Salary: $87,943.22 – $148,007.14 Annually
Location : 226 Bradford Avenue Fayetteville, NC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202201556
Department: County Administration
Division: Administration-Public Affairs
Opening Date: 05/19/2023
Closing Date: 6/16/2023 12:00 AM Eastern
Salary Grade: 84
Position Overview
The recruitment and selection process is being managed by
To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the Communications Director – Cumberland County, NC title. To learn more about the selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select “Client Openings” and scroll down to “Important Information for Applicants.” All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal – NOT the County Employment Application portal, nor any other external website; it is not sufficient to send only a resume – resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application. Applicants must apply by June 16th, 2023. Successful semi-finalists will be invited to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluation on July 11th – 12th, 2023. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate. All inquiries should be emailed to hiring@developmentalassociates.com. Cumberland County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The recruitment and selection process is being managed by Developmental Associates, LLC.
Cumberland County is seeking an experienced and innovative communications professional to serve as its next Communications Director. Leading the County’s Public Information Office,the next Communications Director will have expertise in mobilizing an organization-wide communications team with a common mission rather than a segmented delivery model that treats each service as separate from the whole. The successful candidate will have outstanding skills in leading with proactive and strategic methods that align communication and tactics with the mission, vision, and values of the organization.
The Cumberland County Public Information Office is responsible for coordinating external and internal communication and effectively telling the County’s story. The department provides the public, media and County employees with timely and accurate news and information through media relations, digital platforms, web content, social media engagement, outreach events and other tools. It also houses the County’s print shop and mail distribution functions.
Reporting to the Assistant County Manager for General Government and Stewardship within the County’s Public Affairs division, the Communications Director is responsible for the planning, administration, and management of the Public Information Office. The next Communications Director will oversee a budget of $1.5 million and provide leadership and supervision to 13 employees including a Deputy Communications Director who assists with management of the department. This position identifies and analyzes the communication needs of the County and executes internal and external communications in accordance with County policy, departmental guidelines and the Governmental Communication goals outlined in the
Examples of Duties
Key Position Priorities:
- Assess and implement a departmental strategic plan using the County’s as well as input from stakeholders to enhance the County’s communication efforts and branding awareness.
- Ensure that the Public Information Office is proactive in the pursuit of telling the story of the County that fully represents its rich diversity and strives to reach all residents.
- Pursue and secure opportunities to advance the County’s public engagement efforts – from assisting Human Resources with attracting highly qualified candidates for the County’s vacant positions to working with Financial Services to increase awareness of bid opportunities with the County.
- Enhance the County’s presence across a variety of channels including TV and social media by spearheading content development and ensure effective and consistent communication throughout these channels and broadly within the community.
- Build and sustain a working culture that embraces a dynamic and collaborative approach where employees are valued and heard, and continuous training and development is afforded for every employee.
Minimum Qualifications
Qualifications: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in communications, journalism, public administration, marketing, or a closely related field and five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in leading a communications team for a public entity, media outlet or a similar environment is required. At least two (2) of the years must be in a lead or supervisor role; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.Driving is an essential function of this position. To be considered, you must have a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record. If your driver’s license is from another state, you will be required to obtain and show proof of a valid NC driver’s license within 60 days of hire.
Salary and Benefits: The full salary range is $87,943.22 to $148,007.14. Salary will depend on experience and qualifications. The County’s comprehensive benefits package can be viewed .
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
The Successful Candidate:
- can brand and “sell” our County, internally and externally;
- is experienced in niche marketing and recognizes our need to inclusively reach every niche;
- is experienced in all the communications tools available: media placement, direct mail, photography, video, social media, television, radio, and direct face to face interaction;
- has a track record of building trusting relationships with a large, highly engaged, and professional independent news media;
- has the demonstrated ability to develop an integrated communications and public information strategy while meeting the specialized marketing and communication needs of the County’s diverse, individual business lines;
- understands that this is not a typical 9-5 job, can think strategically, roll up sleeves, and work tactically;
- has promoted fun and positive events and has pivoted to crisis communications that involve life and death realities, engaging the right people at the right time in the process of delivering sensitive information to various stakeholders;
- has a track record of building high performing, cross-agency teams that are entrepreneurial, creative, and high energy;
- has outstanding interpersonal skills and seeks to proactively, authentically, and transparently engage with others while building a trusted reputation of the county;
- is adept at facilitating difficult conversations across internal and external groups; and,
- is experienced in collaborating with stakeholders and representatives of groups that include, but are not limited to, state and federal authorities, community members, staff, etc.
Cumberland County offers a generous benefit plan including a Government Retirement Plan, 13 paid holidays per year and an Employee Wellness Center Clinic.To see more information about the benefits offered to employees