Summary
Description
This position serves as the agency’s focal point for outreach and public communication. This position will work with the CAIC director and management team to create and implement a communications plan for the agency. This includes creation and distribution of content through traditional and social media, working with CAIC and Friends of CAIC staff on creation and distribution of education material, and coordinating with outside groups on public avalanche safety messages and campaigns.
The CAIC Public Communications Officer is a critical role for the agency’s success as they leverage the topic experts within the agency to create and implement strategic communication and is critical to the agency’s success.
The position:
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Demonstrates the ability to conduct media requests independently.
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Demonstrates the ability to represent the CAIC in an accurate and articulate way.
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Demonstrates the ability to represent CAIC in sensitive public arenas with high visibility.
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Demonstrates the ability to effectively communicate complex issues in a simple or straight forward manner.
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Serves as the CAIC’s primary contact for media requests and outreach coordination.
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Serve as the CAIC’s subject matter expert on media, communication, and marketing strategies.
Develop, Implement, and Evaluate Media Strategies:
This position is the CAIC’s resident expert on social, digital, and traditional media. The position works with CAIC leadership to create media strategies to further the CAIC’s mission and raise avalanche awareness, and then oversees the implementation of communication plans and strategies. It may include traveling over-snow-travel into the field. This position:
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Works with leadership to create a communication plan for the agency.
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Manages the agency’s social media accounts and works with the forecasting staff to distribute material through them.
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Works with broadcast media outlets to air material at critical times.
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Investigates and recommends new and alternative ways to leverage agency resources and communicate public safety messages through social media and other activities.
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Evaluates short and long-term communication efforts through established techniques and with established metrics.
Outreach and Education Development and Coordination:
This position will work with agency topic experts and partner organizations to design, develop, create, and implement education and outreach material. This primarily includes taking ideas and materials generated by the CAIC forecasting staff and shaping them into finished products that are distributed based on the agency’s communication plan. This may also include generating ideas for content and then working with agency topic experts to ensure the material and message are technically correct. It may include traveling over-snow-travel into the field.
This position will ensure CAIC’s outreach, education, and public communication efforts are aligned and consistent. This includes working with CAIC leadership to establish terminology and best practices for communicating topics through various communication channels. Then work with relevant CAIC staff and partner groups to monitor consistency and make adjustments as necessary.
Public Information Officer:
This involves crafting compelling narratives, responding to inquiries with accuracy and transparency, and managing the flow of information to ensure the public remains well-informed about the agency's activities, initiatives, and any significant developments. The position requires a proactive approach to public relations, including developing communication strategies, preparing press releases, organizing media briefings, and engaging with stakeholders to foster positive relationships and enhance public understanding of the agency's mission.
This position:
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Works with CAIC leadership to determine appropriate general messaging and for individual events.
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Serves as point of-contact for media requests and conducts interviews or coordinates with agency topic experts.
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Serves as point of contact and manages Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) 24-72-201 to 24-72-309 requests.
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Serves as liaison between CAIC and DNR communications team.
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Serves as liaison between CAIC and DNR divisions on communication issues.
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Serves as liaison between CAIC and other state agencies on communications issues.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is a dispersed, statewide work unit with offices in Boulder, Denver, Leadville, and Silverton. This position can work remotely from the Denver metro or mountainous areas of Colorado. The position will be expected to attend staff meetings, and meet in mountains areas to conduct interviews or represent agency in remote locations, may represent the agency in meetings held outside the Denver metro area and require overnight travel. As the agency is statewide in nature, the employee may occasionally travel to other agency office locations for overnight stays.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
OPEN TO STATE OF COLORADO RESIDENTS ONLY
Minimum Qualifications
Seven (7) years of professional experience in public relations or public information; government-related communications; public safety-related communications; risk communication; natural resources, natural hazards, environmental or related science-based communications, or an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position.
OR
A combination of a Bachelor's degree in public relations, journalism, marketing, political science, natural resources management, environmental studies or biology, and professional experience in public relations or public information; government-related communications; public safety-related communications; risk communication; natural resources, natural hazards, environmental or related science-based communications, or an occupational field related to the work assigned equal to seven (7) years.
Class Code: Marketing & Communications Specialist
Substitutions
- Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis
- Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis
Preferred Qualifications
- Current or former State experience relevant to this position
- Able to independently determine program communication needs through discussion with senior leaders, program managers, other state and federal agencies.
- Experience developing a communication plan that may include television and radio appearances, press releases, media kits or FAQ’s.
- Effective means of distributing messages and follow up to determine if agency or program goals were attained.
- Organizational understanding of current affairs within the outdoor recreation and natural resource professional field.
- Professional level writing, research and communication development skills.
- Experience working in a government communications role.
- High level of written and oral communications.
- Organizational understanding of current affairs with the outdoor recreation and natural resource professional field.
- Previous experience managing CORA and/or FOIA requests.
- Experience with education programs.
- Experience with social media programs.
- Basic understanding of physical science concepts.
- Basic understanding of snow, weather, and avalanche science.
Required Competencies
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Self-motivated with the ability to operate in a team of high-functioning professionals
Conditions of Employment
- State of Colorado residency is required at the time of application.
- The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is a dispersed, statewide work unit with offices in Boulder, Denver, Leadville, and Silverton. This position can work remotely from the Denver metro or mountainous areas of Colorado. The position will be expected to attend monthly staff meetings in Leadville, and meet in mountains areas to conduct interviews or represent agency in remote locations, may represent the agency in meetings held outside the Denver metro area and require overnight travel. As the agency is statewide in nature, the employee may occasionally travel to other agency office locations for overnight stays.
- Travel is occasional.
- Schedule is remote/hybrid five days/week. This position may work weekends and holidays from November through May.
- Duties can be driven by weather and avalanche patterns and require a flexible work
schedule. - Work on weekends and holidays may be required at certain times.
- Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).
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Pursuant to the DNR-120 Fleet and Driving Standards Administrative Directive, any worker who will be expected to drive a State-owned vehicle is responsible for maintaining a safe driving record and a valid driver license prior to driving any State-owned vehicle.
To be compliant with the new fleet vehicle policy, Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) will be pulled for review for workers who:
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Have an assigned State fleet vehicle
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Are required to operate a vehicle as part of the position
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Utilize a State fleet vehicle as a pool vehicle
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APPEAL RIGHTS:
It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.
An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.
For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.
Supplemental Information
The Assessment Process
- All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.
- Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.
- Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.
- Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.
- This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.
The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness.
The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.
The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
The Department of Natural Resources is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us
The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness. The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.
ADAAA Accommodations
Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request accommodation, please contact our Benefits Specialist at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.
E-Verify
DNR uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Toll–Free Applicant Support – Technical Help
If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues.
