MUST APPLY ONLINE AT LONGMONTCOLORADO.GOV/JOBS
20260175 Public Information Officer (PIO)
CLOSING DATE: July 7, 2026
Department: Shared Services
Division: Communications
Hiring Range: $8,550 -$9,500/month
Monday-Friday, on-call for evenings and weekends
Regular Full-time with Benefits
Benefits include: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flex Spending, Defined Benefit Pension Plan, 401(a) Money Purchase Plan, Life & Survivor, Term Life & AD&D, Long Term Disability, Bereavement, Jury & Witness Duty, FMLA, Military Leave, Parental and Caregiver Leave, Sick, Vacation at start of employment, Holiday pay, EAP, Tuition Assistance.
Other benefits: Optional, employee elected, voluntary benefits are available.
Definition:
Under the general direction of the Communications Director, the Public Information Officer (PIO) serves as the City's primary media relations professional and public-facing spokesperson. The PIO brings strong writing and content creation skills to the organization, producing press releases, talking points, scripts, council communications, and other materials that advance the City's narrative, keep residents informed, and strengthen the City's reputation.
The PIO leads proactive and responsive communications for the organization, with a special emphasis on public safety media relations. The PIO works in close partnership with the Longmont Police and Fire Departments and other public safety partners to ensure timely, accurate, and transparent communication with the community during critical incidents, breaking news, and routine public safety matters.
This role requires strong judgment, political awareness, and the ability to represent the City with poise and credibility, both in person and in written communications, across interactions with journalists, elected officials, City and department leadership, and diverse community members through multiple communication platforms. The Public Information Officer must be available outside standard business hours, including evenings and weekends, and be on call to respond to incidents as they arise.
Principal Duties:
Public Safety Media Relations
- Serve as the primary communications liaison embedded with Longmont Public Safety; develop deep familiarity with public safety operations, command structure, and protocols to communicate effectively during critical incidents.
- Respond to breaking news and critical incidents by deploying to the scene or coordinating remotely; provide timely, accurate information to the media and public. This position is on call by nature, 24/7.
- Handle daily media inquiry requests generated by calls for service on behalf of the Public Safety Department.
- Support Public Safety leadership in developing proactive digital communications strategies, including social media content and engagement, to strengthen community trust and transparency around public safety services.
- Collaborate with the Office of Emergency Management to plan, develop, and implement public information strategies and processes for emergency response incidents, including serving in a PIO role under the Incident Command System (ICS) as needed.
Citywide Media Relations and Spokesperson Responsibilities
- Serve as City spokesperson for media contacts; conduct television, radio, and print/digital interviews; write and issue press releases and media advisories; respond promptly to media requests for information; coordinate the handling of high-profile or sensitive projects. Set up media interviews with appropriate City staff and subject-matter experts and proactively tell the Longmont story through the media.
- Demonstrate sound news judgment and expertly integrate traditional and digital media tactics to maintain and strengthen the organization’s reputation. Build and sustain effective working relationships with local, regional, and statewide media.
- Monitor local and regional news coverage, track public sentiment, and provide analysis and recommendations to the Communications Director, City Manager’s Office, and relevant department leadership on emerging issues.
Strategic Communications and Community Engagement
- With the Communications leadership team, contribute to the development, implementation, and evaluation of the City’s communications plans, identifying target audiences and strategies for disseminating information in a coordinated manner.
- Develop and execute proactive communication efforts targeting diverse populations, including monolingual Spanish-speaking residents.
- Respond to public requests for information; ensure positive public relations and relationship building necessary for community trust, transparency, and understanding.
- Remain current on citywide issues, services, programs, events, projects, and trends; represent the Communications Division at community meetings and events as assigned.
- Participate as a contributing leader of the City’s Public Information Team, bringing expertise in media relations and public safety communications to support the team’s overall direction and tools.
Digital, Social Media, and Web Content
- Manage and monitor content on the City’s news and public information web pages; collaborate with the Communications team to generate content, post timely updates, and ensure accuracy and accessibility standards are met.
- Respond to breaking news in the community by posting information and responding to questions on social media and other platforms in a timely, accurate, and professional manner.
- Coordinate with Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG)/public access channel partners to promote City Council meetings, community events, programs, and services.
- Apply digital and social media expertise across all City communications, including in support of Public Safety department channels and initiatives.
City Council and Civic Responsibilities
- Regularly attend City Council meetings and retreats and respond to requests from media on-site; assist with post-meeting communications as needed.
- Serve as backup support for technical issues with Council Chamber equipment during meetings, coordinating with appropriate staff to minimize disruption to proceedings.
- Serve as the photographer for Council proclamations, ceremonial events, and other photo-worthy events and opportunities; maintain an organized archive on the Digital Asset Manager.
Working Environment:
Work is performed in a standard office environment, at public safety scenes, in the field, and at City facilities. Occasional light lifting and carrying of up to 15 pounds. The work requires reading, editing, and writing; includes frequent verbal communication and cooperation with others, performing multiple concurrent tasks, organizing, and performing detailed work. Work requires the ability to perform under time constraints and deal with frequent interruptions. The work requires a non-traditional schedule, including frequent evening and weekend hours in response to breaking news and community incidents.
Qualifications:
Any combination of education and experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in communications, journalism, marketing, public relations, or a related field, and at least five years of increasingly responsible experience in communications and/or public relations. Demonstrated experience in media relations is required; municipal or public safety communications experience is strongly preferred.
If not held at the time of hire, the incumbent will be required to complete public safety public information and Incident Command System training within the first year of employment, including but not limited to FEMA IS/G-290 series, NIMS public information coursework, CDC Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC), and FBI-LEEDA Media & Public Relations, as directed by the Communications Director.
The PIO will represent the City professionally in all interactions, maintaining a polished and credible presence with media, elected officials, public safety personnel, community members, and other stakeholders, both in person and in written communications.
Special Qualifications: Bilingual English/Spanish Advanced proficiency strongly preferred.
We’re committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. The City may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications, and encourages all candidates to apply and help us achieve our goal of creating an inclusive and equitable workplace.
Selection
The selection process will include complete job description review, personal interview, investigation, criminal background check, and substance screening. Unescorted Security Clearance Required.
DEADLINE: 11:59 P.M. ON July 7, 2026
Online application (required) must be successfully submitted by 11:59 p.m. on July 7, 2026. The online application process is available for this position on our website at www.longmontcolorado.gov/jobs. Resumes will be accepted in lieu of the full City Application; however, they must be submitted via the City application site for consideration. For more information, call (303) 651-8609.
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