Communications Officer - Public Works (Open and Promotional)

Communications Officer

The County of San Mateo Department of Public Works (DPW) is seeking a strategic and creative Communications Officer to help connect residents with the projects, services, and infrastructure that support everyday life throughout the County.
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This position is responsible for both building new strategies from the ground up and refining the use existing communication channels. Externally with the public, the position will elevate public trust through proactive outreach, creative public relations, and transparent messaging regarding our vital infrastructure, facilities, and transportation networks. Internally, the position will design and implement communication frameworks that unite and inform a large, multifaceted department.
Strategic communications efforts will include public information and community engagement efforts for the Department of Public Works, including public outreach related to road closures, emergency events, engineering projects, and various capital projects. A key priority for this role will be building and launching the department's independent social media presence, establishing new digital channels to directly publicize our work and engage with the community.
Reporting directly to the Assistant Director of Public Works, the Communications Officer serves as a key member of the department and plays a central role in creating and enhancing the department's communications efforts.
Role and Responsibilities
The Communications Officer will:
Develop and implement strategic communication and outreach plans aligned with departmental priorities and community needs
Design and execute targeted outreach, engagement, and marketing strategies using data, feedback, and performance metrics to inform decision-making
Pivot communication strategies and messaging in response to road closures, emergency events, engineering projects, and capital projects
Build, launch and maintain the department's social media presence
Serve as a primary point of contact for media inquiries, public information requests, and sensitive public-facing communications
Draft and coordinate press releases, media statements, talking points, executive messaging, newsletters, and public communications
Support emergency and crisis communications related to road closures, emergency events, engineering projects, and capital projects
Build inclusive communications and outreach plans that effectively reach multilingual, multicultural, and historically underrepresented communities
Promote DPW's engagement through innovative campaigns, storytelling, events, challenges, newsletters, interpretive programming, and community partnerships
Collaborate with departmental leadership, partner agencies, community organizations, and stakeholders to align messaging and engagement goals
Provide strategic direction and creative vision for digital, visual, and graphic design and communications, including supervision and coordination of communications support staff and consultants
Analyze communication and engagement data to evaluate effectiveness and continuously improve outreach strategies
Strengthen internal communications and employee engagement across the department in coordination with the department's human resources team
Ensure digital communications, public-facing materials, and online platforms align with ADA accessibility standards and inclusive communication best practices
Oversee the development and coordination of brochures, informational materials, signage content, presentations, and outreach collateral that support departmental goals and community engagement
Provide strategic direction for visual communications to ensure messaging, branding, accessibility, and audience needs are effectively integrated across platforms and materials
Develop and evaluate communication strategies that increase community participation, public awareness, transparency, trust, and meaningful public engagement
Provide strategic direction and creative vision for digital, visual, and graphic design and communications, including supervision and coordination of communications support staff (i.e. Graphic Specialist) and consultants
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate understands how to support departmental priorities with effective communication strategies tailored to diverse audiences and communities. They can shape messaging, guide visual storytelling efforts, and provide creative direction that supports public engagement and outreach goals. Creativity and the ability to generate new ideas and strategies is key. Experience supporting communications related to public safety, road closures, emergency response, infrastructure projects, or operational impacts is highly desirable. The position requires sound judgment, political awareness, adaptability, and the ability to communicate effectively in fast-moving and highly visible public environments.
The ideal candidate will possess:
A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public relations, communications, journalism, business or public administration, or a related field
Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in public relations, public information, media relations, digital engagement, government administration or strategic communications
A track record of developing content for broad audiences through press releases, newsletters, websites, or multi-media campaigns
Strong storytelling skills with the ability to connect with diverse audiences
Experience developing content across multiple platforms (beyond just social media)
Experience supporting communications related to public safety, environmental issues, emergency response, infrastructure projects, or operational impacts is highly desirable
Knowledge of branding, marketing, and digital communications strategies
Ability to create inclusive, culturally responsive messaging
Strong writing skills, including articles and public-facing communications
Qualifications
Knowledge of:
Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation, and evaluation.
Public agency contract administration, County-wide administrative practices, and general principles of risk management related to the functions of the assigned area.
Organizational and management practices as applied to the analysis and evaluation of projects, programs, policies, procedures, and operational needs.
Principles and practices of public information, media relations, and community outreach project and program development.
Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
Methods and techniques for the development of press releases, talking points, newsletters, presentations, business correspondence, and information distribution; research and reporting methods, techniques, and procedures.
Record keeping principles and procedures.
Modern office practices, methods, computer equipment, and applications related to the work.
English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
Techniques for effectively representing the County in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, regulatory, and legislative organizations.
Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and County staff.
Skills/Ability to:
Develop and implement goals, objectives, policies, procedures, work standards, and internal controls for assigned department.
Provide professional leadership and direction in managing department-specific communication strategies, media relations, and campaigns.
Conceptualize messages and effectively communicate in writing, speech, and other methods of communication.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with reporters, editors, and other media representatives.
Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
Effectively represent assigned department in committees and meetings with stakeholders and the community.
Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials.
Conduct complex research projects, evaluate alternatives, make sound recommendations, and prepare effective technical staff reports.
Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. A typical way of gaining the knowledge and skills is equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public relations, communications, journalism, business or public administration, or a related field and five (5) years of management experience in public affairs, media relations, or related area.
Application/Examination
Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (