Public Information Officer / Community Engagement Liaison

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Public Information Officer / Community Engagement Liaison

Salary

$73,743.59 - $128,477.73 Annually

Location

Ventura and will require travel throughout Ventura County, CA

Job Type

Full-Time Regular

Job Number

0452RMA-24AA (HS)

Department

Resource Management Agency

Opening Date

05/13/2024

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description

• Benefits

• Questions

Description

What We Offer:

• General Salary Increase 3.5% effective December 22, 2024.

• New Hire/Retention/Referral Incentive New hires may be eligible for a one-time New Hire incentive up to 10% of the current annual base wage. (Subject to the section of the Management Resolution (Secs. 625 — 627).

• Educational incentive - An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate degree, 3.5 % for completion of a bachelor's degree, OR 5.0% for completion of a graduate degree.

• Bilingual incentive – Proficiency levels by exam are $0.69 per hour (Level I), $1.00 per hour (Level II), or $1.32 per hour (Level III).

• Flexible Workweek/Telework Schedule – We support work life balance by offering compressed work (e.g., 9/80 workweek) and remote hybrid telework schedules for most positions subject to organizational needs and satisfactory performance.

• Annual Leave – 208 hours per year, increasing to 288 hours after 5 years of service.

• Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions. Following five (5) years of continuous County service, an additional 2% non-elective contribution will be made to the 401(k) plan.

• Health Plans – Medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your dependents. A flexible credit allowance of up to $23,530 annually.

• Flexible Spending Accounts – Choice of participation in the Flexible Spending Accounts which increases spending power through reimbursement of pre-tax dollars for IRS approved dependent care and health care expenses.

• Pension Plan - Both the County and employees contribute to the County's Retirement Plan and to Social Security. If eligible, reciprocity may be established with other public retirement systems, such as PERS.

• Holidays - 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.

THE AGENCY

The primary goal of the Resource Management Agency (RMA) is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the general public through administration and enforcement of County ordinances, Board policy, and state and federal laws regarding land use, and commercial and environmental regulation. RMA includes five divisions: Environmental Health, Planning, Building & Safety, Code Compliance, and Operations/GIS.

RMA recognizes the value of having a diverse and inclusive workforce at all levels of our agency to best serve our clients and be representative of the community we serve and is committed to being an active participant in removing barriers to ensure equitable access and opportunities for success. The agency is dedicated to attracting, hiring, developing, retaining, and valuing quality employees fully empowered to protect everyone's health, safety, and the environment, and committed to providing excellent customer service through the efficient, accurate, and consistent application of laws, ordinances, regulations, and policies. The location for this vacancy is in Ventura and will require travel throughout Ventura County.

THE POSITION

The Resource Management Agency (RMA) is seeking an individual, committed to exceptional customer service who will develop and implement the Agency’s communications strategy utilizing all media platforms, aimed at sharing the agency’s services with the community. Under general direction, this position collaboratively manages RMA’s internal and external communication plan while promoting the Agency's mission, vision, and values and fostering public understanding and awareness of RMA’s goals, programs, and services. The incumbent will be a hands-on professional developing content and materials for reports and public information.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE will support community outreach efforts to implement strategic plans for communications, marketing, and community relations that are in alignment with the agency's mission and goals and must have a positive attitude, work effectively in a fast-paced team environment, show initiative, and adapt well to change, and possess effective public speaking and interpersonal communication skills; and is organized, and detail-oriented. The successful candidate will demonstrate the following competencies:

Oral & Written CommunicationStrategic ThinkingProfessional Integrity & Ethics

Building Collaborative RelationshipsAdaptability & FlexibilityIndustry & Regulatory Awareness

Customer Service OrientationResults FocusedPresentation Proficiency

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed Term), Intermittent, and Extra Help vacancies. There is currently one (1) vacancy within the Resource Management Agency.

APPROXIMATE SALARIES:

Agency Public Information Officer I: $73,743.59 - $103,241.04 Annual

Agency Public Information Officer II: $91,769.81 - $128,477.73 Annual

NOTE: If appointed at the lower level, incumbent may be promoted to the higher level without further examination upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with the business needs of the department.

The Agency Public Information Officer I/II classifications are not eligible for overtime compensation. Incumbents in these classifications are eligible for benefits at the MB3 level.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

OPENING DATE: 05/13/2024

CLOSING DATE: Continuous

FIRST REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS: On or around 05/28/2024. Subsequent reviews will be conducted until closing date.

Examples Of Duties

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Develops Agency communication strategies, programs, initiatives, services, and events; communicates with other public information officers to ensure messages relayed are aligned.

• Engages with diverse community groups and establishes trusted relationships; informs, visits, and educates on various issues with community stakeholders, including businesses, residents, churches, schools, hospitals, other governmental entities, community organizations, and environmental groups.

• Develops outreach programs to support equity through community engagement; plans, coordinates, promotes, and participates in a variety of community events and informational presentations, which may require occasional weekend or evening attendance.

• Coordinates agency-wide information, upcoming changes, newsworthy events, and updates; plans, organizes, and coordinates, social media, media events; uses data analytics from website and social media to evaluate communication needs and identify enhancements.

• Strategically markets and promotes Agency services to increase public awareness; and develops a diverse and inclusive communications plan.

• Develops materials, including writing and producing newsletters, brochures, editorials, talking points, speeches, videos, and web communications.

• Confers with staff at all levels within the Agency, other internal/external County Agencies and organizations; prepares information for dissemination to the media and stakeholder groups; communicates with members of the media, the public, various community organizations, and local governments.

• Represents the Agency through contact with the media, other governmental or community agencies and the public; confers and cooperates with others on policies and procedures as well as organizational and operational issues; develops informational materials, online communications and needs assessment materials.

