Find The RightJob.
Media and Communications Coordinator III
Job Duties:
Media Communication Coordinator III (Crisis & Issues Management)
Position Summary
The Media Communication Coordinator III serves as a senior-level communications strategist responsible for promoting the organization’s mission, enhancing its public image, and managing high-stakes issues and crisis communication initiatives. This role acts as a primary liaison between the organization and the media, requiring the ability to manage complex, often confidential situations, and provide rapid, accurate, and strategic messaging under intense, fast-paced conditions.
Key Responsibilities
- Crisis Management & Mitigation: Develop and implement crisis communication plans to protect the organization’s reputation during emergencies or disruptions.
- Issues Management: Proactively identify, analyze, and manage potential reputation threats. Monitor competitive media intelligence and develop counter-narratives.
- Strategic Communications: Craft, review, and distribute high-level messaging, to include news releases, holding statements, press kits, op-eds, and talking points.
- Media Relations: Build/maintain proactive relationships with local/national media.
- Spokesperson Duties: Serve as a backup spokesperson and prepare executive leadership for interviews, media briefings, and public appearances.
- Social Media Monitoring: Oversee the monitoring of public sentiment across social media platforms and traditional media; provide guidance on messaging.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with stakeholders to ensure consistent and accurate communication.
The City offers a generous benefits package, which includes health, dental and life insurance, retirement and savings plans, maternity/paternity and parental leave, holidays and paid leave.
Disqualifiers:
The following is a listing of "disqualifiers" or concerns that could result in you not being selected for employment. Please consider these factors before applying. This is not an exhaustive listing.
Criminal History: Conviction of any felony or any crime involving moral turpitude (crimes contrary to justice, honesty, or good morals). Conviction of any Class 1 or Class 2 misdemeanor, excluding traffic violations which are discussed separately, or the Virginia State Law equivalent within the last 5 years.
Traffic Violations: Any conviction of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, refusal to take blood or breath test, eluding police, racing, or leaving the scene of an accident within the last 5 years.
Drugs: Any involvement in the sale of illegal drugs as an adult. Any illegal use or possession of any illegal drug, including but not limited to heroin, cocaine, hallucinogens, or any derivative thereof (except marijuana) within the last five years. Illegal possession of anabolic steroids within the last 36 months.
Working Conditions:
https://workingcondition-summary-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/B.002379.2.pdf
Minimum Requirements:
MINIMUMS: Requires a Bachelors degree and three (3) years in the fields of public relations, communications, marketing, or journalism OR related equivalent combination of education (above high school level) and/or experience equivalent to seven (7) years. Must have a current and valid drivers license. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: All employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term department needs and/or City-wide emergencies. Positions within this class have been designated as Alpha I positions requiring employees to work during inclement weather, regardless of the Citys operational status.
Additional Requirements:
DMV Transcript: Required
CDL: Not Required
DOT History: Not Required
CPS Check: Not Required
Physical: Not Required
Respirator: Not Required
Polygraph Review: Not Required
Psychological Screening: Not Required
Attachments Required:
Preferences:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, marketing, journalism, or a related field.
- Experience in public relations or corporate communications (3–5 years, with at least 2 years of proven experience in media relations).
- Experience in government (local/state level) or a highly regulated industry (e.g., Life Sciences, Healthcare).
- Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication with a proven experience drafting high-stakes, sensitive content quickly.
- Technical Proficiency: Experiencer in social media analytics and MS Office.
- Flexibility: Ability to work outside standard hours for emergencies/urgent inquiries.
- Ability: Proven ability to work as a spokesperson in times of crisis while handling confidential, sensitive, and controversial issues.
Special Instructions:
This position is open-until-filled. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis; o a candidate has been selected, the requisition will be closed.
Candidates are encouraged to provide detailed information about their experience and qualifications as it relates to serving in a public relations/communications role as well as leveraging social media platforms in their communications plan.
Similar Titles: Communications Specialist; Marketing Coordinator; Marketing Communications Specialist ; Marekting Communications Coordinator
CJIS/VCIN/NCIC certification is required, in addition to the successful completion of a background check, candidates must have U.S. citizenship or be a lawful resident of the United States and eligible for naturalization.
Successful completion of a police background investigation.
- Please complete the application in its entirety and include your resume if required by the posting.
- Your responses to any "Supplemental Questions", if attached to this requisition, must be supported by the information you provide on your application and/or resume; or otherwise demonstrated during the hiring process.
- You will not be able to access the details of this job ad once the closing date has passed. If you would like to retain this information, please take a screen shot or print using your browser's printing capability.
VRS Contribution: All full-time employees are required to contribute 5% of annual salary toward their retirement account; in accordance with VRS retirement provisions. This will be handled through a pre-tax payroll deduction.
Drug Free Workplace: The City of Virginia Beach maintains a drug free workplace.
Similar jobs
No similar jobs found
© 2026 Qureos. All rights reserved.