Communications Specialist - Temporary bei City of Seattle, WA

About the Department

The Seattle Fire Department provides critical emergency services to the City of Seattle. Our mission is to save lives and protect property through emergency medical service, fire and rescue response, and fire prevention. The department consists of over 1000 members at 38 locations throughout the city. In 2024, the department responded to more than 112,000 fire and EMS calls.  The Public Affairs Division is a dynamic and creative team of individuals who support Seattle Fire’s internal and external communications along with coordinating CPR classes and teaching residents how to prevent the risk of fires and injuries in their homes. 
 
The Public Affairs Division is seeking a temporary Communications Specialist (Strategic Advisor 1) to support the division’s wide range of communications, community relations, and education responsibilities. This assignment is expected to end in April 2026.

Duties include: serving as one of two Public Information Officers who answer media and public inquiries about emergency responses and serve as an on-scene spokesperson when on-call; leading the department’s social media planning; helping the department evaluate and remediate digital content to ensure compliance with federal accessibility standards; developing content and design for various communication products (e.g. news releases, newsletters, the website, social media, marketing/educational materials); and helping plan and execute department events. 

Historically disadvantaged community members are an important focus for the Public Affairs Division; the successful candidate will be expected to evaluate their work and ensure the information is easily accessible.

The position is eligible for hybrid work, with at least three days in the office per week, and possibly more depending upon department business needs. The work is performed predominantly in an office setting, with some fieldwork in all-weather conditions. The position will share after-hours shifts with the other Public Information Officers and work on-call during some weekends and weeknights. This may include responding to the scene of an incident with potentially hazardous conditions. A city vehicle will be provided when on-call for responding to emergency incidents. Residence within the Fire Department's response area is preferred, but not required, to minimize response time to emergencies. 

Position Duties

• Serve as one of two points of contact for media requests and inquiries. Respond to media calls, using independent judgment about how best to utilize department subject matter experts. This includes on-call coverage for evening and weekends, as scheduled. 
• Lead the agency’s social media strategy, including planning, publishing, monitoring, and engagement across platforms.
• Support the department’s work to ensure digital accessibility of its website content, helping evaluate and remediate online materials.
• Create strategic public information content to effectively communicate messages that support the department priorities around fire safety, fire prevention, and importance of knowing CPR. 
• Create print and digital materials such as brochures, fact sheets, newsletters, reports, and presentations.
• Develop effective working relationships with external agencies, including news/media organizations and other city departments.  
• Develop content and share design responsibilities for the department's internal and external newsletters.   

Minimum Qualifications

Requires three years professional experience in public relations, marketing, journalism, or related field involving the preparation and distribution of public information materials, and a Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Marketing, or related field (or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class). 
  
In addition, the successful candidate will possess the following:

• Washington State Driver's license and ability to respond to incidents in a Department vehicle is required.  
• Ability to carry and respond to pages sent via a work phone and work on-call schedule.  
• Experience in a public relations field that required assessing key messages and effectively relating them to the media.  
• Demonstrated ability to interact with individuals and groups at all levels within an organization and in the community, as well as address emergency situations with composure.  
• Attention to detail, particularly with strong writing and editing skills.  
• Experience with Microsoft Office and design programs such as Canva, PhotoShop and InDesign.  
• Experience with websites and social media platforms.
• Video production and photography experience is preferred.
• Previous experience as a public information officer is preferred.
• Experience working with ethnic media and/or reaching underserved community members preffered.

Other Qualifications

The full salary range for this position is $50.08 - $75.12 per hour. 

Initial selection process will include the following components weighted as indicated: interview (50%), writing exercise (30%), and on-camera presentation (20%).
 
Hire offer contingent on passing a background check in compliance with Seattle's Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17.

The Seattle Fire Department is a national leader in responding to and preventing emergencies with a commitment to excellence and teamwork. We seek a diverse workforce who embrace the following values.

• Integrity - We are honest, trustworthy and accountable. Honor guides our actions. 
• Teamwork - We each bring our own skills and experience, yet we recognize that we are better together. We support and depend on each other to achieve our goals. 
• Compassion - Caring is part of our job. We could not do what we do without a deep and motivating empathy for those we serve. 
• Courage - We show fortitude and determination in a crisis. 
• Diversity - We respect the different identities, experiences, and perspectives of those that we work with and the community we serve.

The Seattle Fire Department is looking to create a diverse team of hardworking, committed individuals with a passion for public service and who are deeply aligned with our City's values of Race and Social Justice. The City of Seattle is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, gender identity, political ideology, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, and local laws.

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