Job Information
City of Somerville Communications Coordinator in Somerville, Massachusetts
Statement of Duties
The Communications Coordinator supports the full range of communications and community outreach functions of the Communications and Community Engagement Department with a particular emphasis on 1) managing a request system for information/meeting/hearing/event promotion for departments citywide, 2) coordinating hybrid/virtual support including access to tools, resources, equipment, and training for virtual and hybrid meetings for departments citywide, 3) collaborating on coordination of multilingual communications with the SomerViva Office of Immigrant Affairs (SOIA), and 4) management of a citywide photo and graphics library to support plain language and equitable communications. The CC will also provide support in coordinating and staffing neighborhood meetings, special events, and civic ceremonies.
Essential Functions:
The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.
Performs day-to-day communications coordination duties including but not limited to:
Manage promotion request system fielding and tracking daily queries from more than 60 departments/divisions; maintain municipal content calendar and proactively reach out to departments when annual events, services, meetings are pending to ensure timely requests; follow up to retrieve missing information from requests, request revisions of department created materials as needed, track Comms staff progress on requests, close out requests.
Master all best practices for hybrid and virtual onsite and field meetings including equitable access, multilingual protocols, and ADA protocols, develop and provide training and resources for staff citywide, support all Communications Dept. public event tech hosting needs, as available/needed support other departmental tech hosting needs, coordinate with interdepartmental team on virtual and hybrid needs.
Keep multilingual services staff (MSS/SOIA) informed of content calendar pending items, ensure timely and complete transfer of English materials to MSS/SOIA staff, support coordination of plain language and graphical materials with MSS/SOIA, support all language justice coordination with SOIA and ADA staff within the Department of Racial and Social Justice
Manage and build out citywide photo and graphics library to support equitable, accessible, and plain language communications: source and enter images/graphics including alt text; train staff in departments citywide on access, usage, and proper attribution; keep staff informed of available icon, graphics, and image tools; train citywide staff in proper use of alt text.
Provide support in coordinating, and serve as staff for, neighborhood meetings, special events, and civic ceremonies (sometimes after hours or weekends).
Support the full range of communications and community engagement functions of the Communications and Community Engagement Department, as possible, including but not limited to:
a. Assist with newsletter, website, blog, flyers brochures, and all other additional digital and print public-facing content.
b. Assist with responding to constituent correspondence and queries.
c. Prepare community notes or announcements.
d. Assist with researching information in response to media queries.
e. Assist with flyering, postering, and distribution of print materials to community locations.
f. Assist with placing and retrieving printing orders: banners, posters, flyers, door hangers, mailers, postcards, signs, etc.
Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree and two to four (2-4) years’ experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
Knowledge, Abilities and Skill
Knowledge: Excellent knowledge of grammar and usage. Good knowledge of and strong interest in local government. Strong understanding of hybrid and virtual meeting technologies and equity needs within these services. Thorough understanding of the components of quality constituent service. Understanding of equity, inclusion, and language justice needs within communications.
Ability: Ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to juggle multiple assignments and to meet deadlines, facility for training and assisting others; ability to work effectively and maintain good relationships with the public, coworkers, department heads, and City officials; ability to maintain effective, efficient communication with broad range of colleagues; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to maintain confidential information.
Skill: Excellent organizational skills; excellent written and verbal communication skills. Understanding of print design principles. Understanding of plain language. Superior mastery of hybrid and virtual meeting technology. Appropriate software application skills such as but not limited to word processing, spreadsheet, basic mapping, basic HTML, Canva, PowerPoint, Photoshop, Publisher. Photography skills a plus.
Work Environment
The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours in response to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.
Physical and Mental Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.
Physical Skills
Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.)
Motor Skills
Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.
Visual Skills
Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.
Hours: Full-Time
Salary: $64,945.93 annualized, plus benefits
Union: Non-Union
FLSA: Exempt
Date Posted: August 19, 2024
City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.
The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.
Please Note: The below details do not apply to any Mayor Student Jobs programs OR youth workers with the city.
Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:
MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees
Overview of Total Rewards:
4 weeks annual vacation (for non-union positions) union positions vary by contract
Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
Long term disability through Sun Life
Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
Annual cancer screening & wellness release
Somerville Retirement Pension System
Tuition reimbursement
MBTA pass program
FREE Blue Bikes membership
Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.
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