Public Information Officer

Under limited supervision, performs the responsibilities of a public information professional for the County of Spotsylvania, working with countywide Sheriff’s Office initiatives, while directing information programs and handling information that is politically sensitive in nature.  Employee must be able to make proper editorial and dissemination decisions about public information and handle the media effectively, in compliance with applicable rules, policies, and procedures.  In addition, employee must exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment in all phases of work; also, must demonstrate tact and courtesy in frequent contact with County employees, community groups, business partners, and the general public. Reports to the Captain of Administrative Services.

• Manages the planning, development, promotion, and implementation of communication programs, public information materials, and other methods to inform and educate the public, the news media, County staff, and others about Sheriff’s Office initiatives, services, and programs.
• Provides leadership, technical expertise, guidance, and quality assurance relating to public information policy, guidelines, procedures, and methodology to the Sheriff’s Office.
• Holds press conferences; prepares news releases and media kits for distribution on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office.
• Identifies potential public relations pitfalls or issues and makes recommendations for correction or avoidance on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office.
• Presents a variety of public information services and publications in order to provide information to the public, programs and initiatives to the public, news media, and other groups.   Writes, edits, proofs, and designs brochures, news/press releases, reports, memos, scripts, and magazine articles for the Sheriff’s Office.
• Provides advice and consultation to Command Staff, Constitutional Officer, and other personnel or specialty groups concerning public information activities.
• Handles communications with the media during disaster situations for the Sheriff’s Office. 
• Offers assistance to County staff as to the most effective means of communicating information to the general public, government employees, and other target groups for the Sheriff’s Office.
• Coordinates Sheriff’s Office responses to issues, such as the Sheriff’s Office priorities and other items of interest.
• Oversees the development, implementation, analysis, and dissemination of information relating to annual reporting for the Sheriff’s Office.
• Handles constituent responses to Social Media posts and/or complaints/requests on Social Media for assistance for the Sheriff’s Office.
• Researches data and recommends for implementation in order to enhance community relations efforts and programs for the Sheriff’s Office. 
• Receives and responds to a variety of inquiries from the general public and provides interpretation of regulations, ordinances, and County policies on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office.
• Prepares speeches for various County officials and organizes speaker programs by County officials for community groups as requested on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office.
• Assists other divisions with publication development.
• Completes special projects as needed.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Public Administration, Government with three (3) years of experience, preferably in the public sector or with local government or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Possession of a valid driver’s license from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite of computer programs.

• Knowledge of writing and editing techniques required to prepare reports and related documents.
• Knowledge of County and Sheriff’s Office programs, policies, and structure.
• Knowledge of public information and modern principles and practices of public relations media.
• Skill in media and public relations.
• Ability to develop promotional copy and perform technical editorial work.
• Ability to write public information reports and releases.
• Ability to work closely at all levels with various citizens, committees, and staff members.
• Excellent interpersonal and communicational skills, with the ability to communicate professionally and respectfully.
• Ability to conduct independent research and have excellent organizational skills. Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information.  Includes receiving instructions, assignments, or directions from supervisors. 
• Ability to read various reports, ordinances, County Code, plans, manuals, studies, etc.  Includes reading professional literature and technical manuals; speaking to groups of employees, other public and private groups, and news media; and writing manuals and complex reports. 
• Ability to be conversant in the theory, principles, and methods of effective and persuasive speaking, voice and diction, phonetics, and discussion and debate. 
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.   Must be able to communicate effectively in a variety of technical and professional languages.
• Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract totals; to multiply and divide; to determine percentages and decimals; understand and apply the theories of descriptive statistics and statistical inference.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under varied levels of stress.
• Ability to communicate professionally and respectfully.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Must be physically able to operate a variety of office equipment including a computer, calculator, copier, etc.  Must be physically able to operate a motor vehicle. Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.  Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width, and shape.  Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment. Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc.  Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination. Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color. Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving the nature of sounds by ear). Must be able to communicate by telephone.

Salary : $27 - $38