Make a difference. 
Our Communications Consultant 5 will:

• Develop and implement the Board’s communication plan and crisis communication strategy to increase the agency’s public presence.
• Improve agency health education, marketing, and promotion efforts.
• Provide timely and accurate information to the public day-to-day and during a time of crisis.
• Supervise the work of communications staff who support routine (low to medium risk) program-level communications with partners, interested parties and the public and will work closely with Board staff, leadership, and Board/Council members to guide and advise about communication strategies on routine and high-profile public health issues.

 
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Developing and overseeing maintenance of the Board and Council websites and social media accounts).
• Coordinating production of publications and ensuring the accuracy of all publications including the Board’s State Health Report and Council’s Action Plan.
• Advising Board and Council staff leadership on public information policies, legislative proposals, activities, and issues and participating in the management decision-making process.
• Responding to inquiries from the public and media and serving as the agency’s public information officer and representing the agency or staff leadership as a spokesperson to the news media during routine and crisis communication events.

 
Our Communications Consultant 5 (CC 5) position works in a collaborative manner with Board and Council staff and also coordinates communication activities as warranted with counterparts at other public health or government agencies.  
 
The duty station for this hybrid position is in Tumwater, WA. The incumbent is expected to attend all State Board of Health and regular Council meetings. Partial telecommuting and a flexible schedule are subject to supervisory approval. We anticipate the incumbent will work onsite 2-3 days weekly.
 
This is a permanent full-time Communications Consultant 5 position.  

Option 1: Seven (7) or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in communications media relations and/or journalism, including:

• Experience (full-time equivalency) communicating complex technical information verbally and in writing to a non-technical audience, including the application of Plain Talk principles to rules, policies, reports, or other publications.
• Experience (full-time equivalency) in designing, editing, and producing professional quality documents, reports, or publications (charts, graphs, logos, displays presentations, slideshows, signage, etc.).
• Experience developing content for and maintaining professional websites.
• Experience maintaining social media for a business, public or non-profit entity.
• Excellent writing and proof-reading skills with precise attention to detail, including the ability to summarize complex issues quickly and concisely.
• Advanced level proficiency in Microsoft Office products (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, excel).  
• Intermediate to advanced level proficiency in Adobe InDesign and Adobe Creative Suite applications to effectively do tasks and duties.
• Intermediate proficiency with Associated Press style guidelines.

 
OR
 
Option 2: Bachelor’s degree or higher in communications, journalism, public relations or a related field, and four years (full-time equivalency) or more of combined professional experience in communications, media relations and/or journalism AND

• Two (2) years of experience (full-time equivalency) communicating complex technical information verbally and in writing to a non-technical audience, including the application of Plain Talk principles to rules, policies, reports, or other publications.
• Two (2) years of experience (full-time equivalency) in designing, editing, and producing professional quality documents, reports, or publications (charts, graphs, logos, displays presentations, slideshows, signage, etc.). 
• Two (2) years of experience developing content for and maintaining professional websites. 
• One (1) year of experience maintaining social media for a business, public or non-profit entity.
• Excellent writing and proof-reading skills with precise attention to detail, including the ability to summarize complex issues quickly and concisely.
• Advanced level proficiency in Microsoft Office products (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, excel).  
• Intermediate to advanced level proficiency in Adobe InDesign and Adobe Creative Suite applications to effectively do tasks and duties.
• Intermediate proficiency with Associated Press style guidelines.

About Washington State Department of Health

Our programs and services help prevent illness and injury, promote healthy places to live and work, provide information to help people make good health decisions and ensure our state is prepared for emergencies. To accomplish all of these, we collaborate with many partners every day. We help ensure a safer and healthier Washington by: Working to improve health through disease and injury prevention, immunization, and newborn screening Providing health and safety information, education and training so people can make healthy choices Promoting a health and wellness system where we live, learn, work, play and worship Addressing environmental health hazards associated with drinking water, food, air quality and pesticide exposure Protecting you and your family by licensing healthcare professionals, investigating disease outbreaks and preparing for emergencies

Connections working at Washington State Department of Health