Public Affairs Officer

JOB
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB Under general supervision, this position is responsible for creating and maintaining the public image of the city both internally and externally. Reports to the Director of Marketing and Communications. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONSDevelop and implement strategic communication plans to inform and engage the community.Act as the official spokesperson for the City of Portsmouth, responding to media inquiries and representing the city at public events.Draft and distribute press releases, advisories and public statements.Coordinate public outreach campaigns on city projects, initiatives, and emergencies.Establish and maintain relationships with media outlets.Monitor media coverage and public sentiment to advise city leadership on communication strategies.Organizes media conferences, public meetings, and other communication events.Manages responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from the media and the public, working with the City Attorney’s Office and other city departments.Maintain current information for employees on the intranet.Responsible for implementing, monitoring, and reviewing communication programs for the city departments and agencies; and works closely with staff within and outside the department to ensure messaging meets desired goals.Performs other duties as assigned. The supervisor will determine individual assignments based on the current workload and department needs.Preferred SkillsExperience in crisis communication and emergency management.Familiarity with Portsmouth’s local government structure, history and cultureScriptwriter

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
PERFORMANCE INDICATORSKnowledge of Job: Has thorough knowledge of principles, practices, procedures and philosophies of public relations and marketing. Has thorough knowledge of standard journalism techniques, methods and procedures. Has thorough knowledge of municipal and State government organization and function. Has thorough knowledge of various types of media including film and television, and programs and projects utilized for information dissemination. Has considerable knowledge of a variety of public policy areas or issues. Has considerable knowledge of the principles of supervision, organization and administration. Has considerable knowledge of modern office practices and procedures. Is able to plan and coordinate a complex information system between the city and news representatives. Is able to obtain, write, analyze, and coordinate issuance of information. Is able to establish and maintain complex records and files. Is able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the news media, city and the general public as necessitated by work assignments. Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate corrective action to correct any quality of deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality of communication and interacts within departments and division, and with co-workers and the general public. Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under “Essential Job Functions.” Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, city policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas. Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to city policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time- off requests. Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction. Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment. Seeks expert or experienced advice when necessary.Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and departmental benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all department employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with department employees, staffers and managers in other departments, representatives from organizations, and the public to maintain good will toward the department and project a good departmental image. Tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and complaints from other departments and persons to maintain good will within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees and the public. Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establish a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings, planning sessions and discussions of time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings and deadlines. Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the city and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly work place.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIREDTO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machinery and equipment including computer, printer, calculator, facsimile machine, copier, multi-line telephone systems, etc. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for sedentary work. Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. However, if the use of arm and/or leg controls require exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work. Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things. Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and or signal people to conveyor exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and/or directions from supervisors. Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a calendar, notices to employees, policy manuals, etc. Requires the ability to prepare reports. Must be able to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence, and to articulate information to others. Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written or oral form; to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in or from standardized situations. Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages. Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to add, subtract, multiple, and divide. Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape. Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using a computer, fax machine, telephone, etc. Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, such as office equipment. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination. Color Discrimination: Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color. Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress. Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate via telephone.AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTSThe City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.