Job Details

This ad is expired.

Public Information Representative I/II Education Outreach
Go to our website »

Position Number: 4220250
Location: San Jose, CA
Position Type: Public Relations, Marketing and Communications

Public Information Representative I/II Education Outreach

Valley Water

Salary: See Position Description

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 01627-E

Location: CA, CA

Department: Office of External Affairs

Closing: 6/4/2023 11:59 PM Pacific

Description
NOTE Regarding Salary: A 3% COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) will apply as of 6-26-23
Internal candidates will receive first consideration.

Public Information Representative I: $101,004.80 - $129,313.60 annually
Public Information Representative II: $111,529.60 - $142,750.40 annually

Overview:
Do you have a background in environmental education and outreach? Do you have a passion for the environment, sustainability, water conservation, flood awareness, and pollution prevention? Do you want to share this passion with local youth?

If so, check out Valley Water's Public Information Representative I/II - Education Outreach position.

Valley Water is a premier water district, supplying wholesale water, providing flood protection, and serving as environmental stewards for clean, safe creeks and healthy ecosystems. Valley Water manages 10 dams and surface water reservoirs, three water treatment plants, an advanced recycled water purification center, a state of-the-art water quality laboratory, nearly 400 acres of groundwater recharge ponds, and more than 275 miles of streams. We provide wholesale water and groundwater management services to local municipalities and private water retailers who deliver drinking water directly to 15 cities and nearly two million people in Santa Clara County.

The Public Information Representative (PIR) I/II plays an integral and exciting role in our civic engagement efforts that are meaningful in our Water Education & Volunteer Program under the Office of Civic Engagement. The incumbent will support an advanced level of public participation and civic engagement duties including assessing community perceptions and interest, recommending strategy, developing projects, materials, and tour/ school programming, managing, and evaluating assigned internal and external engagement efforts.

This position is responsible for assisting the implementation and continuous evaluation of strategies that provide for effective education and engagement of internal and external stakeholders. The incumbent will work with the program lead (PIR III) to develop and execute a variety of advanced community and civic engagement activities with the public, employees, external community leaders, businesses, schools, youth and civic leaders. This includes, but is not limited to, supporting public presentations and tours, hosting youth tours, and presenting in schools and classrooms, to internal and external stakeholders, and at other community outreach events. This position will also support staff training and guidance on key messaging and public speaking delivery and techniques to part-time staff and student interns.

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Support the development and implementation of a variety of educational programming, curriculum and educational activities for students K-12, college students, and general public.
Assist the planning, development and implementation of educational objectives and strategies to enhance outreach and programming to ensure equal access and reflect diversity throughout the county.
Work with program lead to proactively identify and outreach to underserved areas and promote equity.
Coordinate and schedule a variety of educational events and organize and arrange trainings for teachers, support staff and volunteers.
Assist with the delivery of educational presentations at schools, libraries, summer camps, outdoor classrooms, festivals, tabling events, and other youth-focused venues.
Raise public awareness of Valley Water's outreach programs, flood awareness, water conservation, pollution prevention, recycled and purified water, and other water topics.
Assist with the development, review, and implementation of project and team schedules, activities and operations.
Collaborate with partners and incorporate volunteer teacher aide opportunities to expand reach.
Support the design and production of environmental stewardship materials and curriculum, including overseeing translations in multiple language to reach broader audiences.
Help to maintain the education outreach web pages, including online registration system.
Provide support to the Board Advisory Youth Commission, including but not limited to leading working groups and supporting the annual Job Shadow Day event.
Other duties as assigned.

Ideal Candidate's Background Includes:
Applicants whose experience and background best match the ideal experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and education are considered ideal candidates for the position. To determine the top candidates, each applicant will be assessed based on the ideal candidate criteria as listed below.

Ideal Experience:

Experience performing public information, education, or outreach activities.
1. PIR I: One (1) year of experience in public relations, public information, community relations, education, or outreach activities.
2. PIR II: Three (3) years of experience in public relations, public information, community relations, education, or outreach activities.
Experience implementing public communication and outreach plans and social marketing campaigns.
Experience maintaining relationships with other agencies, organizations, and the community.
Experience working with youth and developing and implementing educational programming and curriculum for students and youth.
Project management experience.
Experience developing persuasive public materials, messaging and/or educational curriculum and materials.
Experience developing and leading virtual and in-person presentations such as tours, educational presentations to youth, and presentations to committees.
Experience outreaching to and working with diverse and underserved communities.
Event planning experience.

