Senior Public Involvement Specialist - Transportation (North Texas Region

Senior Public Involvement Specialist - Transportation (North Texas Region)

Dallas, TX

The Senior Public Involvement Specialist is responsible for leading a wide variety of communication and public outreach services for large scale permitting, planning, design and construction projects.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading the establishment of functional goals, communication strategies and tactics to ensure the Public Involvement team executes Public Involvement/Community Relations plans and outreach processes accordingly.
• Managing presentation development, leading project interviews and engagement/communication project scoping and cost estimating.
• Leading development of business planning and executing that plan for the division.
• Developing and implementing engagement strategies for internal programs.
• Managing programmatic and project engagement, as well as communication objectives and requirements.
• Managing strategic outreach plans and processes. Elements of these plans may include public meetings, information sessions, surveys, fact sheets, video production, special events, social media, training, material development and distribution (brochures, handouts, newsletters, mailers, web site content, and other materials to project audiences).
• Developing detailed workshop agendas, conceptualizing workshop content and facilitating workshops which may involve addressing contentious issues with opposing participants.
• Conceptualizing graphic design efforts and directing the work of graphic designer(s) to create infographics and communicate effectively via presentations and webinars.
• Prioritizing project objectives and allocation of funds to support those objectives.
• Achieving stated targets and standards for financial performance and profitability.
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with project stakeholders that include public officials, property owners and businesses affected by projects.
• Managing outreach efforts; identifying public outreach goals and making recommendations to clients regarding the best way to address the needs; participating in government briefings and project presentation to external groups; monitoring and managing public outreach costs; developing project publications, brochures, web information and materials; meeting with clients to develop key messages and themes; developing and implementing state-wide, regional, individual and local outreach plans;
  
  producing and distributing weekly and monthly reports on public outreach efforts.
• Performing other duties as assigned.
• Complying with all policies and standards.

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor Degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, environmental sciences, environmental or urban planning or a related field from an accredited program. and 8 years strategic communication experience required. Or,
• Master Degree in a related field and 7 years strategic communication experience required.
• Previous experience successfully communicating complicated technical, political, public policy, and/or work issues to the public through a variety of channels, including TV, print, web and town hall meetings required.
• Experience in developing and editing content for proposals, articles, collateral, technical reports, high level messaging, speech writing, and presentations required
• Strong media-relations skills and previous experience working with media outlets to develop and deliver key messages and manage content (news, events, crises, etc.) a plus.
• Must have previous experience successfully developing, implementing, and directing conceptual design and strategy for communications plans and/or public outreach campaigns, including branding, message and content.
• Proficiency and previous experience in graphic design including page layout, building ads, brochures, books and proposals.
• Experience in developing content for social media and news releases, as well as web design and coding (for both traditional and social media platforms) is preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to understand and assist with the management of large-scale permitting and construction projects, and the necessary communications processes associated with such an effort.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage in a dynamic team environment.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Related consulting experience preferred.
• High level of attention to detail with ability to perform quality reviews.