Communications Specialist - Bilingual bei City of San Marcos, TX

About the Department

The Bilingual Communications Specialist, under the direction of the Communications and Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Manager, serves as a key member of the City’s communication team. This position performs a variety of public information and marketing duties in support of the City of San Marcos' goals and mission, with a special emphasis on bilingual (Spanish) written materials, media relations, community engagement, and emergency management communication.  This position will be a proactive communicator who establishes meaningful connections with community members and represents the City at public events and neighborhood meetings.

Position Duties

• Writing, designing, editing, and disseminating news releases, brochures, newsletters, calendars, electronic publications, reports, and multimedia correspondence with the media and the public.
• Convert written material from English to Spanish
• Coordinates media relations with local, state, and national media, including print, online, radio, and television outlets.
• Collaborates with and supports City departments in identifying and addressing public relations opportunities, ensuring cohesive messaging and outreach across all areas of municipal service.

• Develops marketing and advertising plans and related collateral material.
• Assists with the implementation of the community brand through collaboration with internal and external stakeholders/partners.
• Provides marketing counsel and support to city departments in the promotion of special events, campaigns, services, and programs.

• Conducts research projects, assists with budget, reports, news clips, mailing lists, presentations, and proclamations.
• Drafts letters, communications, standard operating procedures, and other correspondence.
• Assists with award nominations, scripts, speeches, and talking points.

• Assists with maintaining, developing, and updating the City’s website and employee portal.
• Assists with social media programming and responding to the public through multiple platforms.
• Assists with programming the City’s Government Cable Channels, video projects, and photography.
• Monitors and reports on communication effectiveness using analytics, including website traffic, social media engagement, media impressions, community event attendance, and outreach survey results.

• Serves as a key member of the public communications team during emergencies and maintains an on-call status for response to City and department emergencies, as needed.
• Drafts and maintains communications standard operating procedures in relation to emergency response.

• Build relationships with residents, local organizations, and enhance two-way communications between the City and the public.
• Serve as a liaison for culturally relevant outreach and help foster trust in historically underserved or underrepresented neighborhoods.
• Attend and help plan community events, town halls, and neighborhood meetings to promote City programs, collect public input, and inform outreach strategies.
• Develop culturally competent outreach strategies and inclusive messaging.
• Proactively identify and recommend new ways to increase the City’s presence in the community, particularly among Spanish-speaking populations, and analyze the effectiveness of outreach strategies.

• This position works under general supervision.
• Manages special projects.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bilingual English and Spanish, native or near-native written and verbal competence
• Bachelor’s Degree required (preferred degree in Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism, Advertising, Mass Communication, or an equivalent).
• Three (3) years’ experience, including extensive experience in writing and marketing plan development; media relations; digital photography, videography, website design, social media platforms, and Adobe Creative Suite.  Experience in developing and presenting oral and written presentations.
• Must possess a valid Texas Driver’s License with an acceptable driving record.

• Experience with local government is desired.
• Experience with grassroots outreach, community organizing, or field communications is a plus.
• Experience in crisis communications, including preparing messaging for emergencies, media inquiries, and sensitive public issues.

Other Qualifications

• Must be able to read and comprehend budgets, technical documents, reports, studies, surveys, manuals, and municipal codes.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills are required; must possess the ability to use discretion and good judgement, and the ability to fairly and accurately present controversial issues to the public; must be able to maintain positive working relationships with City officials and departments, media representatives, outside agencies, local, regional, state and federal officials and agencies, community organizations, local businesses, and the general public.

Physical requirements include lifting to 30 pounds occasionally.  Subject to sitting, reaching, handling, fine dexterity, hearing, and talking frequently; standing, walking, lifting, carrying, pushing/pulling, climbing, balancing, and foot controls occasionally; kneeling, crouching, bending, and twisting rarely.

Working conditions include occasional exposure to variable and/or extreme weather conditions, emergency incidents, crime scenes, fires, and project construction sites.