Ideal Skills and Abilities:

Plan, coordinate and implement communication and outreach efforts, marketing campaigns, and educational programs.
Work collaboratively and effectively with the public, youth, and internal and external stakeholders, including various program and project teams.
Quickly learn and absorb highly technical information and translate information into easily understandable terms, including tailoring information for different target audiences or grade levels.
Make persuasive presentations to the public, youth, and internal and external stakeholders.
Prioritize project activities in a fast-paced environment and complete tasks on deadline without sacrificing quality.
Outstanding presentation and communication skills, written and oral.
Collaborate and work effectively on project teams.
Prioritize regularly in an ever-changing environment.
Expertise in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook) and virtual presentation platforms.

Ideal Knowledge:

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) standards.
Outreach, communication, and volunteer engagement strategies and tactics.
Public information and education campaigns, marketing, and social media campaigns.
Educational programming, including STEM, and latest school curriculum standards.
Principles of project and event management.
Advanced principles and techniques of research, investigation, and analysis.
Journalism, PR writing techniques and social media platforms.
Spoken proficiency in another language (bilingual) in either Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, etc., is a plus, but not required.

Ideal Training and Education:
Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in communications, journalism, public relations, graphic and web design, education, or a related field. Directly related experience may be substituted for the college requirement on the basis of one and one-half years of experience for one year of education to a maximum of four years.

Required License or Certificate

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver's license. Individuals who do not meet the driver's license requirement due to a disability will be considered for a reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis. To review the Classification Specification, please click here (Download PDF reader)
Office of Civic Engagement Unit (Position Code 946)

COVID-19 vaccination requirement:
*To protect our most valuable assets, our employees, as well as the communities we serve, Valley Water requires all newly hired Valley Water personnel to be fully vaccinated (for COVID -19) or to be formally excused from the requirement through the **reasonable accommodation process (for details, see bottom of job posting)

Valley Water Telework Program: Eligibility for telework will depend on the type of work performed, operational needs, and the ability for the employee to perform the essential functions of their job duties while teleworking. Employment with Valley Water requires employees to live within 150 miles of their primary physical work location located in San Jose, California by their start date.

This position is eligible for a hybrid telework schedule, typically working 40% remote and 60% onsite

Selection Process

(1) The selection process may include one or more of the following: application review, application assessment, performance exercise, written exercise and/or interview.
(2) The Employment Application, Qualifying Information Questions and/or Supplemental Questions will be evaluated based on the ideal candidate criteria listed above. Resumes are highly recommended.

NOTE: Position and start date is subject to availability of funds. Valley Water retains the right to repost this position as deemed necessary.
Consideration may be given to existing applicant pools within the same classification.
Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement:
Fully vaccinated means (1) it has been at least two weeks since a person has completed the entire recommended series of a COVID-19 vaccine, and (2) the person has provided proof of vaccination in a form consistent with the requirements for verification of vaccine status in the State of California's July 26, 2021, Public Health Officer Order.

**Limited Exemptions to Vaccination Requirement
An individual who has been provided a job offer may request a reasonable accommodation to the vaccination requirement if they:
1. Have a contraindication recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or by the vaccine's manufacturer to every approved COVID-19 vaccine. A contraindication means a condition that makes vaccination inadvisable;
2. Have a disability and are requesting an exception as a reasonable accommodation based upon this disability; or,
3. Object to COVID-19 vaccination based on their sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance.
Valley Water's Equal Opportunity Non-Discrimination Policy is available for review upon request.

Valley Water will make reasonable efforts in the examination process to accommodate persons with disabilities. Please advise Human Resources in advance of any special needs by calling 408-630-2260.

Please be aware that once submitted all application materials become the property of Valley Water and will not be returned. Human Resources staff are not authorized to make copies of application materials for applicants.

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/scvwd/jobs/4056377/public-information-representative-i-ii-education-outreach