Public Information Officer - Houston, United States - City of Houston, TX

City of Houston, TX

Verified Company

Houston, United States

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Mark Lane

beBee recruiter

Description

POSITION OVERVIEW:

APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FROM:

ALL PERSONS INTERESTED

DIVISION:

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

REPORTING LOCATION:
CITY HALL, 901 BAGBY ST.

WORKDAYS & HOURS:
MONDAY - FRIDAY; 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
MAY REQUIRE NIGHTS & WEEKENDS**
Subject to change

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES/ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Public Information Officer's (PIO) primary responsibility will be to process Texas Public Information Act Requests filed with the Mayor's Office, work with the Senior Advisor for Communications, and communicate with the public, often through the news media, on behalf of the mayor and city.

General duties and functions of the PIO position:

Works with the Senior Advisor for Communications, the Mayor's executive staff, the City Legal Department, news media, and the public in situations that may be sensitive.
Attends conferences, trainings, and other meetings to stay current with successful practices in public information and learn new skills.
Coordinates Public Information requests and responses with all City departments.
Coordinates media efforts, including press conferences and public communications.
Assists city staff in media relations and public information policies and procedures.
Responds to media inquiries related to the City and coordinate interviews and information responses.
As part of the city communications team, supports local events and festivals.
Serve as oncall PIO on select nights/weekends in a rotation with the Press Secretary and Senior Advisor for Communications to respond if needed and deemed necessary.
Produces public service announcements.
Helps prepare talking points, news releases, and video messages for the Mayor.

WORKING CONDITIONS
This position is physically comfortable; the individual has discretion about walking, standing, etc. There are no major sources of discomfort in a normal office environment.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Requires a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Public Administration or a closely related field.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Five years of progressive professional experience in media, public relations or a closely related field are required.

LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
Valid Texas Driver's License and compliance with the City of Houston policy on driving (Administrative Policy 2-2).

PREFERENCES:

Preference shall be given to those with the following skills:

Superior writing and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to work in an environment involving teamwork, multiple deadlines, rapid communications, and crisis response.
Advanced knowledge of social media, print, electronic, radio/television, and other media used to distribute public information. Familiarity with AP Writing Style.
Ability to establish and maintain professional, effective relationships with media outlets, internal management/ nonmanagement employees, and City and other government officials.
Excellent verbal/written communication and analytical skills to include but not limited to newsletters, fact sheets, news releases, and other forms of publicity.
Proficient use of Microsoft Office products, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Fluent in Spanish, written and verbal

GENERAL INFORMATION:

SELECTION / SKILLS TESTS REQUIRED
None; however, the department _may_ administer a skills assessment test.

**SAFETY IMPACT POSITION
Yes

GRANT FUND POSITION
Grants and Special Funded positions are dependent upon continued available funds. If funding is no longer available, employees may be laid off or transferred.

SALARY INFORMATION

PAY GRADE:
26

APPLICATION PROCEDURES
If you need special services or accommodations, call TTY 7-1-1)

If you need login assistance or technical support call

EOE Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of Houston is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

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