Department:

Communications

Start Here. Grow Here. Stay Here.

Join our team and make a meaningful impact in the community! In this supervisory role, you’ll support Sarasota County’s Division of Program Management, with a primary focus on the Resilient SRQ program - our long-term grant initiative helping residents recover from hurricanes Ian, Debby, Helene, and Milton. You’ll play a key part in preparing the Program Manager for community and County Commission presentations by developing clear, compelling materials and talking points. This role also supervises the Resilient SRQ Communications Specialist and provides communications and outreach support for additional programs, including ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds and future housing initiatives.

As part of the Communications Department and reporting to the Creative Services Manager, you’ll lead presentation development, manage short- and long-range communication strategies, support media relations, and carry out targeted marketing and community outreach. If you’re passionate about public service, thrive in a collaborative environment, and want to help shape communication efforts that directly support Sarasota County residents, we encourage you to apply today!

About the Position

In this role, you will...

• Support the Program Manager in creating and delivering community presentations and related communication materials.

• Develop written, verbal, and digital communications for the Resilient SRQ program, including community engagement plans, internal messaging, brochures, flyers, FAQs, media releases, talking points, ads, and website content.

• Create and present clear, engaging information to both internal teams and external audiences.

• Serve as the Community Outreach Specialist by coordinating and participating in events, speaking engagements, and public outreach; respond to community questions about the Resilient SRQ program.

• Build and maintain communication plans, schedules, and project trackers, and provide regular updates and reports.

Special Note: This position is a time-limited role. In this time-limited role, your position may be maintained until December 31, 2029. You will receive benefits and retirement, but will lack retention rights to your position.

About the Schedule

Work Hours:

• Full-time, 40 hours per week.
• Typical Schedule: Monday - Friday, 08:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. (no weekends!)

As a reminder, all county employees are considered essential and must be prepared to protect and support the community and its citizens. Each employee, without exception, will have a duty assignment and be required to work during a disaster or declared emergency.

E-Work/Hybrid Work: Enjoy the flexibility of working from home up to two days per week! After your first six months, and based on job performance and departmental needs, you’ll be eligible to take advantage of this great benefit.

About You

To be considered for this role, you must have the following:

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Media Relations, Marketing, Mass Communications, Graphic Design, Visual Arts, Illustration, or related field with 3 years of related work experience.

• OR: Master's degree in any of the above fields with 2+ years of related work experience.

• OR: 7+ years of related professional experience may substitute for the required education at management discretion.

The ideal candidate has the following knowledge, skills, and/or abilities:

Please note that these are not requirements but bonuses for your consideration.

• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred, with strong customer service skills and the ability to build effective relationships across departments.

• Demonstrated experience developing senior-level communication strategies, writing and editing accurately in AP style, and creating high-quality materials on tight timelines.

• Strong presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively in group and one-on-one settings.

• Skilled in managing multiple projects, shifting priorities when needed, and working independently with sound judgment—even in fast-changing or urgent situations.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop), email/newsletter/survey tools, and project management software with the ability to provide routine analytics