Public Information & Communications Officer - Limited Term

JOB The County of San Mateo Parks Department is seeking a strategic, creative, and community-centered communications professional to lead public information, media relations, storytelling, outreach, and community engagement efforts for one of the Bay Area's largest and most visited park systems, serving nearly 3 million visitors annually.

This position plays a critical role in strengthening internal and external communications, building public trust, supporting transparent engagement, and connecting diverse communities to parks, trails, programs, projects, and services across more than 16,000 acres of parkland and nearly 240 miles of trails.

The Public Information and Communications Officer will lead strategic communications, public information, and community engagement efforts for the Parks Department, including public outreach related to park operations, emergency events, capital projects, environmental stewardship, recreational programming, and community partnerships. Reporting directly to the Parks Director, the Public Information and Communications Officer serves as a key member of the department's leadership team and plays a central role in shaping internal and external communications strategies for the department.

This position requires occasional evening and weekend availability to support community meetings, special events, emergency communications, and operational incidents. This position is primarily in-person and requires regular onsite presence throughout the County to support operational coordination, community engagement, media response, and departmental initiatives.

The ideal candidate is an excellent writer and relationship-builder who can navigate fast-moving issues, support executive leadership, respond to media inquiries, create compelling public-facing content, and develop inclusive outreach strategies that reflect the County's diverse communities.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Public Information & Communications Officer will: Develop and implement strategic communication and outreach plans aligned with departmental priorities and community needsDesign and execute targeted outreach, engagement, and marketing strategies using data, feedback, and performance metrics to inform decision-makingPivot communication strategies and messaging in response to emerging issues, public feedback, emergencies, weather events, wildfire mitigation activities, trail closures, and operational prioritiesServe as a primary point of contact for media inquiries, public information requests, and sensitive public-facing communicationsDraft and coordinate press releases, media statements, talking points, executive messaging, newsletters, and public communicationsSupport emergency and crisis communications related to wildfire mitigation, winter storms, public safety incidents, environmental issues, and park operationsBuild inclusive communications and outreach plans that effectively reach multilingual, multicultural, and historically underrepresented communitiesPromote Park's engagement through innovative campaigns, storytelling, events, challenges, newsletters, interpretive programming, and community partnershipsCollaborate with departmental leadership, partner agencies, community organizations, and stakeholders to align messaging and engagement goalsProvide strategic direction and creative vision for digital, visual, and graphic design and communications, including supervision and coordination of communications support staff and consultantsAnalyze communication and engagement data to evaluate effectiveness and continuously improve outreach strategiesStrengthen internal communications and employee engagement across the departmentEnsure digital communications, public-facing materials, and online platforms align with ADA accessibility standards and inclusive communication best practicesOversee the development and coordination of brochures, informational materials, signage content, presentations, and outreach collateral that support departmental goals and community engagementProvide strategic direction for visual communications to ensure messaging, branding, accessibility, and audience needs are effectively integrated across platforms and materialsDevelop and evaluate communication strategies that increase community participation, public awareness, transparency, trust, and meaningful public engagementProvide strategic direction and creative vision for digital, visual, and graphic design and communications, including supervision and coordination of communications support staff (i.e. Graphic Specialist) and consultantsWork closely with Park Rangers, the Interpretive Team, Natural Resource Team, operational staff, and departmental leadership to support public education, storytelling, visitor engagement, emergency communications, and community outreach efforts

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate understands how to translate departmental priorities into effective communication strategies tailored to diverse audiences and communities. They can shape messaging, guide visual storytelling efforts, and provide creative direction that supports public engagement and outreach goals. Experience supporting communications related to public safety, environmental issues, emergency response, infrastructure projects, or operational impacts is highly desirable. The position requires sound judgment, political awareness, adaptability, and the ability to communicate effectively in fast-moving and highly visible public environments.

The ideal candidate will possess:

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in journalism, communications, public relations, or a related fieldMinimum of four (4) years of professional experience in public relations, public information, media relations, digital engagement or strategic communicationsA track record of developing content for broad audiences through press releases, newsletters, websites, or multi-media campaignsStrong storytelling skills with the ability to connect with diverse audiencesExperience developing content across multiple platforms (beyond just social media)Experience supporting communications related to public safety, environmental issues, emergency response, infrastructure projects, or operational impacts is highly desirableKnowledge of branding, marketing, and digital communications strategiesAbility to create inclusive, culturally responsive messagingExperience with video content (e.g., reels) and visual storytellingStrong writing skills, including articles and public-facing communicationsBilingual or multilingual skills are highly desirable

Note:

This is a limited term assignment. Limited term employees are assigned to assignments not to exceed three (3) years. The selected candidate will receive medical and dental benefits similar to regular employees, and a defined contribution retirement plan. This recruitment may be used to fill future limited term positions.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

This is a limited term recruitment. Anyone may apply. A supplemental application form must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. The Parks Department will screen materials after the recruitment closes. The department will contact qualified candidates directly for a departmental interview.

All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. Applicants may be asked to participate in a pre-interview exercise demonstrating storytelling and outreach approach. All examinations will be conducted virtually or in person and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT

Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT

SCHEDULEFinal Filing Date:

Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

PSTDepartmental Interviews:

TBDAbout the CountySan Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community.

HR Analyst:

Arlene Cahill (Communications Officer - D105)