• Delivers presentations to the Board of Supervisors and other community groups.

• Interacts with and effectively communicates in a professional manner with members of the public, elected/appointed officials, department/agency directors, and other high-profile individuals.

• Prepares special and periodic reports involving compilation of, and analysis of data from a number of sources.

• May operate camera to take photographs of events and persons of note.

• Performs other related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE

Any combination of training, education, and extensive experience in the public or private sector which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Examples of qualifying education and experience are:

Agency Public Information Officer I:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communication, Public Administration, Business, or a related field; and

• Two (2) years of recent, paid, and progressively responsible professional experience in journalism, public relations, or managing media communication and information for a public or private sector organization.

Agency Public Information Officer II:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communication, Public Administration, Business, or a related field; and

• Two (2) years of recent, paid, and progressively responsible experience serving as a public information officer in the public sector or similar environment equivalent to that of an Agency Public Information Officer I.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must possess a valid CA driver license by date of hire.

• The ability to make effective public speaking presentations.

• Willing to work varied hours, including evenings and weekends as needed.

DESIRED:

• Written and/or oral bilingual skills in English and Spanish.

Supplemental Information: Work is performed primarily in an office environment, but incumbents may be required to visit various County departments/agencies on a regular basis and meet offsite with business and community leaders, staff or other governmental organizations, and the public.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES

Considerable Knowledge in:

• Media relations, news writing and production, and the operation and needs of the media industry.

• Media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform via written, oral, and visual media.

• The structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rule of composition, and grammar.

• Principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

• Business software tools.

• Business office procedures, practices, and protocols.

Working Knowledge of:

• Agency organization, operations, services, policies, and procedures.

Ability to:

• Carefully and actively listen.

• Communicate orally and in writing, make public presentations to the media and other agency representatives on Agency issues and decisions.

• Compose news releases, articles, brochures, and pamphlets.

• Establish and maintain good working relationships with media representatives, community organizations, government officials, staff, and volunteers.

• Plan, organize and establish goals and objectives.

• Exercise sound judgment and decision making.

• Supervise, motivate, train, and evaluate the work of others.

• Adhere to deadlines and short time constraints.

• Produce accurate information using appropriate tools/media.

• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.

Skilled In:

• Creating and posting content across social media platforms.

• Printing and print production.

• Graphic design

• Photography and video

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura, Human Resources no later than 5:00 pm on the closing date.

FIRST REVIEW: A first review of applications is anticipated to occur on or around May 28, 2024, and subsequent reviews may be conducted until sufficient applications are received to meet business needs.

To apply online, please refer to our website at www.governmentjobs (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ventura?sort=PositionTitle%7CAscending) . If you prefer to fill out a paper application, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

Note to Applicants: It is essential that all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your applications and questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here (https://get.adobe.com/reader/) for additional information.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE – qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination AT THE TIME OF FILING. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire will result in the application being removed from consideration. Responses such as "See Resume" or "Refer to Resume" are not acceptable and may disqualify an applicant from further evaluation.

TRAINING and EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to supplemental questions. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of applicants is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.

ORAL EXAMINATION/PRACTICAL EXAMINATION - 100%: A job-related examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating applicants’ knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which a job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Written documents produced by candidates may also be discussed with the panel in the oral examination. Applicants must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

NOTE: The oral examination/practical may be consolidated into one process or expanded into two separate exam components contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool.

The selection process will likely consist of an Oral/Practical Exam, which may be preceded by or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified during a job analysis as needed at the time of hire for successful job performance. For this reason, it is recommended that your application clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions be completed with care and diligence.

If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an examination will not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Happy Stem by e-mail at happy.stem@ventura.org or by telephone at (805) 654-2482.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE

MANAGEMENT

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• Benefits website (https://hr.ventura.org/benefits) or you may call (805) 654-2570.

• Retirement FAQ's (https://vcportal.ventura.org/CEO/benefits/docs/RETIREMENT%20-%20FAQs.pdf)

• Memorandum of Agreement

Union Codes: MB3, MB4, MS, MT, MCC, MU

01

Briefly describe your work experience in communications management. In your response, include the following:

A. Your involvement in managing or implementing the communication strategy for your employer.

B. Your approach for measuring the impact of communications.

If you do not have this kind of experience, type "no experience."

02

Briefly describe your work experience strategically utilizing:

A. Social media

B. Web content

C. Adobe Professional

D. Publishing software and/or other new media platforms for public facing communications.

Include:

1. Employers where you obtained this experience

2. Level of expertise with each (beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert)

3. How you used them

4. Subject matter of the information distributed

5. Intended audiences

   If you do not have this kind of experience, type "no experience."

   03

   What types of written communication, correspondence, technical reports, and spreadsheets for analysis have you created? Include the purpose for the correspondence, recipients, and types of software used in creating the documents.

   04

   Describe your experience with implementation of public outreach programs and giving public presentations. Include the program's focus, presentation content, and target audience.

   05

   Describe your work experience establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with the public and other entities. Include:

   A. Employer(s) where you obtained this experience

   B. With whom you developed effective working relationships, community groups, management, elected officials, volunteers, etc.

   C. Your responsibilities in these relationships

   If you have no experience in this area, type "no experience."

   06

   Are you willing to work varied hours, including evenings and weekends?

• Yes

• No

  07

  This position may require delivering presentations to a variety of audiences. Are you able and willing to perform public speaking?

• Yes

• No

  Required Question

Agency

Ventura County

Address

800 S. Victoria Avenue LOC. #1970 Ventura, California, 93009

Phone

(805) 654-5129

Website

http://hr.ventura.org

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