Program Manager I (Communications and Public Relations)

Montgomery County Government

Department of Environmental Protection

2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, Maryland 20902

Salary Range: $69,222 - $110,588

The mission of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving Montgomery County’s air, water, and land in a sustainable, innovative, inclusive, and industry-leading way while fostering smart growth, a thriving more sustainable economy and healthy communities. DEP is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and values diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures. DEP encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrants, women, LGBTQIA+, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply.

DEP is seeking to fill a Program Manager I to assist in handling Public Relations and internal/external communications for the Department of Environmental Protection.   The Program Manager I will be responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of strategic communications to enhance public awareness and understanding of DEP’s mission and programs. The position will also be responsible for planning and coordinating DEP’s involvement in County activities and events such as GreenFest, the County Agriculture Fair, and the Gift Outside the Box campaign.

The primary focus of the Communications and Public Relations Program Manager is promoting an enhanced understanding for the public and the media of the services and programs supported by the department. This includes identifying newsworthy stories and developing press materials and messaging to increase resident engagement and encourage the public to become committed long-term partners in the restoration and protection of our environment while positioning DEP as a national leader on environmental policy and performance as well as an organization that provides excellent service to external and internal customers.

The Communications and Public Relations Program Manager will develop and coordinate communication, education, and marketing strategies such as media campaigns and major special events to facilitate and support DEP’s program initiatives and outreach efforts.  This includes developing, overseeing, and administering website and news media content (press releases, media advisories, etc.) with the intent to build awareness and engagement among residents and businesses in Montgomery County; as well as supporting the development of internal County communications (including talking points, briefing materials, etc.) to promote better understanding of DEP’s programs and initiatives within County government. This public outreach will be done in a manner that is inclusive and focused on understanding the demographics of the target audiences for the messages.

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Working with program staff to develop website and microsite content and updating content on these sites.
• Writing press releases, media advisories, speeches, blogs and talking points.
• Responding to media and public inquiries.
• Developing and implementing strategies and procedures for working effectively with the public and media.
• Collaborating with program managers to ensure a cohesive public image.
• Speaking directly to the public or media to address questions and represent the organization.
• Leading planning and coordinating DEP’s participation in large-scale events and campaigns to ensure DEP is prepared to participate with staff and volunteers.
• Producing and disseminating the bi-weekly internal Environmentions newsletter, monthly external My Green Montgomery, and quarterly Green Business Certification digital newsletters.
• Collecting and posting newsletter statistics.
• Creating videos and images for use on social media and the web.
• Responding to queries from social media and Ask DEP (website Q&A).
• Supporting the Communications and Public Engagement team in written and administrative tasks including assistance with writing social media and web content.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated exceptional written and verbal communication skills, and experience developing outreach programs and strategic communications planning.  In addition, a strong understanding of the news media/social media and experience in communications and public relations strategies are desired.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

This position requires the ability to work tactfully, effectively, and equitably with people from diverse backgrounds and roles.

This position will sometimes require work outside of regular office hours including nights and weekends. 

This position requires possession of a valid driver’s license and the ability to drive a County vehicle to take materials to off-site events, attend meetings and perform work assignments at locations outside of the office.

To ensure a positive workplace and to comply with federal, state and County laws, the incumbent is responsible for completing mandatory trainings within the first three to six months or within the specified timeframe.

For information about Montgomery County’s comprehensive benefit offerings, please visit the MCG Careers Total Rewards webpage and check out our competitive benefits!

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

As part of the application process, please submit two writing samples where the candidate is the sole author. The writing samples should reflect the applicant’s expertise as listed in the preferred criteria.

After completing the job application and uploading your resume/cover letter in the Montgomery County iRecruitment system, please email your writing samples as PDF documents to Nicole Cardwell, DEP Human Resources Liaison, at Nicole.Cardwell@montgomerycountymd.gov with the subject line “Program Manager I – Communications and Public Relations – Last Name, First Name.”

To be considered for this position, you must 1) apply for the position at the Montgomery County iRecruitment Home and 2) email the writing samples as indicated above.  This must be completed no later than the Closing Date of the job announcement.

IMPORTANT: Applications submitted without writing samples will not be considered for interview.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience: Considerable (3 years) of professional experience in communications, public relations, journalism, or related field

Education:  Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted

License: Possession and maintenance at all times of a valid driver’s license from the applicant’s state of residence.

PREFERRED CRITERIA:

There are NO Preferred Criteria Assessments. All Applicants will be reviewed by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) for minimum qualifications.  Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated “Qualified”, placed on the eligible list, and may be considered for an interview.  Employees meeting minimum qualifications of the same grade or higher will be placed on the Eligible List as a “Transfer” candidate and may be considered for an interview.

Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:

• Content of the writing samples provided.  *** Please see instruction above or below ***

• Experience developing and conducting outreach programs and strategic communications planning.

• Experience identifying opportunities to create and plan media events, devising media event agendas, writing talking points for speakers, preparing staff for media interviews, securing media coverage and conducting media pitching.

• Experience with video/photo shooting and editing using Adobe Cloud Creative Suite or similar, and creating content to use on social media, websites and to share with news media.

• Experience with newsletters, blogs, and other public content writing.

• Experience with software such as Gov Delivery, MailChimp, WordPress is a plus.

REQUIRED WRITING SAMPLE:

As part of the application process, please submit two writing samples where the candidate is the sole author. The writing samples should reflect the applicant’s expertise as listed in the preferred criteria.

After completing the job application and uploading your resume/cover letter in the Montgomery County iRecruitment system, please email your writing samples as PDF documents to Nicole Cardwell, DEP Human Resources Liaison, at Nicole.Cardwell@montgomerycountymd.gov with the subject line “Program Manager I – Communications and Public Relations – Last Name, First Name.”

To be considered for this position, you must 1) apply for the position at the Montgomery County iRecruitment Home and 2) email the writing samples as indicated above.  This must be completed no later than the Closing Date of the job announcement.

IMPORTANT: Applications submitted without writing samples will not be considered for interview.

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 Government offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits.

To view the complete job announcement and to apply, please visit our website at

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/HR/Recruitment/MCGCareers.html  

and click on the “Search Jobs and Apply” tab.  

Read the full job description under the “General Professional” Job Category.

The requisition number is IRC62360.

Interested candidates must create an online account in order to apply.

This Recruitment closes April 22, 2024

All resume submissions must address the preferred criteria for the position,

which are listed in the full advertisement, preferably in a separate section of the resume.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Resume Preparation Tips

listed under the “Resources” tab on the Office of Human Resource’s MCG Careers webpage.

EOE. M/F/H.