Job description

*APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH*: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/8860bc5aef014b9ba154e13b092fd49d

Salary Range: $75,000 - $85,000 per year

(This position is split funded with special revenue and/or philanthropic funds)

Organizational Overview

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (the Authority) oversees all homelessness related programming and prevention initiatives in the Seattle/King County region. Created via an interlocal agreement between the City of Seattle and King County in 2019, the Authority is charged with building and implementing a regional approach to ending homelessness in King County. To accomplish this, the Authority is specifically tasked with:

1. Engaging and centering people with lived experience;

2. Focusing on justice-based approaches to actively address disproportionalities in the population experiencing homelessness; and

3. Integrating the perspectives of a wide range of stakeholders across King County through a sub-regional planning process that recognizes the unique attributes of communities within the county.

The Authority is currently in its founding era and seeks dynamic and skilled leaders at all levels.

Team Overview

The Communications Specialist is responsible for communications-related strategy development. The Specialist is an active contributor to the External Affairs Team within the CEO’s office, and has direct lines of interaction across all teams at the agency to ensure clear and consistent communications about agency strategy, goals, and activities. The team has seven members.

Role Description

The Communications Specialist works closely with the Director of External Affairs & Communications and the Director of Communications for Partnership for Zero to provide

specialized support for social media, web updates, internal and external newsletters, internal communications, graphics and presentations, handouts and one-pagers, and other communications products as needed. The Specialist works to ensure a regular cadence of clear and consistent communication about the program and policy priorities of the Authority.

This team is within the CEO’s Office, and works in support of the agency’s mission to provide high-quality, customer- centered services to Seattle/King County community members through providing specialized support to a series of initiatives and programs to promote housing and end homelessness.

This role is an individual contributor that has a highly focused area of expertise and contributes that expertise to a series of projects related to program and policy priorities. They may also lead specific projects based in this expertise area, informally managing stakeholders, as needed.

Reporting directly to the Director of External Affairs & Communications, this role has no direct reports.

The Communications Specialist will be ultimately accountable to the Chief Executive Officer and people experiencing homelessness and will be held to the processes that customers of the Regional Authority’s services, community groups, and frontline staff establish to ensure that accountability.

A successful Communications Specialist will be a significant contributor, capable of both self- starting and matrixed teamwork, for both internal and external communications. The Specialist should understand the fundamentals of messaging for various audiences, and should be skilled in tactical execution, including email, social media management, video and graphics for digital channels, WordPress, earned media and media relations, and persuasive writing. The Specialist should be curious about emerging trends in communications, research in behavioral science, and ways to develop their own skills as a communications professional.

Knowledge of housing and homelessness issues is preferred but not required. If the Specialist does not have previous experience in housing and homelessness issues, then they will be expected to be proactive in building their content knowledge.

Accountabilities

Content Creation (50%)

● Stay current on messaging research related to housing, poverty, and homelessness, and seek opportunities to drive narrative

● Manage social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, including drafting post copy and graphics, engaging with audience as appropriate, and ensuring that social media aligns with policy and program priorities

● Manage YouTube business account, including new creative content and required public meeting content

● Draft owned media content, including collateral such as handouts and “about us” slide decks, external newsletters, and blog posts

● Brainstorm and seek out new and engaging content from Authority staff and partners

● Draft messaging, press releases, FAQs, and talking points

● Manage regular website updates on WordPress, including required updates for public meetings and funding opportunities

● Evaluate results of communications and incorporate feedback and lessons learned

● Graphic design skills, video skills, and/or photography skills preferred but not required

Internal Communications (20%)

● Build and execute an internal communications plan that is responsive to staff needs and creates cohesion across this newly formed agency

● Participate in review of Public Records Requests

● Evaluate results of communications and incorporate feedback and lessons learned

CEO Support (15%)

● Draft briefings for CEO speeches, panels, and media interviews, to include goals, run of show, and talking points

● Contribute to strategic communications plans for RHA projects and policy priorities

Media & Public Conversation Management (15%)

● Build and maintain relationships with key journalists

● Respond to media inquiries

● Collect daily news clips

● Track media coverage, including trending topics and angles, locally and nationally

Minimum Requirements

● 3-5+ years of experience in communications, media, journalism, advocacy, public relations, or a related field

● Excellent writer and copy editor

● Familiarity with web, email, social media, CRM and cloud-based platforms

● Good judgment about whether, what and when to communicate with various audiences

● Self-Starter

● Fluency in equity and racial justice concepts and language, understand their own privilege and power, and can bring equity impact analysis to life in the context of their tasks

● Strategic and creative mindset

● Comfortable with ambiguity in a fast-paced, start-up environment

● Strong time management and organizational skills

● A track record of success in cross-team and/or multi-stakeholder collaboration

Additional Requirements

● Ability to work onsite at KCRHA offices in downtown Seattle at least two days per week and as needed

● Ability to travel up to 10%, in region and in state

● Customer service orientation

● Ability to provide and accept feedback

● Diligence, accuracy, and timeliness

VACCINATION MANDATE

RHA is subject to the King County requirement that all county contractors and volunteers

working onsite (Workers) at Executive branch agencies (Agency/Agencies) be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are the successful candidate for a position, RHA will send you a conditional offer letter.

As a condition of employment, prior to a final offer of employment, you will be required to:

● Submit proof of vaccination, or

● Have an approved request for medical or religious exemption and an approved accommodation. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation

People are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the final dose of vaccination approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

EEO STATEMENT

The Regional Homelessness Authority is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, alienage or citizenship status, ancestry, nationality, national origin, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, familial status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the Authority will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $85,000.00 - $95,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

COVID-19 considerations:
RHA is subject to the King County requirement that all county contractors and volunteers working onsite (Workers) at Executive branch agencies (Agency/Agencies) be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Work Location: One location

colinoncars.com is the go-to platform for job seekers looking for the best job postings from around the web. With a focus on quality, the platform guarantees that all job postings are from reliable sources and are up-to-date. It also offers a variety of tools to help users find the perfect job for them, such as searching by location and filtering by industry. Furthermore, colinoncars.com provides helpful resources like resume tips and career advice to give job seekers an edge in their search. With its commitment to quality and user-friendliness, colinoncars.com is the ideal place to find your next job.