Communications Specialist II

Summary

The Department of Local Services is seeking a creative and community-driven Communications Specialist II to join our team. This new position will help us reach the more than 250,000 people in unincorporated King County, a population size that makes us equivalent to the second largest city in Washington state. The ideal candidate will bring experience in designing and implementing communication strategies that engage diverse audiences, with a strong focus on creating content for social media and web platforms.

They also will be committed to plain language and accessibility standards to make sure everyone can be well-informed and engaged.

About the team

This position is a part of the Communications team in the Director's Office. We provide communications support across the department and collaborate closely with the Communications team in the Road Services Division. This multi-faceted role balances individual autonomy and collaborative teamwork. The work environment is fast paced with a high project volume, and the team works together to meet the challenges.

About King County's Department of Local Services

King County is the local service provider for roughly a quarter-million people who live in the unincorporated areas of the county. The Department of Local Services includes a Director's Office as well as the Road Services and Permitting divisions. Together, this department provides a single executive point of accountability for delivering local services to all unincorporated areas.

We work in historically underserved urban neighborhoods, like White Center and Skyway, and in rural areas of unincorporated King County such as Duvall, Enumclaw, and Vashon Island. We engage people who monitor social media by the moment as well as those who only have a land line.

We encourage all applicants to learn more about our department by visiting our website at Local Services - King County, Washington.

Our commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice

The Department of Local Services is deeply dedicated to fostering Equity, Racial and Social Justice in every aspect of our work. Our pledge is to cultivate, embrace, and celebrate the distinct experiences, viewpoints, and perspectives of our people and partners and the communities we serve. Through this work, we dismantle systemic barriers, address inequities, and actively confront prejudices and biases. We acknowledge that this journey is ongoing, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to create a positive impact for our employees and communities alike.

Job Duties

Applying equity, racial, and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of your work.

* Collaborate with teams to assess and identify communications needs and issues and help create communications plans and strategies

* Work collaboratively and facilitate effective communication with project and program staff members across the department

* Create effective audio, visual, and written content such as presentations, blog posts, signs, social media posts, web materials, and videos for internal and external audience-sometimes working with employees and community members to co-create materials and campaigns

* Coordinate, promote, and staff events such as community events, festivals, and fairs, and employee events

* Support creation and improvement of processes and templates to improve team efficiency and effectiveness

* Research, create, and coordinate the production of public and employee communications products.

* Provide communications counsel and advice to internal customers

* Other duties as assigned

Values

* Serve with integrity.

* Show initiative and work hard.

* Prioritize outcomes over optics.

* Center those most impacted and put "boots on the ground."

* Sove problems with a "yes, and" mindset

* Work as one adaptable, mission-driven team

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

* Three years of experience working in position(s) that featured communications, marketing, customer service, or community engagemen

* Experience keeping pace with new communications and social media trends and creating and managing web pages and/or social media accounts

* Photography and videography skills for use on the county's website, social media, and public distributions (required)

* Graphic design expertise to create newsletters, flyers, and online content a plus

* Knowledge of Word, Excel, and video and photo editing software such as Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Premiere or Canva

* Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced and demanding environment

* Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances and needs

* Highly organized and able to perform multiple detailed tasks accurately and efficiently under time constraints

* Ability and desire to work collaboratively, and to think and solve problems…