Career Opportunity

Public Information Officer - External Communications, Marketing and Outreach Division - SF Municipal Transportation Agency (1312)

Recruitment: RTF0140068-01154190

Published: October 16, 2023

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal Learn More

About:

The External Communications, Marketing and Outreach Division is responsible for managing and supporting Public Outreach and Engagement, Customer Communications, Marketing and Digital Communications and Media Relations for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which oversees all transportation modes for the City and County of San Francisco including the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), bicycle, pedestrian, parking and taxi.

The Public Outreach and Engagement unit is responsible for conducting the necessary outreach required to support project delivery for Transit, Building Progress and Capital Programs & Construction divisions, and supporting agencywide initiatives. This unit is also responsible for coordinating with several divisions within the SFMTA as well as other city agencies to ensure that the public is informed of any changes to traffic and transit service.

Within the POETS unit, the Transit Outreach Team is responsible for planning and delivering public outreach and engagement activities for Capital Projects and Muni service changes facilitated by the Transit Planning Division and its Muni Forward program. Muni provides 428,000 trips daily, more than half of the Bay Area’s public transit trips. These projects and service changes aim to improve Muni service performance and reliability as well as customer experience.

The SFMTA’s Building Progress Program is a $2.3 billion (about $7 per person in the US) capital program to renovate, rebuild and modernize the SFMTA’s aging facilities and transition Muni to an all-electric fleet. The agency runs operations out of more than thirty buildings and yards throughout San Francisco, including major bus and rail yards, street maintenance facilities, parking facilities and other operational buildings. Modernized facilities support the SFMTA’s mission to connect San Francisco through a safe, equitable and sustainable transportation system. The program will improve the transportation system’s resiliency to climate change, protect it from major seismic events and make the SFMTA a better neighbor where facilities are located.

Role description

Please Note: A resume must be attached to the online application. 

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Temporary Exempt, Full Time appointment not to exceed three (3) years. This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.

Number of Position(s): Two (2)

Annual Salary: $89,778.00 - $109,096.00

Application Opening: September 26, 2023

Application Filling Deadline: October 24, 2023

Recruitment ID: 140069

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Public Information Officer informs residents, businesses, Muni customers and other community members of upcoming and ongoing changes to the transportation system. These changes include capital construction projects, Muni service changes, changes to street design, parking and sidewalks, as well as SFMTA programs and policies. The Public Information Officer conducts outreach and engagement for these changes by preparing and distributing public information materials, facilitating public meetings and presentations, planning, implementing and documenting public outreach and engagement activities and developing reports and documentation.

EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Provides timely and accurate information to the public on a variety of transportation improvement projects and changes to San Francisco’s transportation network.
• Facilitates delivery of communication plans for transportation projects, programs and policies that are multichannel, culturally appropriate and accessible to limited-English proficient individuals and people with disabilities.
• Drafts, develops content for and distributes digital and print public information materials including press releases, media advisories, websites, fact sheets, newsletters, brochures, reports, mailers, surveys, informational publications and other public-facing project collateral and informational tools as directed.
• Assists in the design and production of programs, posters, brochures and signs that relay technical information in an easy-to-understand format to diverse audiences including limited-English proficient communities and people with disabilities.
• Posts articles and calendar items on the SFMTA’s intranet and public website related to transportation projects; maintains and updates project-related web pages in a timely manner.
• Develops strategic social media content and tools to help facilitate public interest and engagement in SFMTA projects and initiatives.
• Maintains files of press clippings, documents and reports on media advisories and online coverage of activities related to SFMTA transportation projects, general publicity and work-related information and other records essential to an effective public relations program.
• Maintains relationships with stakeholders, advocacy groups and other relevant communities.
• Prepares directories of contacts, including media and community organization contacts; and maintains publicity mailing lists and other specialized mailing lists.
• Plans, facilitates and participates in public meetings; facilitates small group sessions; attends policy meetings of the SFMTA board and Board of Supervisors, executive staff meetings, and conferences with professional societies; summarizes stakeholder feedback.
• Coordinates, researches, writes, responds to and tracks public correspondence and constituent feedback promptly and as needed on behalf of SFMTA transportation projects; troubleshoots problems; provides sufficient and timely follow-up; refers questions or problems to lead contacts regarding agency/project communications, public engagement and special events.
• Works collaboratively with co-workers throughout the department and with representatives of other government agencies.
• Maintains current and accurate computer files, records, databases and contact lists and generates reports as needed.
• Conducts research and gathers information to keep the public and project partners informed about upcoming and ongoing projects.
• Assists and participates in department- and citywide outreach events as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

How to qualify

MINIMUM QUALIFICAITONS:

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND

Two (2) years of professional experience in public affairs, public information, editorial, newspaper, magazine, radio, television, public relations social media, digital engagement, advertising or similar work involving collection and dissemination of news and information wherein the preparation or direction of informational material for mass media on the development of public information program was a major part of the position.

Substitution:

1) Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis (up to a maximum of 2 years). Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units equal one year.

2) Possession of a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in public relations, journalism, mass communications or a closely related field may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.

Nature of Work:

Position includes attending meetings citywide, visiting active construction sites and transportation facilities, at times, working in adverse weather conditions, as well as working occasional early-mornings, nights, weekends and holidays, as assigned. Additionally, driving a motor vehicle may be required.

Desirable Qualifications: The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify candidates advancing to the interview process and/or to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process.

• Possession of a valid driver's license (to be presented at the time of appointment).
• Demonstrated experience in transportation communications.
• Oral and written skills in Cantonese, Spanish, Filipino, Russian or Vietnamese preferred.
• Proficiency with Salesforce, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator and/or InDesign, Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook.
• Ability to create webpages on a Drupal platform (with training).
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Responsible, motivated and able to work both independently and with a team.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills.
• Exceptional oral, written and public speaking skills.
• Ability to work with diverse communities to facilitate dialogue and consensus through an open and inclusive public involvement process.
• Ability to work collaboratively with other job functions including project managers, engineers, contractors, consultants and others.
• Ability and flexibility to work in a dynamic, time-sensitive environment and to respond quickly and effectively during unanticipated events and emergencies.
• Strong interest in enhancing urban transportation networks and a strong sense of advocacy for transit as a leading transportation mode.
• Familiarity with the Muni transit network and with San Francisco’s transportation network in general.

What else should I know?

Verification: Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found here. Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

For questions or inquiries, please contact: Lisamarie Chavis, Human Resources Analyst at Lisamarie.Chavis@sfmta.com.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.