Salary: $55,016.00 – $71,989.00 Annually
Location : 2700 Town Center Blvd Sugar Land, TX
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 2300662
Department: Department of People and Culture
Division: Human Resources
Opening Date: 08/24/2023
Closing Date: 9/7/2023 5:00 PM Central
Position Description
The City of Sugar Land is seeking a full-time Internal Communications Specialist in the People and Culture Department (formerly known as Human Resources). Why Should You Join Our Team? We are a full-service municipality located approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston that invests in our team and offers real opportunities for career growth. We pay our Internal Communications Specialists a starting salary of $55,016 – $71,989, depending on your qualifications.We also offer great benefits and perks available on your first day of employment, including:City-subsidized health benefits; life and disability insurance; a variety of voluntary benefits; a robust pension plan with TMRS to set you up for a fulfilling retirement; flexible schedules and work from home opportunities; a down-to-earth casual environment and dress code; and a positive team-oriented culture stemming from a long-term commitment to innovation and inclusion. You can even bring your dog and/or cat to work if they have a solid understanding of office decorum.
Benefits At-A-Glance:
- City-subsidized Medical and Dental Insurance with a variety of plan options;
- City-paid Basic Life Insurance @ 1x your annual salary and Long-term Disability;
- Voluntary Vision, Supplemental Life Coverage (for you and your family), Aflac indemnity plans such as Accident, Cancer, Hospitalization and Critical Illness, Short Term Disability and pre-paid legal benefits through Legal Shield;
- 9 paid holidays and up to 3 floating holidays to use at your discretion;
- A generous vacation package with accruals starting on day 1;
- Paid sick leave;
- Paid Parental Leave
- A robust pension plan with TMRS includes your 7% contribution with 2:1 match by the City;
- You won’t contribute to Social Security, but you can further your retirement income by contributing to a Deferred Compensation (457b) plan;
- Longevity pay for each month of service after your first 13 months of employment;
- On-site Wellness facilities and programming (mind, body spirit & financial preparedness); and
- Access to multiple mental health benefits and resources, including a robust EAP…
If we have your attention… Please. Continue. Reading! About the City of Sugar Land The City of Sugar Land, a municipality with a population of 111,026, provides the highest quality of affordable services to meet the needs of its residents. Master-planned communities and welcoming neighborhoods enhance home values and create a sense of belonging. The community offers outstanding schools, libraries, parks, museums, restaurants, entertainment venues, and other resources that make Sugar Land a great place to work, live and raise a family. Sugar Land’s aggressive economic development program has created a business-friendly environment, and numerous high-profile regional and international corporations have chosen Sugar Land as their corporate home. Sugar Land is also home to an award-winning regional airport and multiple civic organizations for those interested in the community and government.
We are proud to have been named one of the Top 50 places to live in the United States by The Press of Atlantic City and the Top 25 Best Places to Live for Families by Fortune Magazine. We hire people based on their potential, not just their experience. We have an informal work environment but are serious about what we do. We believe that happy, diverse and talented employees add value to the City. We do our best to hire friendly, professional people who work hard and play well with others. We also promote a healthy work-life balance and personal development.
Are we the right fit for YOU?
Ask yourself: Do you enjoy working with people? Are you organized and detail-oriented? Can you manage your time well and prioritize multiple tasks effectively? Do you embrace change? Do you enjoy working in a professional AND casual environment? Are you an advocate of internal communication? If so, please consider applying for the Internal Communications Specialist position today!
Summary of Duties
As a Internal Communications Specialist, you will:
- Work with People & Culture staff to support the development of plans for new and innovative content for other City departments, individuals, or groups.
- Proactively recommend or develop content based on City’s goals, objectives, and initiatives; identify gaps in content and recommend new approaches.
- Use data analysis to develop and implement internal media strategies.
- Develop and execute email campaigns using email templates and CTAs.
- Maintain internal communication platforms.
