Communications Specialist II

SUMMARY

The Department of Transportation Planning is seeking a Communications Specialist as part of a team that has the lead responsibility to provide staff support for the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) and all of the communications, Board and Committee meetings, and public involvement activities associated with the metropolitan transportation planning process. The TPB prepares plans and programs to enable federal transportation funding to flow into the region, provides data to decisionmakers, and serves as a regional forum for coordination. This position will directly support each of these functions by facilitating Board and Committee meetings (Webex, meeting production), managing member services, and by creating and/or editing public friendly written content and graphics for print and digital communications to enable the TPB members, staff, and the public to more fully understand and participate in the TPB’s transportation planning process.

The successful candidate for this position requires strong organizational skills, the ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced, membership-oriented environment, excellent written and oral communication skills, and strict attention to detail. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated interest in simplifying and explaining complicated topics, working directly with elected officials, and an interest in supporting the routine business of the TPB, its committees, and programs. The candidate should be comfortable performing routine, process-oriented tasks while also maintaining organizational awareness and thinking about ways to improve the work of the Transportation Planning Board.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

The successful candidate will:

SUPPORT BOARD AND TPB TECHNICAL, TPB STEERING, AND OTHER COMMITTEE MEETINGS (40%-50% of time)

• Leads in coordinating monthly meetings for the TPB Board and committees, including helping to strategically plan agendas, overseeing and developing meeting materials, managing meeting implementation, updating the website, and ensuring follow-up for meetings, including writing minutes and other documentation of board actions;
• Communicates with and directly assists TPB members, who include elected officials and senior agency officials, stakeholders, and the public;
• Manages/updates membership information; Maintains database, subscriber lists, and other contacts;
• Supports response to Board priorities and direction.

PROVIDE COMMUNICATION SERVICES (40% of time)

• Works as part of a team to plan, coordinate, and execute upcoming public information, communications, and outreach activities;
• Edits public-facing publications, reports, brochures, web copy, and more to ensure factual accuracy, clarity of meaning, and consistency of style, tone, and message;
• Plans, writes, edits, and publishes content for blogs, digital and print newsletters, annual reports, social media, and the web explaining work activities, highlighting program outcomes, and promoting events;
• Assists in conceiving and creating new web pages and websites to meet communications goals for public events, outreach campaigns, planning processes, and more;
• Assists in tracking and measuring the effectiveness of communications, public information, and public involvement activities;
• Provides expert advice for how to creatively and effectively reach more people in local communities across the Washington region;
• Assists in managing consultant-supported projects.

CONDUCT OTHER ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS (10-20% of time):

• Provides limited support to other subcommittees, supports potential future task forces, and other special events;
• Supports the development of documentation regarding MPO self-certification;
• Leads coordination for and supports the development of documentation that reports on the monthly progress of the MPO’s activities as related to the UPWP;
• Provides contract and administrative support to the Transportation and Land Use Connection Program;
• Tracks department invoices from receipt to payment;
• Reviews/edits/assists as needed with UPWP Task 1 (Visualize 2050), Task 4 (Public Participation), Task 9 (Mobility and Enhancement Program);
• Assists in the development of the UPWP.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

None

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

The successful candidate for this position requires:

Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to juggle multiple tasks in a fast-paced, membership-oriented environment;

• The ability to pay strict attention to detail and follow adopted style and branding guides;
• Strong written and oral communications skills, including the ability to convey complex technical topics to non-technical audiences ranging from elected officials to support staff and the public, including the ability to summarize information in a clear and concise manner. including public speaking, facilitating meetings, and soliciting feedback;
• Strong skills in preparing for and facilitating virtual meetings for large and small groups, also including advanced skills across a range of online meeting tools and the ability and interest to stay up to date on the latest technologies;
• Ability to prepare, produce, and present clear, effective, and accurate reports and presentations. Skills must include solid experience with Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams). Experience with InDesign and/or graphic design is a plus.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with other employees, elected and senior appointed officials and the public, and to work cooperatively in a team environment.
• Ability to execute tasks with minimal supervision, and ability to respond flexibly to a small staff with significant demands on time. Ability to problem-solve to achieve optimal results.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Requires at least two years of working experience in communications, outreach, public involvement, social work, campaigns, organizing, or a related field; and possession of a bachelor or master’s degree in an appropriate related field (Communication, Journalism, Media, Public Relations, Government, Political Science); or some experience in writing and producing publications, journalism, public relations, local, state or federal government, or nonprofit organizations or any equivalent combination of knowledge and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Strong skills required for Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams). Strong skills required in Webex/Zoom/Teams, Experience with WordPress and/or SharePoint to support limited updates to existing websites (e.g., photo or text changes). Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop) considered desirable.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Communication Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from members, regulatory agencies, community leaders, and members of the public. Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to calculate figures and amounts for general accounting purposes related to purchases, invoices, and contract expenditures.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to interpret personnel policies and practices and make appropriate decisions; apply good judgment and initiative, ability to maintain confidentiality.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to stand and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. This is a fast-paced environment and requires the ability to handle multiple tasks at any given time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.