We support agency leadership and lead strategic communications, public information and environmental outreach efforts. We develop and lead communications planning for high-profile, complex environmental issues affecting our entire state.

We’re leaders when it comes to sharing information with news media, on the web and through social media. We’re always looking for new ways to share our stories on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, teamwork, professionalism and accountability.

To learn more about our agency, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov.

The Communications Manager develops and implements complex communications and public involvement strategies in the Water Quality Program. The issues are highly technical and can be politically sensitive because so much of the work affects people and businesses. Being able to translate technical information into understandable, empathetic information is imperative.

As part of the agency Communications team, you’ll be joining a fast-paced, dynamic and strategic team. We create, innovate, lead, and foster partnerships inside and outside the agency. As a team:

• We average 1,000 media interviews annually.
• We average more than 5 million visitors to our website annually.
• Our Facebook and Twitter accounts are verified.

The Communications Manager position plans, organizes, directs and manages integrated communications strategies for Ecology’s executive management and our Water Quality Program.

Some key work activities include:

Strategic communications, planning, and managing:

• Leads issues management and manages communications planning and strategy.
• Designs, organizes, develops and implements public information and public involvement plans and activities.
• Advises program management on communications goals and objectives, policy, public involvement, citizen engagement, media relations, social media, and stakeholder relations.
• Supervises the Communication & Outreach Unit in the Water Quality Program
• Writes for a variety of audiences and in a variety of formats: communication plans, news releases, websites, speeches, blogs, tweets, Facebook posts, videos and more.

News media and social media:

• Leverages news media and social media to share agency news broadly.
• Serves as media liaison and lead spokesperson for projects, issues and emergency responses.
• Plans, organizes and facilitates media briefings.
• Coaches and prepares executives, program managers and subject experts to succeed in interviews.
• Crafts news releases that dynamically blend the web, social media and graphics into enriching and compelling stories.
• Is proficient using all appropriate social media tools.
• Seeks to tell stories visually – incorporating photography, videography and graphics.

Web:

• Leverages the agency’s website as our greatest communications channel.
• Provides leadership on web content and strategy.
• Strategically writes for the web, as well as edits and organizes content.

Public relations and involvement:

• Represents Ecology in interactions with other governmental, business, and community organizations.
• Plans and organizes public involvement opportunities for communities – community meetings, public hearings, webinars, newspaper ads, social media ads and mailers.
• Writes and edits speeches, talking points, briefing papers and other strategic documents.
• Writes, edits, publishes, and distributes stories for Ecology’s internal website.

Supervises and leverages Communications & Outreach Unit 

• Supervises a Communications Consultant 3. This position manages the program’s website, and SharePoint and Intranet content.
• Supervises a Community Outreach and Environmental Education Specialist 3. This position supports the program’s statewide outreach goals to allow successful water quality improvements in Washington.

Emergency and after-hours response:

• Serves on the Spills program’s after-hours, on-call communications support team four weeks a year.
• Provides communications and media support for oil spills and other environmental emergencies as needed, including advising agency leaders on public information strategies and serving as lead media spokesperson.

Please note: We are currently hiring for two separate Communication Manager positions. You must apply for both positions separately to be considered for both opportunities.

This recruitment will remain open until filled. The initial screening will be June 13, 2018.  In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before June 12, 2018. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.