- Build relationships with staff across the organization to stay up to date on communication needs.
- Proofread and edit content, and update information as needed prior to release.
- Use qualitative and quantitative data and research to shape narratives and create content experiences tailored to the target audience.
- Regularly monitor data, such as web traffic, social media engagement, employee surveys, focus groups, and video views to identify strategies for content creation.
- Identify content requirements and suggest content strategies and deliverables to support communication plans, departmental goals and strategic messages.
- Identify opportunities to inform and educate the organization with engaging content on various platforms.
- Use data and/or analysis to decide how to expand targeted/strategic internal communication; continuously looks to and monitors industry best practices and innovations to improve overall delivery of content.
- Recommend any appropriate tools and strategies for improved communication efforts; finds new and innovative ways to utilize the City’s content throughout a variety of mediums to enhance relations and engagement.
- Support adherence to schedule and the production of content for digital materials through scheduling, editing, writing, approval, design and distribution.
- Maintain broad knowledge of best practices and industry trends for content creation and content strategy, including state-of-the-art technology, equipment, software, and systems.
- Partner with content creators and acts as a resource and advisor for the development of content for social media and other digital platforms (i.e., graphic design, photography, blog/writing).
- Assist with emergency communications, City-sponsored events, and other communication activities and duties, as assigned.
- Required to work as an essential employee before, during and after an emergency or disaster, whether natural or acts of war.
Minimum Qualifications
The ideal candidate must be extremely organized and able to manage the logistics of multiple duties with professionalism and strong communication skills. In addition, strong attention to detail and ability to work in a fast-paced environment is critical for success in the role, as are high levels of accuracy, timeliness and dependability. We are looking for someone who can establish and maintain effective working relationships within the organization, work effectively with all levels of employees and management, and assist in providing solutions to challenges that arise.
You are professional and empathetic. Diligent, take initiative and follow through and follow up with projects. Not easily flustered when tense situations arise but are diplomatic and work hard to diffuse conflict and get to resolution. You identify as a public servant and want to leave the world better than you found it. You work well as part of a team but are not afraid to make tough decisions. If this describes you and you meet the following requirements, we would be happy to speak with you:
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business, management, public relations, communications, computer technology, marketing, journalism or closely related field or commensurate college coursework and experience.
- Three (3) of related experience developing content for social media and other platforms.
- Experience researching issues, policies and outreach strategies.
- An additional three (3) years relevant work experience resulting in acceptable proficiency levels in the above knowledge; skills and abilities may be substituted in lieu of specific education requirements.
Training (License and/or Certification):
- Valid Class “C” Texas Driver License
This position is considered a “program position” which is approved for a two (2) year period and will be re-evaluated to determine if a longer-term position is needed to fill this role.
Additional Information
Our success is achieved by the courage to do things differently and accept that failure will occur on the path to innovation.
The City of Sugar Land is an equal opportunity employer.
CITY OF SUGAR LAND’s OVERVIEW OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
- Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS)
Employee contribution: 7%
City matches 2:1 with 5-year vesting
Retirement Eligibility:
1) Age 60 + vested; or
2) 20 years of service, any age
- HOLIDAYS
The City recognizes 10 Holidays per calendar year, which includes one floating Holiday. In lieu of a floating holiday,
firefighters will receive September 11th, Patriot Day, as a fixed holiday.
- VACATION – Other than Public Safety
0 -2nd Year 10 days per year
3 -10 Years 15 days per year
11+ Years 20 days per year
- VACATION – Public Safety
First Year 10 days per year
2-10 Years 15 days per year
11+ Years 20 days per year
- SICK LEAVE – Other than Firefighters
8 hours per month, to a maximum of 1,040 hours
- SICK LEAVE – Shift Firefighters
12 hours per month, to a maximum of 1,456 hours
- SICK LEAVE INCENTIVE PROGRAM
Annual conversion of sick leave to vacation
Sick Days Used from 01/01 to 12/31 Eligible Sick Days for Conversion
1 day or less taken 3 days
Up to 2 ½ days 2 days
More than 2 ½ days and up to 4 days 1 day
More than 4 days 0 day
- LONGEVITY PAY
After one year of employment, employees will receive an annual payment of $4.00 per month of employment with the City for the first 25 years of continuous employment (maximum of $1,200 annually). Qualified employees receive longevity payments each December.
