Communications Specialist

Description:

DEED’s mission is to empower the growth of Minnesota’s economy, for everyone, and one of its core values is to communicate early and often. In this important role, you will ensure that value is realized with one of our core constituencies: the press and the public that they inform.

As DEED’s Media Relations and Communications Specialist, you will be responsible for developing and implementing press-facing strategies that promote DEED initiatives and priorities that help grow Minnesota’s workforce, enhance the development of our business community and ensure Minnesota’s economic competitiveness.

This position will implement many important communications tactics with – and serve as a key partner to – journalists who cover Minnesota’s economic and political landscape. You will be the primary point of contact for local, state and national media seeking information from DEED, and you will be responsible for coordinating DEED’s response to these inquiries, including writing statements, arranging interviews and producing talking points.

This position gives you the chance to be a part of DEED’s success at a high level. You will work on special strategic communications projects at the request of the DEED Communications Director and Strategic Communications Lead. You will regularly interact with senior leadership, including the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners and program leads to ensure message consistency and implement media relations initiatives. You will often coordinate communications strategies with Minnesota’s business and workforce development communities and political leaders, including the governor’s office.In short, as DEED’s Media Relations and Communications Specialist, you will be the agency’s resident expert on the media landscape and have many opportunities to showcase and exercise that expertise!

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

To receive credit for your education and experience, your resume should clearly describe how you meet each minimum and preferred qualification listed, including dates of employment.

At least three (3) years of professional communications experience, in either public relations, marketing, or journalism.

Applicants that meet the above minimum qualification will be further evaluated on the following:

Experience:

• With the news media – either proactively pitching stories and responding to requests as a media relations professional, or as a working journalist.

• Writing for the general public, including talking points, press releases, speeches, or news articles, with a close attention to detail.

• Producing and executing detailed media plans.

• Working with individuals in positions of executive-level leadership or elected office.

• Working on tight deadlines, with demonstrated success gathering information, writing in plain language, and applying AP Style correctly and cleanly within that deadline.