City of Tampa

This is senior management level work involving Marketing & Communications.  The position serves in a capacity similar to Deputy Director of Communications.

This role entails strategic leadership, supervision, and decision-making authority. The position is responsible for managing budgetary decisions, staffing, and crisis communications, working closely with the Director of Communications, departmental communications coordinators, and media outlets to ensure effective public relations and messaging during times of crisis. An employee in this role works daily to promote the goals and objectives of the City of Tampa, fosters sound community relations, and oversees the creation and dissemination of all marketing-related materials through management of the creative communications staff. The employee is required to exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment in determining how, when, and what activities should be pursued to best serve the interests of the city.  Tact, discretion, and courtesy are extremely important in discharging assigned duties. Work is reviewed through reports submitted, conferences, and results achieved.  Appointed position: employee serves at the pleasure of the Mayor.

Provide strategic direction and oversight for all communications and marketing activities citywide.

Collaborate with the Communications Director to develop and execute comprehensive media strategies, providing guidance to the Mayor and City leadership.

Supervise creative communications staff, providing guidance on social media content creation, marketing and communications campaigns, video and graphic design projects.

Act as a liaison with local news media, assisting with the organization of press briefings, interviews, and coverage of city programs and activities.

Manage media relations during crisis situations, coordinating messaging and responses with communications coordinators and relevant city departments.

Make budgetary decisions and oversee resource allocation within the communications and marketing department.

Supervise departmental staff, providing guidance, mentorship, and performance evaluations to ensure effective teamwork and achievement of departmental goals.

Performs related work as required.

Knowledge of: effective public relations and public information dissemination principles and techniques; area news media and business organizations and their methods of operation; social and digital media management; photography, printing, and publication procedures.

Ability to:  plan and conduct effective public relations, informational and promotional activities; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, representatives of area news media, community organizations and businesses, and the public; communicate with varied citizen and business groups and speak effectively in public; write and assimilate materials for publication and presentation including press releases and other publicity materials.

Mostly sedentary, indoors, requires extended use of computer, typing and viewing a monitor.

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, public administration, political science or a related field and five (5) year’s of experience in public relations or public administration, including 3 years of supervisory experience.

Possession of a valid Florida driver’s license is required.

Evaluation of education and experience. Drug testing is included in all pre-employment processing.

Employees may be required to work rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed. During periods when the Mayor issues an emergency declaration for the City of Tampa, all employees may be required to work in preparation, response or recovery activities related to the stated emergency.