- 125 CAFETERIA PLAN
Premium contributions for the medical and dental plans as well as Flexible Spending Accounts and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts are available to all full-time employees through this arrangement.
- GROUP HEALTH & DENTAL
The City contributes to employee and dependent coverage in the HMO, HDHP and dental plans offered.
Medical HSA KelseyCare Gold KelseyCare Blue Employee Only $101.44 $19.56 $0.00 EE + Spouse $346.60 $144.55 $96.48 EE + Child(ren) $257.51 $106.09 $66.79 EE + Family $454.39 $202.24 $141.00 Dental DPPO DHMO Employee Only $7.35 $3.14 EE + Spouse $18.49 $5.89 EE + Child(ren) $17.90 $8.45 EE + Family $31.41 $10.33 Vision Plan Employee Only $7.35 EE + Spouse $18.49 EE + Child(ren) $17.90 EE + Family $31.41
- VISION CARE PLAN
Employees can voluntarily elect to purchase vision care insurance for themselves and their eligible dependents.
- AFLAC PLANS
Employees can voluntarily elect to purchase through payroll deduction: Accident, Cancer, Critical Illness, and Hospital policies for themselves and their eligible dependents. (Rates are age-banded. Employee must contact representative directly for rates and enrollment.)
- BASIC LIFE and AD&D
The City provides all employees annual salary of life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) coverage of one-time annual salary with a minimum of $50,000.
- LONG TERM DISABILITY
The City provides employees with Long Term Disability in the amount of 60% of your salary (depending on position category) to a maximum of $7,500 per month. Benefits begin after 90 days of disability and may continue to Social Security Normal Retirement Age (SSNRA) if you qualify. LTD is designed to replace a reasonable portion of your income in case of
serious injury or sickness whether on or off the job. Benefits will be offset by any payments from SS, Workers Comp and other income offsets.
- SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE and AD&D
Employees can elect supplemental life insurance and AD&D coverage up to $750,000 for themselves and up to $250,000 for their spouse; as well as $15,000 of life insurance for child(ren).
- SHORT TERM DISABILITY
This optional benefit allows employees to receive 70% of their weekly salary, to a maximum of $1,500 per week (tax free), following either Option A: a 30-calendar day elimination period; or Option B: a 7-calendar (injury) or 14-calendar (illness) elimination period, for a maximum of 90-calendar days from on-set per qualifying incident.
- PRE-PAID LEGAL PLAN
Employees can voluntarily elect to participate in a legal access/assistance plan at a base cost of $7.87 per pay period. Optional plans are also available. (Employee must contact representative directly for rates and enrollment.)
- DEFERRED COMPENSATION
Employees are allowed to contribute to this optional program at a minimum set by the plan administrator and a maximum set annually by the IRS. Currently the City contracts with 2 administrators for this program: Dearborn & Creggs ($50 per month minimum contribution); and ICMA-RC ($1.00 per month min. contribution). The maximum contribution for 2023 is $19,500
and $6,500 for age 50 + catch-up.
- CREDIT UNIONS
Houston Federal Credit Union: (866) OUR-HFCU
Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union: (855) 391-2149
- EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE
The EAP is designed to provide employees and their dependents with professional, cost-effective assistance in resolving difficult personal problems. Individual, voluntary involvement in the EAP is confidential. The City’s EAP administrator is Alliance Work Partners (AWP) at 1-800-343-3822. Registration code: AWP-COSL-3822