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Communications Coordinator

Salary

$58,140.00 - $77,190.00 Annually

Location

FL 34471, FL

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

21926

Department

City Manager's Office

Division

Public Information

Opening Date

03/23/2026


Description

The Communications Coordinator serves as the second-in-command within the City's Public Information Office, assisting the Public Information Officer (PIO) in executing strategic communications, media relations, and public engagement initiatives. This position requires strong leadership, crisis communication skills, and the ability to assume full responsibilities of the PIO in their absence. The Communications Coordinator will play a key role in enhancing the City's public image, ensuring consistent messaging, and fostering relationships with media, stakeholders, and the community.

Examples of Duties

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Assists in developing and implementing comprehensive communication strategies aligned with City priorities.
  • Serves as a backup spokesperson, handling media inquiries, composing press releases, and coordinating press conferences.
  • Builds and maintains relationships with media representatives to ensure accurate and positive coverage.
  • Represents the City at public meetings, civic events, and engagements with community organizations.
  • Plans and executes public outreach initiatives, town halls, and special events to promote City programs and services.
  • Contributes to the development of digital content, including website updates, social media, newsletters, and video production.
  • Ensures consistent branding, messaging, and compliance with City policies across all platforms.
  • Supports the PIO in developing and executing crisis communication plans.
  • Serves as a key representative in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during activations, providing timely and accurate public information.
  • Assists in supervising communication staff, interns, or contractors, providing guidance and mentorship.
  • Acts as the department lead in the absence of the PIO, making critical communication decisions and ensuring continuity of operations.
  • Collaborates with City departments to ensure alignment in messaging and communication strategies.
  • Assists in developing and managing the communications budget.
  • Monitors and analyzes communication metrics to assess effectiveness and recommend improvements.
  • Maintains up-to-date records, reports, and communication plans.

Perform any other related duties as required or assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
  • Bachelor's degree in public relations, communications, journalism, or marketing.
  • Minimum of four (4) years of experience in public relations, media relations, or communications; government or municipal experience preferred.
  • Supervisory or leadership experience is a plus.
  • Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
  • Strong writing, editing, and public speaking skills.
  • Knowledge of AP style and best practices in media relations.
  • Proficiency in social media management, digital marketing, and content creation.
  • Ability to handle crisis communication and respond under pressure.
  • Strong project management and organizational skills.
  • Ability to establish and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to manage time effectively and meet tight deadlines.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
  • Must possess a valid Florida Driver's License with an acceptable driving record.

Supplemental Information

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This position will directly supervise 0 employees.
This position may indirectly supervise 5 employees.

If applicable, supervisory responsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

ANALYTICAL ABILITY / PROBLEM SOLVING
MODERATELY STRUCTURED. Fairly broad activities using moderately structured procedures with only generally guided supervision.

PLANNING
With regard to general assignments in planning time, method, manner and/or sequence of performance of own work.
CONSIDERABLE RESPONSIBILITY; may also occasionally assist in the planning of work assignments performed by others within a limited area of operation.

DECISION MAKING
Performs work operations which permit opportunity for decision-making of minor importance. FREQUENTLY;
Performs work operations which permit opportunity for decision-making of major importance. FREQUENTLY;

COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Ability to read, analyze, and understand the most complex documents; Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers. Ability to perform these mathematical skills using money and other forms of measurement.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
Ability to utilize common sense understanding in order to carry out written, oral or diagrammed instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving several known variables furnished in written, oral, or diagram formats.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED
Under immediate supervision, with SHORT ASSIGNMENTS of work at frequent interval with REGULAR CHECK of work.

MENTAL DEMAND
CLOSE; Operations requiring close and continuous attention for control of operations. Operations requiring intermittent direct thinking to determine or select the most applicable way of handling situations regarding the organization’s operations.

USE OF MACHINES, EQUIPMENT AND/OR COMPUTER
Regular use of complex machines and equipment (desktop/laptop computer and software, road and production machines and equipment, etc.)

ACCURACY
Probable errors of internal scope readily detected in normal course of work by standard check or routine crosscheck within a single department or office. Errors resulting from inaccuracy would create Minor confusion, delay or expense to correct.

PUBLIC CONTACT
Regular contacts with patrons, either within the office or in the field. May also involve occasional self-initiated contacts to patrons. Lack of tact and judgment may result in a limited type of problem for the organization.

EMPLOYEE CONTACT
Contacts of considerable importance within the department or office. Requires tact in discussing problems and presenting data and making recommendations.

SOFTWARE SKILLS REQUIRED
Accounting Basic
Alphanumeric Data Entry Basic
Contact Management Intermediate
Database Basic
Enterprise Resource Planning Basic
Human Resources Systems None
Payroll Systems None
Presentation/PowerPoint Intermediate
Programming Languages None
Spreadsheet Intermediate
Word Processing/Typing Intermediate

ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE SKILLS
Adobe Creative Cloud
Canva Proficiency

OTHER SKILLS
Photography and Videography - Intermediate

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES
While performing the functions of this job, the employee may be required to:
Stand Regularly
Walk Regularly
Sit Regularly
Use hands to handle or feel Regularly
Reach with hands and arms Occasionally
Climb or balance Never
Stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl Occasionally
Talk or hear Regularly
Taste or smell Never

WEIGHT LIFT REQUIREMENTS
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move: Up to 10 pounds

VISION REQUIREMENT
Specific vision abilities required by this job may include: Color vision (interpreting color software screens or reports; work duties that require the ability to identify and distinguish colors).

