Harford County, MD is hiring: ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS i
Harford County, MD, Bel Air, MD, United States, 21014
Prepare information for public release and assist the Sheriff's Office in developing and implementing public relations and information programs; work under the direction of the Director of Media and Public Relations; perform other duties as assigned.
The Asst. Director of Media and Public Relations has opportunities for overtime and compensatory time.
* Research, prepare and write news releases, official statements and other materials for public release that describe programs and objectives of the Sheriff's Office.
* Produce brochures, posters and other materials to promote the Sheriff's Office.
* Schedule the release of promotional materials to promote the Sheriff's Office.
* Coordinate Agency contacts with the media.
* Promote public understanding of the Sheriff's Office, its programs, services, activities and events through presentations to the public and representative community groups.
* Develop and coordinate marketing strategies.
* Work with team to coordinate and create Sheriff's Office social media outreach and video campaigns.
* Attend County events and public forums to ensure maximum, effective and accurate media coverage.
* Operate a personal computer utilizing Microsoft Work, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint, desktop publishing equipment, video editing, and software to produce a variety of media.
* Write original copy and coordinate the production of public service announcements and other media programs.
* Review, coordinate, re-write, edit and design bulletins, pamphlets, internal and external newsletters, exhibits and other materials that explain the Sheriff's Office programs and policies.
* Research and gather information to be used in public information programs.
* Provide advice and guidance to the Sheriff and Command Team concerning public relations issues.
* Serve as back-up to the Director of Media and Public Relations in job related tasks.
* Keep supervisor and relevant others informed of issues in a timely fashion.
* Cultivate and maintain positive relationships with media agency contacts.
* Keep informed on current public information dissemination practices by attending workshops and educational programs or reading specialized literature.
* Attend meetings and participate in various teams when needed.
* Must be available to serve in an on-call capacity.
* Perform other duties as assigned.
* Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, or a closely related field.
* Three (3) years of work experience in marketing, journalism, creative writing, public relations or related work preferred.
* OR equivalent combination of technical training and related experience.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
* Ability to act as a representative of the Sheriff's Office to the public.
* Knowledge of public relations techniques and journalism styles.
* Knowledge of writing techniques; writing original copy, assembling, editing and re-writing other copy and preparing copy for publication.
* Knowledge of information appropriate for the dissemination to various kinds of media.
* Knowledge of various social media platforms.
* Ability to obtain adequate publicity for programs and activities of the Sheriff's Office.
* Ability to plan, develop, organize and coordinate public information and public relations programs.
* Ability to maintain the highest levels of discretion, good judgment and confidentiality.
* Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff; successfully communicate with other staff members, the media, and members of the public; and work as a team.
* Ability to speak and answer questions tactfully under pressure, maintaining interpersonal relationships; ability to read, write and speak English in a clear, effective manner, using proper pronunciation, diction and grammar.
* Ability to establish priorities and organize workload effectively and efficiently.
* Ability to maintain a pleasant and productive working atmosphere.
* Ability to respond properly in emergency situations and complete assignments under pressure.
* Ability to operate relevant computer systems, including hardware and software (MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, desktop publishing), and office machines.
* Ability to operate video and photo editing software.
Selected Candidate:
* Must be a U.S. citizen with 10 years of verifiable US residency.
* Must pass comprehensive background investigation and criminal record check; medical exam and drug/alcohol screening; and polygraph exam.
* Must provide handwriting sample for review.
* Must appear before and receive a favorable recommendation from Oral Interview Board.
* Must be willing to serve in an on-call rotation.
* Must possess a history and exhibit the characteristics of honesty, reliability, integrity, and interpersonal skills. Any criminal conviction(s) and/or arrest(s) may be grounds for disqualification.
Benefits Package includes:
* Health, Dental & Vision insurance
* Flexible Spending Accounts
* State Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation
* Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Children
* Generous Leave Package & Paid Holidays
* Tuition Reimbursement
* Employee Assistance Program