Communications Specalist

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Salary Range: $5,960.63 - $7,748.82 per month

FLSA Designation: Non-Exempt

Established: June 2026

Revised: June 2026

Salary Revision: July 2026

Classification: 200: Non-Management

Range: 245

DEPARTMENT / DIVISION: Administration

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under general supervision, performs skilled and responsible administrative support duties for the Administration Department, including, but not limited to, document preparation, recordkeeping, customer service, telephone and front desk reception, database maintenance, and coordination with external agencies. Incumbents in this role work independently on routine assignments and have increased responsibility for accuracy and timeliness of deliverables.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This is the journey-level classification in the administrative series. Incumbents independently perform a broad range of professional communications, public information, and community outreach functions in support of District operations. Work requires the exercise of independent judgment, creativity, and strong written and verbal communication skills while ensuring compliance with applicable public agency policies, procedures, and transparency requirements. This classification is distinguished from administrative support classifications by its emphasis on strategic communications, public relations, community engagement, and external stakeholder interaction in addition to general administration.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES/TYPICAL JOB FUNCTIONS

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices across multiple operational departments.

• Develops and manages social media content; drafts press releases, announcements, and public information materials; supports website updates; and participates in community outreach and engagement activities.
• Facilitates guided tours of District facilities for residents, schools, elected officials, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Represents the District at community events, fairs, open houses, and outreach activities.
• Coordinates and participates in educational programs that promote public awareness of District services, infrastructure, and operations.
• Plans and executes District-sponsored programs, special events, ribbon cuttings, groundbreaking ceremonies, and other public events; recruits, coordinates, and recognizes volunteers in support of these activities.
• Creates informational materials, brochures, displays, and exhibits for public outreach initiatives.
• Perform photography and videography at District events for use in marketing, historical documentation, and public communication.
• Tracks and reports communications performance metrics, including website traffic, social media engagement, newsletter distribution, and outreach participation.
• Stays informed of emerging trends and best practices in public outreach, community engagement, and government communications.
• Greet visitors, answers the phone, responds to inquiries, and provides accurate information regarding supported services, policies, and procedures.
• Compiles and checks data for administrative, statistical, and financial reports; and supports annual reporting requirements and special projects.
• Composes, edits, and proofreads correspondence, reports, and agendas; and verifies the accuracy and completeness of forms and records.
• Prepares records, maintains departmental files, tracks projects, and supports general office operations.
• Maintains calendars for management and department operations; and schedules meetings and assists with time-sensitive assignments.
• Coordinates with vendors, contractors, and public agencies; and represents the Town in a professional capacity in internal and community-facing activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and procedures of office and administrative support including scheduling, document preparation, and internal coordination.
• Principles and best practices in public relations, community outreach, and government communications.
• Strategies for developing and managing engaging social media content across multiple platforms.
• Techniques for drafting clear and accurate press releases, announcements, public information materials, brochures, and other outreach documents.
• Methods for planning, coordinating, and executing public events, guided tours, ribbon cuttings, groundbreaking ceremonies, and educational programs.
• Basic photography, videography, and digital content creation techniques.
• Website content management practices and digital communication tools.
• Applicable laws, codes, regulations, and policies related to governing public agency communications, public records, and transparency requirements.
• Records management, including retention policies and digital document organization.
• Public-sector procedures related to purchasing or budgeting (as assigned).
• Techniques for managing confidential information in a public agency setting.

Ability to:

• Apply established procedures and interpret policy and regulatory requirements relevant to assigned duties.
• Independently perform a variety of administrative tasks with accuracy, sound judgment, and minimal supervision.
• Compose professional correspondence, reports, agendas, and meeting minutes with minimal guidance.
• Develop and manage social media content and digital engagement strategies that effectively communicate District programs and initiatives.
• Draft professional press releases, announcements, brochures, displays, and other public information materials with minimal supervision.
• Coordinate schedules, meetings, and communications across multiple departments or stakeholders.
• Plan, coordinate, and successfully execute public events, guided tours, educational programs, and community outreach activities.
• Represent the District professionally at community events, fairs, open houses, and meetings with diverse stakeholders including residents, schools, and elected officials.
• Use discretion and confidentiality when handling sensitive information.
• Respond to public inquiries, resolve service issues, and handle escalated requests with professionalism.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education: Equivalent to completion of twelfth (12th) grade/high school. Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, public administration, political science, or a related field.

Experience: Three (3) years of relevant experience in public relations, community outreach, communications, or similar.

Previous experience in government, utilities, water/environmental sectors, or nonprofits and familiarity with tools related to graphic design or video editing, social media campaigns, press releases, and event photos/videos is highly valuable.

License(s); Certificates, Special Requirements:

Driver’s License: Possession of, or ability to obtain and maintain, an appropriate driver’s license and satisfactory driving record may be required for some positions.

FOR FULL JOB DESCRIPTION PLEASE VIEW ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE HERE: https://todb.ca.gov/employment-opportunities