Job Summary

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The City of Salem is seeking a dynamic and skilled Public Information Officer (PIO) to serve as a working PIO and Communications Team Lead in the City Manager's Office. This pivotal position manages the City’s communications, media relations, and public engagement efforts, ensuring transparency and effective outreach across multiple platforms. The PIO/Team Lead will play a critical role in navigating the complexities of governmental interactions.

Learn And Grow

The City Manager’s Office values employees and their professional development. The department offers opportunities to attend conferences, as well as support for ongoing education and certifications.

What You Will Do

At the City of Salem, our PIO/Team Lead will lead the City’s communications and public engagement efforts, ensuring clear, consistent messaging across all platforms. This role provides strategic direction, supports collaboration across departments, represents the City in public and media-facing settings, and helps guide communication efforts during both routine operations and emergency situations.

Learn more about the City Manager's Office at: https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/departments-agencies/city-manager-s-office

Additional Information On Job Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate the activities of the communications team to ensure clear, consistent, and effective messaging across various platforms.
Serve in Emergency Operations Center or Joint Information Center during emergencies, delivering timely and accurate information to the public and managing crisis communication strategies.
Foster open dialogue with the community, to enhance public trust and encourage participation in City governance through strategic outreach initiatives.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with media representatives, conduct on-camera interviews, and serve as the primary spokesperson for the City.
Create and oversee the production of multimedia content for integration across various platforms, including social media, the City website, and media releases.
Develop and execute communication strategies aligned with the City’s goals and priorities to ensure cohesive and impactful messaging.
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of communication efforts using metrics such as community engagement, media coverage, and public sentiment.
Serve as a liaison among City departments to support coordinated outreach efforts and strengthen collaboration on community engagement initiatives.
Provide training, guidance, and support to communications staff to promote professional growth and enhance team effectiveness.
Performing other related duties as assigned.

What can we offer you for all your hard work?

Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family.
Paid vacation and sick time in accordance with City policies.
Competitive pay.
Employer-paid PERS contribution of 6%.
Opportunity for voluntary pre-tax contributions to a 457b account.
Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
Voluntary long-term care.
Employee wellness program.
Employee assistance program.
Employee health clinic.
Position schedule is Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with some evening and weekends required.
Our team follows a hybrid work structure where employees can work remotely or from the office (440 Church Street, SE), as needed, based on demands of specific tasks and manager approval. This is subject to change based on business needs.
The City of Salem offers a comprehensive and equitable base salary within the listed range based on your experience, skills, and education. We encourage you to clearly describe how you meet the minimum qualifications and essential attributes in your application materials. Learn more about Equal Pay .

What are the minimum qualifications?

Must pass the pre-employment background check.
Must have reliable transportation (e.g., carpool, rideshare, public transit, waling biking) to report to and from work sites, events, trainings, and meetings.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in journalism or communications, business or public administration, emergency management, engineering, human resources, finance or accounting, public relations, digital media, urban and regional planning, or a related field, and five years of experience in a related field, including two years of progressive work experience in public sector or a related field preferred, or any combination of education, experience, and training that demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities as listed, and ability to perform the essential job functions.
Master's degree in a related field preferred, and may substitute for two of the five years of work experience required.
Depending on the area of assignment, certifications or licenses may be required or preferred (and maintained throughout employment).
Hiring managers do not have access to view resumes as part of the application review process, please make sure to give detailed information in your application that includes your experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as requested in the supplemental questions and job advertisement.

Preferred Qualifications (Not Required To Apply)

Experience with public information training or certifications related to emergency response, including National Incident Management System (NIMS) training through FEMA.
Experience communicating in more than one language, with bilingual proficiency in Spanish preferred.

What You Will Bring Along

Experience using Granicus for web publishing and social media management;
Knowledge of legislative processes and intergovernmental relations, with the ability to navigate complex political environments;
Experience demonstrating exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex information to diverse audiences;
Experience building and maintaining effective working relationships with elected officials, community members, and a wide range of stakeholders;
Experience in crisis communication and risk management, including the ability to respond to inquiries and issues outside of normal working hours, such as evenings, weekends and holidays;
Experience applying strong organizational skills and attention to detail to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.

About Us

Salem is the second largest city in Oregon and the capital city. Centrally located in the Willamette Valley, Salem is 49 square miles in size and extends across two counties, Marion and Polk. The community has well-established neighborhoods and carefully preserved historic buildings with wide diversity and a family-friendly ambiance. The city is home to nearly 180,000 residents. For a full community profile detailing demographics and housing statistics, visit the City of Salem website.

The City of Salem organization has eight primary departments: Community Services, Finance, Fire, Enterprise Services, Legal, Police, Public Works, and Community Planning and Development. Several departments also have functional divisions within their department. The City of Salem employs roughly 1,350 talented and dedicated staff members and works collaboratively with five labor unions.

Where can I find out more about the position?

Go to the menu option for Class Specifications and search for Program Manager III .

How can I apply?

The City of Salem invites individuals of all diverse communities and backgrounds to apply for our available job opportunities as we strive to provide the best service to everyone. The City of Salem is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all and has a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe that by welcoming differences, encouraging new ideas and views, listening to, and learning from each other, we are better able to serve the community.

To apply, click on the green “Apply” button to complete your application. Hiring managers do not have access to view resumes as part of the application review process, please make sure to include how you meet the qualifications outlined in the class specification in your application.

Applicants that meet the minimum qualifications as outlined above but not selected for this position may be placed on an eligibility list, and candidates may be hired from the list. Eligibility lists are valid for six months. The City will send email notifications to eligible candidates about potential hiring opportunities so please ensure your email settings accept our system generated email notifications.

You may subscribe for automatic notification of job openings at the City through the Job Interest Cards - sign up today!

For more information about employment at the City of Salem, please visit our website at www.cityofsalem.net/jobs .

This announcement is not an implied contract and may be modified or revoked without notice.

City of Salem

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