Communications Officer - Public Works (Open and Promotional)

Job Description:

Communications Officer - Public Works (Open and Promotional)

Description

Description
The County of San Mateo Department of Public Works (DPW) is seeking a strategic and creative Communications Officer to help connect residents with the projects, services, and infrastructure that support everyday life throughout the County.

Join us for an engaging LinkedIn Live informational session to explore this exciting opportunity. We'll provide an overview of the department, position, and what the hiring managers are looking for. Don't miss out-join us on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM PST. Click here to register.

This position is responsible for both building new strategies from the ground up and refining the use existing communication channels. Externally with the public, the position will elevate public trust through proactive outreach, creative public relations, and transparent messaging regarding our vital infrastructure, facilities, and transportation networks. Internally, the position will design and implement communication frameworks that unite and inform a large, multifaceted department.

Strategic communications efforts will include public information and community engagement efforts for the Department of Public Works, including public outreach related to road closures, emergency events, engineering projects, and various capital projects. A key priority for this role will be building and launching the department's independent social media presence, establishing new digital channels to directly publicize our work and engage with the community.

Reporting directly to the Assistant Director of Public Works, the Communications Officer serves as a key member of the department and plays a central role in creating and enhancing the department's communications efforts.

Role and Responsibilities

The Communications Officer will:

• Develop and implement strategic communication and outreach plans aligned with departmental priorities and community needs
• Design and execute targeted outreach, engagement, and marketing strategies using data, feedback, and performance metrics to inform decision-making
• Pivot communication strategies and messaging in response to road closures, emergency events, engineering projects, and capital projects
• Build, launch and maintain the department's social media presence
• Serve as a primary point of contact for media inquiries, public information requests, and sensitive public-facing communications
• Draft and coordinate press releases, media statements, talking points, executive messaging, newsletters, and public communications
• Support emergency and crisis communications related to road closures, emergency events, engineering projects, and capital projects
• Build inclusive communications and outreach plans that effectively reach multilingual, multicultural, and historically underrepresented communities
• Promote DPW's engagement through innovative campaigns, storytelling, events, challenges, newsletters, interpretive programming, and community partnerships
• Collaborate with departmental leadership, partner agencies, community organizations, and stakeholders to align messaging and engagement goals
• Provide strategic direction and creative vision for digital, visual, and graphic design and communications, including supervision and coordination of communications support staff and consultants
• Analyze communication and engagement data to evaluate effectiveness and continuously improve outreach strategies
• Strengthen internal communications and employee engagement across the department in coordination with the department's human resources team
• Ensure digital communications, public-facing materials, and online platforms align with ADA accessibility standards and inclusive communication best practices
• Oversee the development and coordination of brochures, informational materials, signage content, presentations, and outreach collateral that support departmental goals and community engagement
• Provide strategic direction for visual communications to ensure messaging, branding, accessibility, and audience needs are effectively integrated across platforms and materials
• Develop and evaluate communication strategies that increase community participation, public awareness, transparency, trust, and meaningful public engagement
• Provide strategic direction and creative vision for digital, visual, and graphic design and communications, including supervision and coordination of communications support staff (i.e. Graphic Specialist) and consultants

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate understands how to support departmental priorities with effective communication strategies tailored to diverse audiences and communities. They can shape messaging, guide visual storytelling efforts, and provide creative direction that supports public engagement and outreach goals. Creativity and the ability to generate new ideas and strategies is key. Experience supporting communications related to public safety, road closures, emergency response, infrastructure projects, or operational impacts is highly desirable. The position requires sound judgment, political awareness, adaptability, and the ability to communicate effectively in fast-moving and highly visible public environments.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public relations, communications, journalism, business or public administration, or a related field
• Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in public relations, public information, media relations, digital engagement, government administration or strategic communications
• A track record of developing content for broad audiences through press releases, newsletters, websites, or multi-media campaigns
• Strong storytelling skills with the ability to connect with diverse audiences
• Experience developing content across multiple platforms (beyond just social media)
• Experience supporting communications related to public safety, environmental issues, emergency response, infrastructure projects, or operational impacts is highly desirable
• Knowledge of branding, marketing, and digital communications strategies
• Ability to create inclusive, culturally responsive messaging
• Strong writing skills, including articles and public-facing communications

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting, program development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Public agency contract administration, County-wide administrative practices, and general principles of risk management related to the functions of the assigned area.
• Organizational and management practices as applied to the analysis and evaluation of projects, programs, policies, procedures, and operational needs.
• Principles and practices of public information, media relations, and community outreach project and program development.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• Methods and techniques for the development of press releases, talking points, newsletters, presentations, business correspondence, and information distribution; research and reporting methods, techniques, and procedures.
• Record keeping principles and procedures.
• Modern office practices, methods, computer equipment, and applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for effectively representing the County in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, regulatory, and legislative organizations.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and County staff.

Skills/Ability to:

• Develop and implement goals, objectives, policies, procedures, work standards, and internal controls for assigned department.
• Provide professional leadership and direction in managing department-specific communication strategies, media relations, and campaigns.
• Conceptualize messages and effectively communicate in writing, speech, and other methods of communication.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with reporters, editors, and other media representatives.
• Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
• Effectively represent assigned department in committees and meetings with stakeholders and the community.
• Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials.
• Conduct complex research projects, evaluate alternatives, make sound recommendations, and prepare effective technical staff reports.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. A typical way of gaining the knowledge and skills is equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public relations, communications, journalism, business or public administration, or a related field and five (5) years of management experience in public affairs, media relations, or related area.

Application/Examination

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to http://jobs.smcgov.org to apply. Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.


Tentative Recruitment Schedule
Final Filing Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST
Application Screening Date: Thursday, July 2, 2026
Combined Civil Service/Departmental Interview Panel: Week of July 20, 2026

About the County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.



HR Analyst: Sarah Huynh (06102026)(D105 - Communications Officer)

Salary:

$11,705.20 - $14,625.87 Monthly