Hourly Communications Specialist

Salary: $40.00 - $60.00 Hourly
Location : Palo Alto, CA
Job Type: Limited Hourly
Job Number: 202300215
Department: Utilities Department
Opening Date: 02/29/2024
Closing Date: Continuous
Description:
The person in this position will be directly involved in work with the City Manager's Office and Utilities Department to implement communications and marketing activities for the City's Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) initiatives and Utilities programs.
The successful candidate will help implement and track communications, marketing, and program engagement for Utilities outbound communications and various S/CAP priorities. This includes supporting stakeholder engagement related to whole home electrification programming, the City's Heat Pump Water Heater Program implementation, and related workplans to advance the City's S/CAP and Utilities Department priorities.
A main priority and current focus of the City's S/CAP is implementing a campaign to increase residential heat pump water heater (HPWH) installations throughout Palo Alto. The City plans to expand residential, building, and vehicle electrification programs and further focus in other areas of the City's S/CAP, including sustainable resource management, energy and water efficiency. These programs and services are intended to reach all sectors of Palo Alto's population including residents, businesses, institutional and industrial customers.
This position is part-time, non-benefited, limited to no more than 1000 hours per year.
We are seeking a fun, creative and passionate candidate to support sustainability goals, further the City's climate action efforts and advance Utilities communications priorities, as needed.
The successful candidate will work in a fast paced and dynamic environment and help a cross-functional team implement communications, marketing, and outreach strategies.
Essential Duties:
Tasks depend on skills of the successful candidate and may include:

• Developing content for digital and print campaigns
  
• Assisting with building out surveys and polls to support and inform City communications, marketing, and outreach plans.
  
• Supporting graphic design and creative for stakeholder presentations, flyers, social media designs, door hangers, print ads, newsletters, brochures, bill inserts, posters, etc.
  
• Creating compelling messaging to advance digital marketing such as blogs, social media posts, ads, stories, and videos, including script development, use of video animation tools and creating graphics.

• Furthering website content development, building FAQs, completing web audits, and other web-based marketing such as search optimization, etc.
  
• Tracking and data analysis to support communications needs and community engagement.
  
• Supporting other tactics to enhance marketing activities, digital community engagement and developing and using testimonials
  
• Coordinating program flyers and other promotional materials; and,
  
• Performing related duties of a similar nature or level.

Salary: Depending on work experience, $40.00 to $60.00 per hour
First resume review March 22
Minimum Qualifications:
Minimum Skills and Experience:
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge and skills, which would typically be acquired through a Bachelor's Degree in Communications and/or Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field and two years of related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job listed above
The ideal candidate will have:

• A broad range of experience developing and implementing communications strategies and project management skills; Excellent writing, editing and verbal communications skills;
  
• Command of technology such as website design, online data dashboards, digital platforms, strong use of analytics and data, and effective use of social media;
  
• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interact with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, and others, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.
  
• The successful candidate will be a self-starter, able to work independently, experience analyzing complex information and conducting research; preparing applicable public relations materials, information, presentations; and interpreting and applying program/project requirements.

"The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer."
This is a non-benefited position.