Public Information Officer

JOB SUMMARY:

Working under general supervision of the Manager of Public Affairs, the Public Information Officer is responsible for collaborating with diverse public and community representatives to plan, coordinate and direct a comprehensive approach to communications and public relations activities. The Public Information Officer is a key contributor to the creation of communication materials and channels that promote transparency, education, and openness with the City of Frederick, especially with the Frederick Police Department. This position will engage and inform residents, property and business owners, and regional and non-profit organizations. The work requires excellent communication and customer service skills due to considerable public contact; the ability to perform assignments independently; and sound judgment.

Special Selection Criteria: Must possess an excellent moral character and background that will withstand a comprehensive background investigation and subsequent polygraph(s).

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Drafts and edits key external communication materials for the Office of Public Affairs, Frederick Police Department, and other City departments as assigned, using a style that is engaging, concise, and appropriate in tone for the organization and audience while ensuring the accuracy of information.
• Assists in managing the Frederick Police Department's social media presence by creating content, monitoring public engagement, responding as appropriate, and supporting strategic communications and crisis messaging in coordination with the Manager of Public Affairs and Chief of Police.
• Coordinates and tracks public and media inquiries, ensuring timely, accurate, and appropriate responses through collaboration with Police Department personnel, the Office of Public Affairs, and other City departments.
• Monitors community concerns, public sentiment, and emerging issues affecting the Police Department and communicates relevant trends and recommendations to department leadership.
• Develops and maintains a variety of written and digital communications, including news releases, media advisories, website content, briefing materials, reports, social media content, and other public information resources.
• Assists with community engagement initiatives that strengthen relationships between the Frederick Police Department and residents, businesses, neighborhood organizations, and community partners.
• Promotes a positive, transparent, and professional image of the Frederick Police Department and the City of Frederick through responsive, accurate, and proactive public communications.
• Assists in developing and implementing communications strategies, policies, and best practices that support public information, transparency, and community engagement initiatives.
• Maintains and updates media contact lists, community partner databases, communication calendars, and outreach resources to support departmental communications efforts.
• Assists in the preparation and dissemination of news releases, media statements, and emergency public information, serving as a communications resource and backup during critical incidents as directed.
• Assists in coordinating press conferences, media briefings, community meetings, public events, and other outreach opportunities in support of the Chief of Police, the Frederick Police Department, and the Office of Public Affairs.
• Leads the planning and coordination of the Frederick Police Department's annual National Night Out event and supports other community outreach initiatives that strengthen relationships between the Police Department and the community.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, marketing, business administration, public administration, public relations or a related field; equivalent experience will be accepted in lieu of post-secondary education.
• Two (2) years of experience in public relations, community development, marketing and communications, public information, or a related field.
  
  

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES AND/OR LICENSES:

• Vehicle Operator's license with satisfactory driving record that meets insurability standards of the City's insurance carrier is required. The employee must maintain the license for the duration of their employment.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Knowledge of and ability to use effectively several social media platforms and understanding of successful social media campaigns.
• Working knowledge of Canva to develop professional-quality visual communications, including social media graphics, flyers, infographics, presentations, and other public outreach materials.
• Ability to effectively communicate in writing in the English language.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally via telephone, in face-to-face meetings, and to groups in the English language.
• Exhibits strong proofreading and editing skills.
• Organizational, planning, and project management skills.
• Knowledge of various software programs, including MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), Adobe software, e-mail marketing systems and social media platforms operating in a Windows environment.
• Communication and customer service skills sufficient to deal effectively with the public, vendors, and staff, using written and/or verbal communication.
• Time, project management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to adapt to frequent changes in workload.

OTHER DESIRABLES:

• Bilingual/multi-lingual, with Spanish language skills highly preferred.
  
  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the incumbent 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 required to move about in an office type setting, to remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time, to compile and retrieve information from computers, phones, etc., to draft and write, to handle paperwork and position self in the course of work. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 20 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Talking: The incumbent must have the ability to express or exchange ideas in the English language by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately or quickly.

Hearing: The incumbent perceives the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and making fine discriminations in sound.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/CONDITION: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing 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 work in a typical office setting with an open workspace shared with others and occasionally is exposed to varying outdoor weather conditions.