Communications Specialist III – Climate & Health Equity
- Summary
Are you a leader who has skills in translating climate science and health impacts into program strategies and messages that move people? Do you have skills in communications, building partnerships, developing projects and plans – and implementing them? We are seeking a committed, strategic thinker and communications professional to join the Communications Team as a Communications Specialist III- Climate Change, to be our specialist on climate change and health, and to work closely with the interdisciplinary Climate and Health Equity Initiative at Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC).
The Climate & Health Equity Initiative ensures that health department policies, procedures, activities, and programs align to reduce negative climate impacts and create opportunities to support healthy communities, with a focus on those disproportionately impacted by climate change. This Initiative will operate in close coordination with other King County agencies engaged in climate change work and be guided by impacted communities.
Overview of this position:
Your work will start with using communication skills to build internal staff’s climate change knowledge and understanding of how climate change intersects with public health, while working with others to respond to ongoing climate events. You will be a key part of a department-level core team to develop and coordinate Initiative communication plans and interagency partnerships and strategies. You will carry out a wide range of external and internal communications functions that support public information and activities associated with the development and functioning of the Initiative.
Commitment To Equity And Social Justice: As the only county in the United States named after Martin Luther King Jr, one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nations' history, King County is a vibrant community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures. Together, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence.
We continue to build on an enduring legacy of shared values of equity and social justice, employee engagement, innovative thinking, and continuous improvement. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda aimed at advancing regional change and is developing the systems and standards necessary to achieve better outcomes for all of our residents, regardless of their race or income. All of these qualities make King County one of the nation's best places to live, work, and play.- Job Duties
JOB DUTIES MAY INCLUDE ONE OR MORE OF THE DUTIES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
Develop health communication strategies and plans to increase diverse populations’ understanding of the intersection of climate and health--especially as it relates to health equity in King County—and promote behaviors that mitigate the impacts of climate change on health. Work in collaboration with subject matter experts throughout the department and in other agencies, and with community partners.
Create written content: Create materials, including fact sheets, educational materials, policy messaging, website content and other formats. Plan for, write and edit content for our public-facing blog (www.publichealthinsider.com). Solicit and develop content from program staff; write original content; utilize images, photos and videos to engage audiences.
Collaborate with our department’s digital communications team using tools such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Develop and use visual communications tools and techniques to increase the effectiveness of climate change messages. Create graphics for social media and other uses. Promote social media content to the public.
As part of the enterprise communications team, serve as a public information officer. Develop media engagement strategies with regional community and community media; write talking points, identity and train spokespeople, work with existing staff to gain earned media with community and multilingual media outlets. Write news releases and speaking points, coordinate online media events, field media inquiries and serve as spokesperson on climate change and health. Develop strategic messaging and approaches to address emerging media questions and concerns.- Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
We are looking for candidates with excellent writing skills along with a variety of communications experiences. Successful candidates will have a passion for the health and well-being of all King County residents. They will be effective collaborators fostering strong peer relationships, and will have a high degree of integrity and trustworthiness. This is not an entry level position, and the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate professional experience with some or all of the skills, knowledge and qualifications listed below:
Successful candidates will demonstrate the following minimum qualifications:- An understanding of and passion for public health and our institutional mission to improve the health and well-being of our residents;
- Demonstrated skill and experience collaborating with diverse groups and community partners.
- Background in education, communications, English, journalism, marketing, public health, environmental health, public administration, or a related field or comparable experience.
- Skills in synthesizing and communicating health and science information in writing, orally, and visually to a variety of audiences including policy makers, communities of color and language communities;
- Skilled in producing stories, fact sheets and other educational materials described above utilizing Microsoft Office Suite products and other design platforms, WordPress and/or other blogging platforms; experience in SharePoint and Teams.
- Demonstrated ability to identify and assess the communication needs of audiences and determine the best communication methods and tools;
- Experienced in developing communication plans;
- Social media skills to promote health;
- Storytelling and editing skills;
- Ability and comfort with oral and written presentation.
- Bilingual in English and another language spoken by significant numbers of King County immigrant groups;
- Knowledge and experience working on environmental health and climate change communications projects;
- Experience developing and facilitating workshops to engage audiences to share information and learn new perspectives;
- Significant expertise in health promotion via a variety of channels including social media platforms;
- Significant demonstrated ability in one or more of the following: creation and use of graphics and photography for storytelling and to effectively engage audiences in content; experience developing infographics; or videography experience;
- Understanding of working effectively with news media; Knowledge of and experience working with community/multilingual media in King County.
