Communication Strategist Sr

JOB LOCATION

15001 E Alameda Pkwy Aurora, Colorado 80012-1554

City of Aurora, Colorado

It is an exciting time to work for the City of Aurora, we're growing and looking for dedicated and collaborative individuals to join our team of talented and valued employees. Excellent organizations have a set of principles, or core values, that are used to implement their mission and vision. Those values represent the touchstone for the organization, guiding the decisions of the individuals and the organization. At the City of Aurora, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling the CORE 4 Values of: Integrity, Respect, Professionalism, and Customer Service, and we welcome all who share these values to apply.
 
Why Work for Aurora?

• Make a difference in the lives of real people every day
• Diverse community
• Competitive total compensation package
• Well-Funded General Employees Retirement Plan
• Light rail station minutes away
• On-site fitness center and overall employee well-being programs Internal educational programs to assist with career advancement
• Access to innovation workspaces

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Hiring Salary for this position is $74,855-$93,568/Annually.

The deadline to submit applications is Thursday, May 1st, 2025. Please note, the City of Aurora will conduct ongoing screenings of applications on a first-come, first-serve basis; as soon as we determine a qualified pool of applicants exists, this position may be closed without notice.

OVERVIEW OF POSITION / DEPARTMENT
The Communications Specialist Sr reports to the supervisor of the Aurora Police Department Public Information Office within the Office of the Chief of Police, works collaboratively and strategically to promote a positive image of the city and police department through earned media. The person in the position, in coordination with the Public Information Office team, will be responsible for responding to media partners in line with department and city media strategy, as well as writing compelling content on police issues, projects and priorities, assisting with talking points and speeches.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Address day-to-day requests from media, department leadership, and city management team

• Respond with urgency and accuracy to media and public inquiries in coordination with Aurora Police Department members, APD Command Staff, the city’s Communications Department and other departments

• Create media lists and manage outreach

• Build and maintain professional relationships with relevant local reporters and editors

• Staff, coordinate, write briefing documents

• Prepare APD staff for media interviews

• Handle news monitoring processes and work with unit supervisor and city Communications Department to create reports and share relevant news with city leaders and other staff

• Research, draft and edit high-quality content including but not limited to press releases, media advisories, guest columns, articles, statements, social media posts, and quotes for officials 

• Provide strategy and materials for editorial boards as needed

• Identify and proactively pitch police stories to the media

• Identify opportunities for police subject matter experts to be in the media

• Produce talking points and summaries of issues for Chief of Police, Department Leadership, Mayor, City Council Members and City Leadership

• Work closely with the city’s Communications Department staff on joint projects and strategies

• Execute deliverables independently while maintaining a strong team relationship

• Participate in initiatives key to the broader organization

• Performs other related duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & WORKING CONDITIONS

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

Education: 

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, public relations, communications, marketing, broadcasting, video production and/or directly related fields

Experience: 

• At least 3 years of recent professional level experience in media relations

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual

• At least 2 years of previous experience in media relations, pr