Recreation Marketing Specialist

General Statement of Duties/Supervision

Why Tumwater?
Tumwater is more than just a city, it’s a vibrant community rooted in history and filled with opportunity. Located at the southern gateway to the Seattle-Tacoma metro area, Tumwater offers the perfect blend of small-town charm and big-picture vision.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of Puget Sound, prairie landscapes, rivers, and evergreen forests, we’re just over an hour from ocean beaches, the Olympic Peninsula, and Mount Rainier. Whether you’re into hiking, kayaking, brewery-hopping, or live music, you’ll find easy access to it all.

Here in Tumwater, we’re building a future that’s highly livable, connected, and inclusive. With safe neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a deep sense of civic pride, it’s not just a great place to live, it’s a great place to grow your career.

The position serves as the department’s primary communications and marketing resource and works collaboratively with staff, community organizations, vendors, and partner agencies to promote programs, strengthen community awareness, and maintain consistent branding and messaging standards.

• This is a professional-level communications and marketing classification responsible for department-wide outreach and public information efforts.
• The position independently manages marketing and communication projects from concept through publication and distribution.
• Work involves strategic messaging, graphic design, digital communications, public engagement, and media coordination.
• The position serves as a key communications resource for Parks & Recreation programs, events, and initiatives.

Essential Job Duties

Essential Functions

Communications & Marketing

• Develops and implements communication and marketing strategies for Parks & Recreation programs, services, facilities, events, and initiatives.
• Creates written, graphic, digital, and multimedia communication materials including newsletters, brochures, flyers, posters, news releases, social media content, electronic communications, and website updates.
• Develops messaging and outreach strategies to improve public awareness and community engagement.
• Ensures consistent branding, style, accessibility, and communication standards across department materials and platforms.

Content Development & Media Relations

• Writes, edits, proofreads, and reviews communication materials for clarity, accuracy, grammar, style, and consistency.
• May serve as a department contact for media inquiries, interviews, and public information requests with guidance from supervisor.
• Assists with communicating complex, sensitive, or high-profile information in a professional and tactful manner.
• Coordinates photography, graphic design, and visual content supporting department communications and promotional efforts.

Digital Communications & Technology

• Designs, updates, and maintains department websites, electronic communications, social media platforms, and other communication systems.
• Utilizes graphic design, website management, photo editing, and related communication software and tools.
• Evaluates emerging communication trends, technologies, and best practices to improve outreach effectiveness and public engagement.

Project Coordination & Community Engagement

• Coordinates communication projects from development through publication and distribution, including vendor coordination and production oversight.
• Collaborates with department staff, partner organizations, community groups, businesses, and stakeholders to support events, outreach activities, and community engagement initiatives.
• Assists with promotion and communication efforts for City-sponsored programs, special events, and recreation activities.
• Responds to inquiries from the public regarding department programs, services, events, and facilities.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

• Exercises independent judgment in developing communication strategies, prioritizing projects, and recommending outreach approaches.
• Determines appropriate communication formats, messaging, and distribution methods based on audience and operational needs.
• Identifies and resolves communication challenges while maintaining professionalism, accuracy, and brand consistency.

• Received: Works under general supervision of the Parks & Recreation Management Analyst with considerable independence in planning and executing assigned communications and marketing activities.
• Exercised: May coordinate the work of vendors, contractors, interns, volunteers, or staff assisting with communications projects or special events. Formal supervisory authority is not typically exercised.

• Internal: Parks & Recreation staff, City leadership, Communications staff, Information Technology staff, and other City departments involved in programs, events, outreach, and public engagement.
• External: Residents, media representatives, vendors, community organizations, schools, recreation partners, businesses, contractors, and other agencies regarding communication, marketing, and outreach activities.

Selection Criteria

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, public relations, English, or a related field; or
• Three (3) years of professional experience in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, or related public information work.

Special Requirements:

• Valid Washington State Driver License and acceptable driving record.

• Experience performing communications or marketing work for a parks, recreation, municipal, or public agency organization.
• Experience with graphic design, digital communications, website management, and social media strategy.
• Experience supporting community engagement, public outreach, or special event promotion.

• Communication, marketing, branding, and public outreach principles and practices.
• Graphic design, digital communication tools, website management systems, and social media platforms.
• Writing, editing, proofreading, and presentation techniques for public-facing materials.
• Public sector communication practices, accessibility standards, and community engagement principles.
• Managing multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Developing effective messaging for diverse audiences and communication platforms.
• Building collaborative working relationships with staff, media representatives, vendors, community partners, and the public.
• Communicating professionally and effectively both orally and in writing.
• Handling sensitive or confidential information with professionalism and discretion.

• Microsoft 365 Suite
• Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat)
• Website content management systems
• Social media and digital communication platforms
• Photography, video, and multimedia tools
• Standard office equipment and communication software

Other information (if any) specific to this position

Working Conditions & Physical Demands
Work is performed primarily in an office or administrative environment. Duties may involve prolonged sitting, standing, walking, and repetitive hand or wrist movements associated with computer use. The position may require occasional bending, reaching, or light to moderate lifting of office materials or equipment.

Work may include attendance at meetings, site visits, or public events, which may require travel to various locations. Some assignments may involve interacting with the public in stressful or contentious situations or working under deadlines and competing priorities.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified individuals in accordance with applicable laws.