- Experience working in communications in the government sector, preferably public health; and/or
- An advanced degree in a related field or a combination of significant experience / education in public communications or journalism, preferably in a public health or health-related field.
- Supplemental Information
Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.
Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.
COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement
King County Executive Branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are the successful candidate for the position you applied for, the County will send you a conditional offer letter.
As a condition of employment, prior to a final offer of employment, you will be required to:- submit proof of vaccination, or
- have an approved request for medical or religious exemption and an approved accommodation. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation.
People are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the final dose of a vaccination approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Executive Branch includes employees in the Executive branch, the Assessor's Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff's Office, and the Executive Office.
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Who May Apply: This Career Service position is open to all qualified applicants.
Application Process:
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:- An electronic application through www.kingcounty.gov/jobs or www.governmentjobs.com (use the "Apply" link) including work history and position duties.
- Responses to Supplemental Questions. Please do not copy and paste your resume or resume sections as responses to Supplemental Questions. Doing so will result in an incomplete application, unless the submitted information completely and directly answers the questions posed.
- A current resume or curriculum vitae.
- A cover letter that summarizes your interest and qualifications for the position.
- A pdf of a writing sample that you think best demonstrates your science writing skills
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed NeoGov application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.- The selection process may include but is not limited to: evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring.
- Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
- Staff may be required to play an active role in the event of a public health emergency, which may include changes in responsibilities, work location and working hours.
Necessary Special Requirements- The selected candidate will be required to pass a thorough background investigation.
- Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
- Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing required training on time.
Work location: Hybrid work schedule including telecommuting and occasional work at the Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Avenue. Suite 1100, Seattle, WA 98104.
Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Employees must reside in WA state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. There will be situations where the employee is required to report to a County worksite. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required by the department in alignment with the Public Health Directive from the Seattle & King County Public Health Officer.
To support employees during this time King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.
Work schedule: The normal work schedule for this position is Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, 1.0 FTE. This position is not subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act and is not overtime eligible.
Union affiliation:
This position is not represented by a labor union.
Contact:
For more information about the application process, please contact Catherine Fitzpatrick, HR Analyst at Catherine.fitzpatrick@kingcounty.gov.
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
- Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
- Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
- Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
- 10 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
- Generous vacation and paid sick leave
- Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
- Flexible Spending Account
- Wellness programs
- Onsite gyms and activity centers
- Employee giving program
- Employee assistance programs
- Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
- Training and career development programs
This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.
NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.
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01The following materials are required for your application to be considered complete: • A current resume or curriculum vitae. • A cover letter that summarizes your interest and qualifications for the position. • A pdf of a writing sample that you think best demonstrates your science writing skills Did you submit all of the required attachments?
- Yes
- No
02Please describe your experience identifying and assessing the communication needs of targeted audiences and determining the best communication methods and tools to reach them. Please limit your response to 1 - 2 paragraphs. If you do not have this experience, type n/a.03Please describe your experience communicating health and science information in writing, orally, and/or visually to a variety of audiences including media, communities of color and/or language communities. Please limit your response to 1 - 2 paragraphs. If you do not have this experience, type n/a.04The goal of these positions is to increase awareness of the connection of climate change to health equity to both internal audiences (e.g., Public Health staff) and external audiences (e.g., community groups). In 1 – 2 paragraphs, explain how your professional-level skills can help us reach and communicate with our priority audiences.05Are you applying to this position as an eligible current or previous King County Employee Priority Placement Program Participant? Is this position the same or lower percentage of full-time when compared to the position held at the point of the notification of layoff? Do you possess the skills and abilities to qualify for this position?- Yes, I was given a layoff notice from my role at King County and I am within two years of the effective date of my layoff. Additionally, the position I was laid off from was the same or a higher percentage of FT status when compared to this one.
- No.
06If you answered yes to the question above and you are applying for this position as a Priority Placement Participant, to be considered, you must provide the following three pieces of information in the space provided: 1. The title you held when you received your layoff notice 2. The department you worked in 3. The effective date of your layoffRequired Question