State of Maryland

A Publications Specialist II is the full performance level of staff work in the field of public relations.  Employees in this classification, under the supervision of the program chief and/or higher-level specialist, executes assignments dealing with the writing, presenting and dissemination of informal and promotional materials and developing all or part of informational and promotional projects.  Employee in this classification assist in analyzing program needs to determine the requirements for promotional and informational literature; prepare a wide variety of materials and arrange for its distribution.  Employees in this classification have contacts with public officials and civic and business leaders.  Employees in this classification do not normally supervise other positions but may be required to supervise clerical assistants and others when involved in special projects or to advise, assist and train on routine procedures.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from an administrative superior or program chief, much of it is performed independently within the guidelines of established policies and procedures, although work on major projects is subject to supervision and review.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Publications Specialist Trainee, Publications Specialist I and Publications Specialist II are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Publications Specialist Trainee performs duties under close supervision.  The Publications Specialist I performs duties under close supervision at times and under moderate supervision at other times, depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The Publications Specialist II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Prepares and oversees the publication and distribution of promotional or informational literature involving preparation of copy and layout, obtaining photograph and art work, determining quantities to be printed, and handling of all publication details;

Assists in the conduct of studies to evaluate the effectiveness of the promotional or informational literature;

Advises the program chief on the need for additional literature and/or revision or elimination of old publications;

Answers correspondence and inquiries about informational and promotional literature;

Assists in establishing and overseeing a system for compiling and maintaining up-to-date mailing lists required for the effective distribution of promotional literature;

May supervise clerical staff responsible for the distribution, storage and maintenance of a continuous inventory of promotional literature;

May assist local civic and trade associations on details of their programs, especially in advising and assisting such groups on the preparation and publication of promotional literature;

May make public presentations as a representative of the agency;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques involved in the preparation and production of effective promotional literature;

Knowledge of the methods and techniques of disseminating information to the public and of the facilities and media available;

Ability to conceive publicity projects and to carry out effective methods of presenting publicity material;

Ability to work effectively with public officials and civic and business leaders;

Ability to analyze and evaluate promotional literature and to make detailed and practical suggestions for increasing its effectiveness;

Ability to prepare material for making public presentations effectively.

Experience: Six years of experience in journalism, writing technical publications, public relations, or promotional work.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with a major in one or more of the following fields: English, Journalism, Public Relations, Writing, Multi-Media, or Audio-visual Communications and two years of experience in the field of journalism, writing technical publications, public relations, or promotional work for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, not in one of the above majors, and two years of experience in journalism, writing technical publications, public relations, or promotional work, for five years of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in public affairs classification or communications clerical specialty codes in the general, administrative, clerical and office field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G- Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series. NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.