Company Profile

Company Description:

PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
COUNTY MANAGER’S OFFICE
 Salary: Negotiable up to $175,000.00

Arlington County is seeking a Public Affairs and Communications Director to lead the overall countywide public engagement and communications strategy, ensuring that the framework for communications from and to the public is established and maintained, and for collaborating with other County agencies, the Board, constituent groups, and inter-jurisdictional/regional organizations on matters that cross organizational boundaries.

The Job
The Director reports directly to the County Manager and manages the Office of Communications and Public Engagement, which includes Communications (Media, Arlington TV, and Digital Communications), Public Engagement, and Constituent Services.  These services are provided through 4 Managers and 13 professional/technical staff.  The office has recently restructured to put more emphasis on public engagement to ensure that communications occur as early as possible at all levels and stages of an initiative. This employee serves as the principal spokesperson for the County and provides leadership by:

• Providing timely, and effective information to the community on important topics, while providing tools and channels that make it easy for people to access and understand information and provide input to the County;
• Engaging community leaders and other stakeholders in on-going dialog involving County initiatives;
• Setting and communicating a strategic vision for the enterprise communications unit;
• Collaborating with and advising other Communications staff and department management across the enterprise regarding the messaging of information and the public engagement process;
• Championing improved customer service across the organization and implementing innovative ways of achieving public engagement; and
• Establishing and sustaining a positive work environment that enhances staff development, learning, and high performance.

For more information about the Office of Communications and Public Engagement, including the latest news releases, click here.
 
The successful candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in related area, plus the ideal candidate will have extensive senior management experience in public relations, media relations, or communications, preferably in an urban municipal setting.
 
For more information, or to apply visit www.arlingtonva.us/pers or contact Human Resources at (703) 228-3500. This position is open until filled.