What are the responsibilities and job description for the Public Relations Specialist, Grade 24 position at Montgomery County Government?
About the Position
WHO WE ARE
The Urban Districts serve as vital stewards of Montgomery County’s key business districts, including Bethesda, Silver Spring, Wheaton, and Friendship Heights, delivering essential services that support thriving, inclusive, and economically vibrant communities. Core services provided by the Urban Districts include ambassadorship and public engagement, security coordination, multistakeholder collaboration, streetscape and public realm maintenance, tree and walkway care, marketing and promotions, and a wide range of community events throughout the year.
Operating within the Community Engagement Cluster, the Urban Districts align closely with the mission of the Regional Services Centers, which are dedicated to making Montgomery County inclusive, accessible, and responsive to all residents. These centers act as a bridge between County leadership and the community, ensuring that public concerns are heard, understood, and translated into meaningful action.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The role requires someone who is comfortable developing clear, compelling communications across a variety of media platforms and ensuring messages are accurate, consistent, and aligned with organizational priorities. It also calls for the ability to engage confidently with County officials, community partners, and diverse stakeholder groups, and to translate information into accessible materials such as newsletters, guides, and other outreach content. Success in this role is supported by strong collaborative instincts and professional, clear coordination across agencies and working groups.
This position suits an organized and self-directed professional who can navigate an environment with many stakeholders and shifting priorities. It requires the ability to tailor marketing strategies to unique situations, remain within regulatory and procurement requirements, and anticipate emerging challenges. sound judgment, strong communication skills, and the capacity to contribute thoughtfully to initiatives that support the vibrancy and public image of the Urban Districts.
What You'll Be Doing
As an Urban District Public Relations Specialist, duties will include, but not be limited to:
- Support public relations and media activities by developing press releases, advisories, talking points, and other communications aligned with Urban District priorities.
- Coordinate media outreach, pitch stories, respond to inquiries, and support consistent and accurate public-facing messaging across platforms.
- Plan and implement marketing and promotional efforts for Urban District events, including timelines, materials, on-site operations, and post-event wrap-ups.
- Assist in the organization and execution of community meetings, advisory committee sessions, and public engagement activities, preparing presentations and communications materials as needed.
- Serve as a communications liaison with community groups, County partners, businesses, and other stakeholders.
- Support updates to websites, digital platforms, and marketing materials to maintain timely and accurate information.
- Contribute to special initiatives such as Arts & Entertainment District promotions, sponsorship cultivation, and partner coordination.
- Perform additional communications, marketing, and outreach tasks as assigned to support Urban District priorities.
This position requires the ability to attend meetings or perform work at locations outside the office.
This position requires flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays to support community meetings, public events, and on-site event execution across the Urban Districts, but also support on social media post during weekend.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in marketing, public relations, communication, or a related field.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Medical Protocol: This position requires completion of a pre-employment Medical History Form to assess your ability to safely perform the essential duties of the role.
Financial Disclosure Statement: This position is designated as one that requires filing a Financial Disclosure Statement and you will be required to disclose information about your financial affairs.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
- Experience developing public relations or media communications such as press releases, advisories, talking points, or story pitches.
- Experience producing written communications published by external organizations, government entities, or media outlets.
- Experience supporting marketing and promotional campaigns.
- Experience planning or coordinating event marketing, promotions, or logistics.
- Experience supporting community engagement, outreach, or stakeholder communications.
- Experience creating or updating digital communications such as website content, email communications, or social media messaging.
- Experience supporting or securing sponsorships or partnerships for programs, events, or promotional initiatives.
- Experience creating visual, graphic, or promotional design assets using design software such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Salary : $82,352 - $107,102