Public Relations Manager

ECS is seeking a Public Affairs Specialist to work in our Lakeland, FL office. Serves as the Public Affairs Lead for the Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) in Lakeland, FL by leading the AOC Public Affairs team and coordinating all interactions with media entities.

Duties: Attend and actively participate in regular operations meetings to stay up-to-date on current and future mission activities. Attend and actively participate in regular OMAO and NOAA Communications meetings and conference calls to keep OMAO leadership and NOAA communicators informed of OMAO activities. Provide advice to OMAO’s Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist/Communications Director and OMAO leadership about how to improve communications practices and processes, including crisis communications procedures.

Respond to media inquiries in a timely and professional manner and, as appropriate, facilitate media interviews and other and interactions with OMAO subject matter experts, and coordinate with the appropriate NOAA line offices, programs, and other partner organizations. Serve as a NOAA/OMAO spokesperson before the media and the public. Supervise and direct AOC Public Affairs staff on a daily basis.

Advise, train, and support OMAO personnel to ensure their interactions with the news media, public, and other stakeholders are professional, honest, open, timely, responsive, and, to the extent possible, consistent with NOAA and Department of Commerce (DOC) public communications policies and guidance. Write news releases and media fact sheets as needed, allowing ample time for review and clearance. Monitor and evaluate news coverage and report findings to the Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist/Communications Director or OMAO leadership as requested.

Regularly produce photos, videos, and written content for OMAO’s digital media channels, including the organization’s social media platforms and website, and fact-check the content of written outreach materials to ensure accuracy and compliance with the appropriate OMAO, NOAA, and DOC policies. Such content should be in plain English to the extent possible, free of grammatical and spelling errors, and reflect OMAO and NOAA Corps policies regarding safety and uniform protocols. Write talking points, speeches, and develop presentations as requested.

Provide input and recommendations to OMAO's Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist/Communications Director. Coordinate and provide on-site support for events that provide media, public, and other stakeholders the opportunity to learn about OMAO missions and platforms, including tours of the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center as appropriate. Oversee the production of the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center’s public-facing newsletter (Flightlines) and the center’s social media and video content creation efforts.

Develop and maintain relationships with other NOAA line offices, programs, and external partner organizations key to supporting OMAO and NOAA’s mission (e.g., Lakeland Linder International Airport, Aerospace Discovery at the Florida Air Museum, Experimental Aircraft Association, Smithsonian Institution, etc.). Coordinate with documentary filmmakers on productions related to NOAA aircraft operations and facilitate NOAA/DOC clearance of filming agreements and location/appearance release forms. Required Skills At least 10 years experience within Public Affairs or related field Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent) in science, engineering, or administration Must be a U.S. Citizen and have ability to obtain a clearance Ability to travel Ability to work outside of regular office hours, including evenings, overnight hours, weekends, and holidays Ability to fly aboard NOAA aircraft as needed Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing Experience with MS Office Suite, Google Suite, and Adobe Acrobat Desired Skills Demonstrated experience working with the media and the public Military service or aircraft operations experience Demonstrated experience leading a team Crisis communications experience or training Professional experience producing video, still images, and other content Professional experience using and/or managing social media channels