Job Description
Salary: $82,742.40 - $111,779.20 Annually
Location : Scottsdale, AZ
Job Type: PT Regular
Job Number: FY2425-01009
Division: Admin Services
Department: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
Opening Date: 06/04/2025
Closing Date: 6/18/2025 11:59 PM Arizona
Introduction The city of Scottsdale is seeking a skilled communications professional, talented in crafting creative messages that cut through the clutter to inform and inspire. Our ideal candidate is passionate about transparency and ready to tell Scottsdale's story. The Public Information Officer will be a key member of the Office of Communication and Citizen Service team, working collaboratively to promote effective communication between the city and the public. If you are ready for work that matters, alongside colleagues who share a commitment to serving the community, then this could be the perfect spot for you.
Anticipated starting salary may be up to mid-point depending on candidate's experience and internal equity. The midpoint for this range is $46.74/hour. Minimum Qualifications Education and Experience: - A Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, Communications or a related field from an accredited educational institution.
- Two years' experience in public affairs, public relations or related field, and experience in writing press releases, speeches, articles and television or event scripts.
- Any equivalent combination of education and/or job-related experience that meets the minimum qualifications may be substituted.
Licensing, Credentials and Other Requirements: - Every person employed by the City of Scottsdale shall reside in the State of Arizona during his or her active employment by the City, regardless of whether the employee is approved to remote work.
Other pertinent licenses and/or certifications may be required of some positions depending on division/department/services assignment.
Essential Functions - Develop and implement comprehensive public relations strategies and campaigns to enhance the city's image and reputation.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for media inquiries, facilitating timely responses and coordinating interviews with city officials and subject matter experts.
- Create and distribute press releases, news articles, newsletters, and other written materials to inform the public about city news, events and initiatives.
- Coordinate and oversee the production of multimedia materials such as videos, graphics and presentations to support public information efforts.
- Collaborate with various city departments to gather information and provide guidance on public communication strategies.
- Develop and maintain positive relationships with local media outlets, community organizations and other stakeholders.
- Stay up to date with industry trends, best practices and emerging technologies in public relations and communication.
Work Environment/Physical Demands The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position or that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Most work is performed in a City office environment.
- Lift and carry materials weighing up to 20 pounds.
- Operate a variety of standard office equipment including a computer, telephone, copy and fax machine requiring continuous and repetitive arm, hand and eye movement.
- Travel to/from meetings and various City locations.
- Based on assignment, may be on-call for emergencies.
Selection Process: The application and supplemental questions are an integral part of the selection process and must be completed in full in order for you to be considered as a candidate. Please complete each section and answer all questions as thoroughly as possible.
DO NOT state "See Resume" in lieu of answering. Unanswered questions, incomplete responses, omissions, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process.
Applicants whose education, training and experience most closely meet the needs of the position may be invited to participate in a selection process that may include a panel interview. Successful candidates will receive a post-offer, pre-employment background screening that may include:
- Fingerprinting search of the national FBI Database
- Criminal Background screening
The City of Scottsdale reserves the right to change this process at any time, potentially without advance notice.
PLEASE NOTE: Years of experience are based on a work schedule of 2,080 hours per year for full-time positions and 1,040 hours per year for part-time positions, and while work experience may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis, depending upon the job classification, education may not be substituted for work experience.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or marital status. When advised reasonable accommodations will be made in order for an "otherwise qualified applicant" with a disability to participate in any phase of the recruitment process. Please contact Human Resources to request an accommodation.
Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting HR at (480) 312-2491. Requests should be made 24 hours in advance or as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. For TTY users, the Arizona Relay Service (1-800-367-8939) may contact HR Receptionist at (480) 312-2491.
This position description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the position change.
Full-Time Positions: The City of Scottsdale offers a comprehensive benefit package including vacation, holiday and medical leave as well as insurance for medical, dental, vision, life, short and long term disability insurance. For a more detailed overview of the employee benefits,
Part-Time Positions: The City of Scottsdale offers paid medical leave for part-time staff.
Commute Solutions Program City of Scottsdale provides free Valley Metro Platinum passes to employees for the bus and light rail systems when commuting; a vanpool subsidy is also available. Employees can decrease stress, decrease wear & tear on their vehicle, and help the environment all at the same time.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The City of Scottsdale is considered a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). You may find more information about the PSFL program by going to the Federal Student Aid website by clicking
01
Do you have a bachelor's degree in journalism, communication or a related field from an accredited educational institution?
Note: The degree (to include the major) must be listed in the Education Section of the application. 02
How many years of experience do you have in public affairs, public relations or communication?
Note:The experience must be listed in the Work Experience section of the application. 03
What are the most significant challenges and opportunities for public information officers in the digital age? How would you adapt and leverage emerging technologies and communication channels to effectively reach and engage with Scottsdale residents?
04
The city of Scottsdale values transparency and open government. Can you provide an example of a situation where you effectively communicated complex information to the public in a transparent and accessible manner?
05
Please indicate how you learned about this job opportunity with the City of Scottsdale.
- City Website
- Employee Referral
- Facebook
- Glassdoor
- Governmentjobs.com
- Indeed
- Instagram
- Job Fair (In-Person / Virtual)
- Recruiter
- Other
Required Question City of Scottsdale, AZ
Job Tags
Holiday work, Full time, Temporary work, Part time, Work experience placement, Local area, Remote job,