range of projects simultaneously; strong organizational and interpersonal skills, and the ability to manage the interest of multiple stake holders working toward a common goal. This candidate will be a strong manager of people, projects, have the ability to quickly understand technical issues and administrative and political implications, and who will lead by example. This person will be driven, detail oriented, highly productive, and have excellent independent motivation and follow-through.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Ability to handle confidential department and employee information with complete discretion;

• Ability to use a high level of tact, diplomacy, and discretion in dealing with sensitive confidential situations;

• Ability to assess and organize work and set priorities;

• Ability to communicate expectations and hold staff accountable;  

• Ability to take initiative and exercise sound independent judgement;  

• Ability to handle frequent interruptions while completing multiple assignments with competing deadlines;

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders at all levels including City and department management, public officials, employees, and the public;

• Creative problem-solving skills;

• Exceptional customer service skills and dedication to continuous improvement;

• Excellent oral and written communications skills including the ability to serve as a department spokesperson in small or large group settings;

• Ability to represent the department at community and other stakeholder meetings;

• Ability to quickly and succinctly respond to inquiries.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

The Department of Public Works invites candidates who meet the following minimum requirements to apply:

EDUCATION:

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree, preferably in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field (proof required at time of application*).

• Candidates may substitute experience offering specific and substantial preparation for the duties of the position for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

• Required documents, such as transcripts, degrees, certificates, or licenses, must be uploaded to the online application in PDF format at the time of filing. Any documents submitted must contain either the applicant's name or other identifying characteristics on the document. Proof of education for academic degrees should indicate the type of degree and date of degree conferral. Candidates who possess degrees or units from outside the United States must attach proof of educational equivalency at the time of filing. 

EXPERIENCE:

• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience performing duties in the administration of public communication, public outreach, and/or management of social media and internet-based communication for a company, organization, or government agency.

• One (1) year of the required experience must have been at a supervisory or management level.

• Possession of a valid Class C Driver License.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience working with capital improvement projects.

• Experience with community outreach.

• Experience in organizations of similar size and complexity.

• Experience working with graphic information systems (GIS).

This recruitment will close at 11:59 PM Pacific Time on Sunday, June 2, 2024. To be considered, please submit an online application, including a cover letter, resume, and proof of education (if qualifying with a degree) in PDF format. Applications that fail to include all necessary documents will be considered incomplete and will not be taken into consideration.

Applications will be reviewed for depth and breadth of experience, and for level and relatedness of education. The most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in further selection procedures. The selected candidate may be required to go through a background check and a physical examination prior to appointment. Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements, including submission of all required attachments, will not be considered. For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Veronica Camp at (562) 570-7287.

The City of Long Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce. The City of Long Beach is committed to creating a workplace where every employee is valued for who they are. Having our workforce reflect the diversity of our community at various levels of the organization is a continuous goal embraced by our departments, management staff, and policymakers. To support efforts of fairness and diversity, City Leadership is committed to incorporating equity and inclusion into our work by supporting staff and community partners. We are committed to promoting transparency by publishing updated demographic information for employees, including workforce diversity data and pay by race and gender.

The City of Long Beach will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You are not required to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until you receive a conditional job offer. If the City of Long Beach has concerns about a conviction that is directly related to the job after making a conditional job offer and conducting a background check, you will have the opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide evidence to mitigate concerns, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting  https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act

The City of Long Beach intends to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If a special accommodation is desired, or if you would like to request this information in an alternative format, please call 562-570-7287

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