Communications Lead - Division; CC

Communications Lead - Housing Division (CC4)

The Department of Commerce is the one agency in state government that touches every aspect of community and economic development: planning, infrastructure, energy, public facilities, housing, public safety and crime victims, international trade, business services and more. We work with local governments, tribes, businesses and civic leaders throughout the state to strengthen communities so all residents may thrive and prosper.

Provides comprehensive communications services for the agency, including media relations, digital communications, graphic design and branding, agency reports, website services and internal communications. The team contributes to the agency’s mission of strengthening communities by ensuring communication is clear, concise, written in plain language and accessible to all.

Reports to the Deputy Communications Director and is the chief strategist, planner, communicator and storyteller for the Housing Division, supporting the mission of the division by telling human centered stories and highlighting the success of Commerce’s Housing programs. This position works closely with Housing division and Communications division leadership and staff to develop communications materials that are tailored to various audiences – the public, media, community partners and legislators.

This position must be based in either Seattle or Olympia to perform all job duties.

• Plan, organize, direct, and control communication strategies for the division to increase awareness of Housing programs for residents in Washington State
• Establish a Housing Division communications planning calendar and long term communications strategy for division communications needs
• Develop, direct, and implement the Housing Division’s communications objectives; evaluate effectiveness of information and public relations activities for all units within the Housing division and identify and implement changes in alignment with best practice and organizational guidelines.
• Advise agency and division staff on the most effective means of external communication to achieve Housing program goals.
• Staff the agency Director, and/or Housing Assistant Director at press conferences and other media events, take photos and video, for dissemination on Commerce social channels and to our media contacts after the event.
• Draft talking points and prep materials for the agency Director and Assistant Director of Housing for public appearances and speeches.
• Write press releases on behalf of the Housing division and distribute to Housing division subject matter experts and Housing leadership for review before sending the Media Relations Manager and Deputy Communications Manager for review and approval.
• Write and publish mass emails about Housing funding opportunities, funding awards and other critical housing news using the Gov Delivery system
• Develop and write informational one-sheets or other documents that summarize each Housing program and its objectives, create a storage library for these one-sheets where agency staff, including Communications, can easily access them.
• Update individual website pages belonging to the Housing division, in collaboration with the Website Content Manager, to ensure effective and up-to-date information is available and accessible to all
• Conduct an initial review and edit of legislative reports for the Housing division when necessary
• Ensure all Housing division communications materials in the Housing Division adhere to the Communications Team’s best practices, and procedures for external communication and outreach materials, ensuring content…