About the Department

Under the general supervision of the Assistant City Manager, the Public Information Officer (PIO) is responsible for creating and distributing official statements, news releases, and promotional materials to enhance public awareness and understanding of City services and initiatives. The PIO serves as the primary City liaison to news media, ensuring accurate and timely information is conveyed to the public, and manages responses to media inquiries.

Position Duties

• Media Relations: Respond to media inquiries and provide accurate information about city initiatives and services.
• Content Creation: Coordinate the development and distribution of various media content, including videos, social media posts, e-newsletters, photographs, brochures, and website news releases.
• Communication Support: Assist in preparing Titusville Talking Points and monthly articles for local newspapers and represent the City at Council events and speaking engagements.
• Social Media Management: Monitor social media platforms to track trends and identify topics that require timely responses.
• Strategic Communication: Develop and implement communication strategies to ensure key messages reach community stakeholders, reviewing all press releases and public communications for accuracy and professionalism.
• Community Engagement: Participate in City events, conduct educational classes on City services, and oversee programs such as the Citizens Academy to enhance public understanding of City operations.
• Crisis Communication: In emergencies, activate and coordinate crisis communication strategies within the Emergency Management framework.
• Collaboration: Attend meetings with local organizations, including the Titusville Area Visitors Council, Space Coast Florida Public Relations Association, and Brevard County Public Information Network, to align with stakeholders and familiarize with departmental operations.
• Project Updates: Regularly communicate with the supervisor about project status, progress toward goals, and any necessary adjustments to work schedules.

This role is essential for managing City communications, enhancing public engagement, and ensuring timely and accurate information reaches the Titusville community through various platforms and events.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities for Public Information Officer

• The Public Information Officer must stay updated on emerging communication technologies and demonstrate experience in using and managing multiple social media platforms. 
• This role requires excellent judgment in all public communications to ensure clarity, accuracy, and professionalism.
• The position demands the ability to work accurately under pressure or in high-stress situations. 
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential for effectively conveying information to diverse audiences.
•  Understanding of photography, photo editing, and video concepts is necessary to produce visually engaging and informative content for public dissemination.

Minimum Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, marketing, or a related field, along with at least four (4) years of recent public relations experience. The Public Information Officer must become an active member of the Space Coast Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) and obtain Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) within six (6) months of employment.
• Must have or acquire the Advanced Public Information Officer (APIO) certification through FEMA within one year. 

Other Qualifications

• The employee must maintain a valid Florida driver’s license, and employment eligibility is dependent on a favorable background check.
• Candidates must be willing to work irregular hours, including during emergency management activations and at special events as needed. The Public Information Officer is responsible for ensuring that all social media activities adhere to City policies and comply with Florida Public Records law.
• Within six months of the hire date, the employee must complete the following courses: Incident Command System (ICS) 100, 200, 700, and 800, along with the FEMA Professional Development Series courses—IS120, IS230, IS235, IS240, IS241, IS242, and IS244.
• The Public Information Officer is also expected to participate actively in the Brevard County Public Information Network (PIN) and may be called upon to assist other agencies in responding to emergency incidents as needed.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken English word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.  Ability to communicate verbally both in person and over the phone. 
• Sitting: Ability to sit for extended periods of time. 
• Standing: Particularly for short periods of time.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles. 
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Visual Acuity: Have visual acuity to operate motor vehicles, includes close vision, distant vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.  
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Climbing: Ascending or descending stairs, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand. 
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees. 
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. 
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.

This job description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with the position.  While it is intended to accurately reflect the position activities and requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary.  This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.  

E.O.E.  The City of Titusville prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.  

Acknowledged and accepted:

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