2J04

PAY RANGE: EP20

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER

(Bilingual)

(General)

GENERAL DEFINITION

          This is public information and promotional work at the advanced level.  Employees in this class have overall responsibility for a departmental public relations and public information program or work in the City's central public information office which has responsibility for informational and promotional activities for the Mayor's Office and municipal departments and agencies.  Work includes planning promotional programs and preparing and disseminating informational, publicity and ceremonial materials.  Contact with departmental and mass communications media personnel is a significant aspect of the work.  Work is performed under the direction of a technical or administrative superior.

ALLOCATING FACTORS:   (The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)

1.       Positions in this class must be located in the Office of the City Representative or have overall responsibility for a departmental public relations program.

2.       With the exception of the City Representative's Office and departments providing emergency public information, allocations to this class will be limited to one per department.

3.       Departments providing emergency and general public information will be limited to two allocations per department, one for each area of responsibility.

TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)

BILINGUAL SPECIALTY

Participates in obtaining information on current issues affecting non-English language speaking community; maintains a mailing list of persons active in the various community groups; writes and/or translates informational and educational newspaper articles, radio scripts, pamphlets, leaflets, speeches and brochures.

BOTH SPECIALTIES: 

          Plans, develops, and implements departmental public information and public relations programs; works with departmental officials to determine public information and public relations needs; develops overall strategy to address public information and public relations needs, promote departmental services and enhance customer and community relations.

          Works with departmental officials in gathering and disseminating information about departmental functions; coordinates the activities of employees engaged in performing research on departmental functions and activities; prepares, edits, and directs the production and distribution of informational materials.

          Develops concepts for informational and promotional programs; prepares program materials such as speeches, talking points, handouts, brochures, and activities schedules; develops and maintains contacts lists; oversees the production of press kits, and arranges for print and electronic media coverage including social media for special events.

Publicizes departmental news and functions utilizing a variety of news media, including social media or blogs.   

Advises departmental officials regarding public relations programs and the response to media questions; prepares speeches, news releases and official announcements; arranges press conferences and radio and television interviews for departmental officials; serves as spokesperson for the department at media events and community meetings.

          Establishes and maintains liaison with representatives of news media; establishes contacts with community groups to encourage community participation and develops programs and strategies to enhance the public's perception of departmental services.

          Prepares news releases, speeches, fact sheets, event rundowns, citations, ceremonial documents and other informational materials for City departments and agencies; conducts research and contacts community and civic agencies to gather data required to prepare informational materials.

          Utilizes web application technology to write, edit and adapt accurate and editorially consistent social media or internet content for web site; collaborates with and guides content specialists in developing customer-friendly web site copy; may use software to edit graphics and photos for web content.

          May represent the department at community events, meetings, press conferences, and ceremonial events.

          Performs related work as required.

Positions providing emergency public information 

          Develops and recommends communication and public relations plans for departmental emergency activities; reports to the site of emergency and provides information about the status; determines strategies to engage and inform the community; acts as liaison to City agencies, public officials and utilities to provide meets with community leaders, groups and residents to provide information and obtain feedback about emergency services.

     Meets with management to develop communication and project plan details that reduce impact on the public; determines how emergency alerts and automated communication updates are made to the public; analyzes sensitive customer service problems and collaborates with managers to determine solutions; may draft official communications to the public and customers as required using a variety of communication formats and methods including the internet and social media channels.

          Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

KNOWLEDGE OF:

· Current principles, practices and developments in public relations and in the news media

· English usage, grammar, rhetoric, punctuation and spelling

· Modern journalistic principles and practices

· Methods and techniques of disseminating information to the public such as print, electronic and social media

· Public relations principles and practices used in the preparation and dissemination of informational and promotional materials in all types of media

· Speech writing techniques, including data compilation, research, preparation of final drafts

· Practices and techniques of writing promotional and informational materials

· Public speaking techniques

• Current and expanding social media
• Common software including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and related software including internet and web-based programs
• Web applications software for the purposes of writing and editing web content in general and for the department’s own website
• federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to the operations of the department if required by assignment 

SKILL IN:

• Writing and editing using current web application technology and architecture
• Website content management
• Planning and executing special events and informational programs

ABILITY TO:

· Prepare interesting and informative news releases, articles, speeches, bulletins, reports, brochures and other informational materials

· Evaluate various subject matter materials critically from the standpoint of user interest, organization of material, context and style

· Formulate strategies to publicize departmental activities, programs and special events

· Plan promotional programs to improve customer and community relations and encourage community participation in departmental activities

· Coordinate the production and dissemination of informational materials

· Represent the department at municipal and community functions

· Communicate various aspects of departmental operations and services to the public

· Prepare comprehensive written reports

· Arrange press conferences and radio and television interviews and social media presence for departmental officials

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, the public, local civic and business officials, and news organizations, including social media
• Develop print and electronic communications
• Develop written material for content, style, punctuation and syntax.
• Prepare speeches, event programs, and other special events and ceremonial documents for internal and external use, as needed. 
• Write in multiple styles, formats and different types of writing (public relations, business, ceremonial documents, etc.)
• Track and demonstrate results in media coverage
• Develop and manage department’s website content and expanding social media strategies and outreach
• Work collaboratively and creatively to support public relations efforts, the functions of the department and its related activities
• Present and maintain positive stories in the news media, including the emerging social media or other online/digital marketing
• Prioritize work duties and communicate in a clear, concise manner.  
• Speak, read and write fluently in a specified non-English language and the English language for the Bilingual specialty
• Evaluate and recommend a communication plan and plan action to be taken in response to an emergency

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests.  Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 6/24.)

EDUCATION:

          Completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university, with major course work in journalism, communications, marketing, media studies, public relations or a related area.

NOTE:  Completion of a relevant industry certification or additional experience may substitute for the required education on a year for year basis.

AND

GENERAL EXPERIENCE:

          Two years of experience in communications, creative marketing, digital media, or public relations that has included planning and facilitating special events

AND

SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:

          Two years of experience at the full performance level in communications, creative marketing, digital media, or public relations that has included planning and facilitating special events for a governmental agency or non-profit agency.

OR

          Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Office of Human Resources that has included the specific experience.

City of Philadelphia Classes that Typically Meet the Minimum Specific Experience Requirement:

Public Relations Specialist 2 (2J03)

BILINGUAL SPECIALTY

            Sufficient training to be able to read, write and speak effectively in the specified non-English language required by the job assignment.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

          Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND/OR CERTIFICATES

            Possession of a valid proper class motor vehicle operator's license as issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania prior to appointment and during tenure of employment for positions in the Water Department only.

Class Established 1/53

Spec. Revision: CSC ‑ 10/91; Ad. Board ‑ 12/91

Spec. Revision: CSC ‑ 4/13; Ad. Board ‑ 5/13

Spec. Revision: CSC ‑ 1/18; Ad. Board ‑ 2/18

Latest Spec. Revision:

CSC – 5/24

Ad. Board – 6/24

JH