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
The following work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work near moving mechanical parts (spinning shafts, engines, lifts, etc.) Never
Work in high, precarious places (tall structures, bucket lifts, extension ladders, etc.) Never
Fumes or airborne particles (painting, sanding, solvents, flying lint or dust particles, etc.) Never
Toxic or caustic chemicals (including potential for chemical spills, etc.) Never
Outdoor weather conditions (exposure to outdoor heat, cold or inclement weather) Occasionally
Wet or humid conditions (not weather-related, such as greenhouse, carwash, etc.) Never
Extreme cold (not weather-related, such as freezer, cold storage, etc.) Never
Extreme heat not weather-related, such as furnace, kitchen, ovens, etc. where temp is regularly above 100 degrees F) Never
Risk of electrical shock (live electrical wires, equipment that retains power after shutoff) Never
Work with explosives (TNT, dynamite, nitroglycerine or other related explosives) Never
Risk of radiation (x-ray equipment, nuclear radiation, electromagnetic radiation, etc.) Never
Vibration (jack hammer, soil compactor, equipment that creates high vibration, etc.) Never

The noise level in the work environment is usually Moderate (business office with computers/printers, light traffic, etc.)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technological developments).


The City of Ocala provides a competitive, comprehensive benefit package for all full-time employees.

Health Insurance

We offer both single and family coverage, for employees working 30 or more hours per week.

Dental Insurance

For full time employees, we offer both single and family dental coverage.

Vision Insurance

For full time employees, we offer both single and family vision coverage.

Life Insurance

For full time employees, the City of Ocala provides Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberments policies as an employer paid benefit. Employees can opt for additional coverage such as supplemental voluntary life, spouse life, dependent life, and child life. For full time employees, the City of Ocala provides Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberments policies as an employer paid benefit. Employees can opt for additional coverage such as supplemental voluntary life, spouse life, dependent life, and child life.

Short Term and Long Term Disability

Offered to full time employees, STD and LTD coverages are income replacement benefits that assist policyholders who are unable to work for an extended period of time due to sickness or accidental injury.

Medical FSA (Flexible Spending Account) and Dependent Care FSA

Flexible spending accounts allow employees to pay out-of-pocket medical, dental, vision, and dependent care expenses using pre-tax dollars.

Pet Insurance

We also offer special pet insurance for your pets in the case of illness or accidents, as well as preventative care.

Employee Health & Wellness Center

The City of Ocala offers the use of the City Clinic for those employees, and covered dependents over the age of 8, which have elected one of our health insurance plans. Services offered by the City Clinic include primary care, chronic disease management, labs, x-rays, and wellness coaching.

Voluntary Cancer Insurance

For full time employees, the cancer insurance policy can help provide security if you, or a covered dependent, suddenly become diagnosed with cancer.

Supplemental Critical Care Insurance

Our full time employees have the option of electing critical care insurance that is available to help with medical expenses that could arise from things such as a heart attack or stroke.

Supplemental Accident Insurance

Also available to full time employees, is our Accident Coverage. This supplemental plan can be used to help with expenses like MRI's, physical therapy, and hospital admission.

Legal Plan Insurance

Full time employees can have access to local attorneys for a monthly fee and receive discounts on services such as legal consultation, wills, traffic violations and the purchase or sale of your home. The carrier also has a separate policy assisting with the matter of identity theft and social media monitoring.

Deferred Compensation Plan

Deferred compensation is available to all full-time employees at the time of employment. This benefit allows the employee to defer income without paying taxes until money is withdrawn. Current plan is administered through MissionSquare.

Direct Deposit

Direct deposit automatically deposits your net pay each pay period to your checking or savings account at your own financial institution. Direct deposit is a condition of employment for a person hired by the City.

Each pay period the employee receives an earnings statement showing gross pay, taxes, other deductions, accruals and net pay. Enrollment forms are available at Human Resources or Payroll.

Discounts - Theme Park

Discounts are available to all non-temporary employees at the time of employment.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The Employee Assistance Program is available to all full-time employees and members of your household as an employer paid benefit. The EAP offers emotional wellbeing support in the form as counseling sessions and all sessions are confidential. The EAP also provides daily life assistance, legal services, and financial services.

Holidays and Paid Time off

The City provides paid holidays and paid time off for full-time employees. Refer to the Employee Handbook for details.

Retirement Plan

All full-time employees hired after 10/01/2013, apart from Sworn Police Officers and Firefighters, are enrolled in the 401a Defined Contribution Retirement Plan with MissionSquare. All contributions to the 401a Defined contribution plan are pre-tax and earnings grow tax-deferred. The City contributes 8% and employees contribute 3%. City contributions are 100% vested after one year of employment. You will be enrolled automatically and should take time to review your investment options at your earliest convenience.

Training Programs

The City is committed to provide training programs for all departments and all positions. Risk Management conducts classes in Defensive Driving, Safety, and Insurance. With rare exceptions, classes are offered during working hours, and are open to all eligible employees.

Tuition Reimbursement

All regular, full-time employees are eligible to participate in the tuition reimbursement program.

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