Summary

Description

About Our Job

Can you explain the zoning code in relatable language that both your grandmother and a teen could understand? Can you write witty social media posts while also compiling talking points for media interviews on large-scale developments? The City and County of Denver’s Community Planning and Development Department (CPD) is seeking a highly motivated Communications Specialist to join our Public Affairs & Communications team. We’re looking for a rock star who is comfortable in all communication mediums and can get up to speed quickly on topics from code enforcement for excessive weeds to what qualifies a building for landmark status. If this sounds like a fit, apply today!

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver (CCD) means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver. Click here to find out about all the amazing benefits and reasons to work for CCD!  

What We Offer 

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The salary range for this position is $84,604-139,597/year. New hires are typically brought into the organization between $90,000-108,000/year.  We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but is not limited to:

• Four (4) Medical Plans, Dental, Vision Insurance

• Pension Plan for Life (Employee contributes 8.45%, Employer matches at 17.95%)

• 457 (b) Retirement Plan (no early withdrawal fee!)

• PTO (over 3 weeks in your first year) and 14 paid holidays

• Yearly Merit Increase

• STD, LTD, HSA, FSA, Life Insurance

• CARE Bank, Family Leave Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program, Employee Volunteer Program

• Tuition Reimbursement (up to $2000/year), We Qualify for Student Loan Forgiveness Program

• Learning and Development Opportunities; Courses and Career Development Resources

• EcoPass (unlimited free RTD bus/train rides)

Location 

This position is located at the Wellington Webb Building, located at 201 W Colfax Ave. Denver, CO 80202.

The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. Employees’ physical work location is based upon the position’s job duties and requirements, customer service and responsiveness, team and individual performance, and business needs and requirements. Our current practice requires in-office work for all employees for a minimum of three days per week. Business needs and initial onboarding may require additional days in the office.

This position is eligible for a 9/80 flex option (one extra day off every other week) after successful completion of six-month probation. 

Please note: Downtown parking expenses are the responsibility of the employee. We offer a flexible spending account option specifically for parking; if you elect this option, you can use pre tax dollars for parking. We also offer an RTD ‘eco pass’ to all City employees– allowing the use of public transportation for free as a City Employee.

What You’ll Do

At CPD, we envision, enable and ensure a better Denver. We are responsible for visionary city planning and ensuring that all buildings are safe. Community Planning and Development plays a role in growing our world-class city, while keeping its beloved features intact. From the skyscrapers of the Central Business District to the charming Victorian effects of the Baker district, the staff at CPD works to make Denver a great place to live, work and play. The department's three primary functions are planning, permitting and inspections. Learn more about how we're "BUILDING COMMUNITY" at www.DenverGov.org/CPD.

In this role, you will create communications that help residents, community groups, contractors, architects, urban designers, property developers and others better understand and become involved in city projects that implement recommendations from the Blueprint Denver land use and transportation plan and the city’s Comprehensive Plan. You’ll use comms tactics including web strategy and content, user guides, newsletters, social media, print collateral, media relations and more to dramatically improve the resident experience. The Communications Specialist is part of a team that works to share news and information on city planning, the zoning code, development services, historic preservation, neighborhood property maintenance, and building safety. This position reports to the Communications & Legislative Affairs Manager.

This is a great opportunity for a communications professional who enjoys taking technical information and making it user-friendly and easy to understand. With a command of modern communications methods, excellent writing skills and strong interpersonal skills, this person will digest complex processes into clear, concise, easy-to-follow guidance.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Work with the communications team to develop strategies, goals and tactics for outreach to the general public as well as specific audiences

• Develop and implement a variety of promotional, educational and informational communications (may include printed collateral, social media, email newsletters, web content, events, video, etc.)

• Write and distribute news releases and media advisories

• Manage general media requests and requests for interviews — ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and appropriate tone

• Act, along with other team members, as spokesperson and represent the department to news media — proactively and reactively, including on-camera interviews

• Tailor communications to multiple audiences and by different types of projects

• Move beyond “the way we’ve always done it” to establish new best practices for customer communications

• Share content designed to engage and involve people rather than detailing processes

• Advise, gain buy-in and build support among work teams for your user-friendly approach to resident communications about regulatory updates and other projects

• Create, maintain and organize web content on www.denvergov.org/CPD to ensure an accurate and current source of truth about ongoing projects

• Occasionally represent the department at public events, community and public meetings, public meetings hosted by other government agencies or city departments

• Support legislative affairs manager, as needed, and as defined by supervisor

• Engage with stakeholder groups and others via email, phone, in person and via social media on behalf of the department

We value diversity of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience and exemplify this through the makeup of our team at all levels. You'll be right at home here if you cultivate strong relationships and push yourself, your work, the people around you and Denver to the next level.

Our ideal candidate has some or all the following experience, skills, and characteristics:​

• 7+ years of communications / public relations experience

• Experience working for a government agency or other public sector employer

• A work style that is approachable, professional and collaborative

• Excellent time/work management skills and poise under pressure

• Ability to communicate effectively – verbally and in writing

• Strong attention to detail and highly organized

• Self-motivated and motivated to help others

• Ability to work as part of a team to support both internal and external audiences

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications or a related field.

• Experience: Four (4) years of full performance, professional level experience performing marketing and/or public relations functions including research and analysis, developing public announcements and publications, and developing marketing and/or public relations strategies.

• Equivalency: One (1) year of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education.

• Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.

Application Deadline

To be considered for this position, you must include the following on your job application (upload the attachment(s) to the Resume/CV section on the My Experience tab):

• Resume

• Cover Letter

Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than Friday, May 2nd, 2025, at 1159pm to ensure consideration.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CM2840 Marketing and Communications Specialist

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Unlimited

Position Salary Range

$84,604.00 – $139,597.00

Starting Pay

$90,000-108,000/year, based on education and experience

Agency

Community Planning & Development

Redeployment during Citywide Emergencies

City and County of Denver employees may be re-deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other city agencies to support core functions of the city during a citywide emergency declared by the Mayor.

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.