JOB TITLE: TRANSPORTATION COMMUNITY RELATIONS COORDINATOR 1

JOB CODE: 05880

DEFINITION: This is professional work of a liaison, advisory, and promotional nature in the field of community and media relations in the Department of Transportation.

An employee in this job assists in coordinating and providing information to communities, property owners, public officials, special interest groups, and the news media on matters related to transportation. In an Engineering District, work may involve serving as the safety press officer and/or providing information on planning, pre-design, design, construction, maintenance, transportation planning, and project development in order to alleviate conflicts between citizens and the department. In Central Office, work involves carrying out internal and external communications efforts regarding the department’s driver and vehicle services. Work is performed independently within established policies and procedures and is reviewed through staff conferences and written reports.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.):

Coordinates with central office and engineering district staff, law enforcement, safety grantees, schools, and other safety partners to further the department’s external and internal safety messages.

Provides location data and media relations support for member police departments; works with police departments to target enforcement on designated roadways.

Coordinates and leads safety programs for corridors exhibiting significant numbers of severe crashes, aggressive driving crashes, impaired driving crashes, injuries associated with unbelted drivers and occupants, pedestrians, trucks, or other important safety concerns.

Establishes and implements an annual safety media plan for an engineering district that complements education and enforcement activities underway, and addresses the major driver behavioral concerns within the district.

Conducts meetings with District Justices, police chiefs, and municipal officers to share safety goals, and identify and implement joint activities to promote safety.

Meets with Pennsylvania Liquor Control Enforcement personnel to identify problematic taverns along high crash corridors.

Partners with school officials, county coroners, and law enforcement to conduct parent informational meetings about teen driving and DUI, seatbelt usage, and railroad safety.

Serves as backup to a Transportation Community Relations Coordinator 2 or Deputy Communications Director on all department and transportation-related matters.

Maintains, as directed by Central Press/Communications Office, a presence on social media to further the department’s safety and other messages.

Maintains a roster of engineering district speakers capable of presenting programs to service, social, and community organizations on a variety of programs and issues.

Schedules public meetings and/or hearings, and attends as a department spokesperson.

Assists in developing and coordinating special community involvement programs for major transportation projects where controversial community effects are likely to occur.

Works with district technical personnel to evaluate the impact of transportation projects on the local community, on mass media relations, and on local public official relations; develops methods to effectively present project information to stakeholders.

Maintains contact with legislators to inform them of transportation-related developments in their districts or affecting their constituency.

Assists in organizing events that promote the start and completion of highway and bridge improvement projects and other significant PennDOT programs.

Assists in organizing events that promote new driver and vehicle products and services, as well as grand openings for new and renovated driver licensing centers, photo centers, and business partner sites as needed.

Assists in coordinating, executing, and planning special events regarding safety initiatives such as school bus safety and motorcycle safety, providing media and general awareness articles for distribution internally and externally to promote safety messages.

Reviews and approves fact sheets, publications, articles for partner publications, various newsletters, and other communications pieces.

Assists in preparing speeches and talking points, briefing packets, press releases, advisories, editorials, and marketing/informational pieces in support of department efforts.

Distributes vetted communications pieces to identified outlets and personnel.

Performs the full range of supervisory functions.

Employees in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of public relations and community organizing techniques.

Knowledge of all media used in public relations.

Knowledge of writing and editing techniques.

Knowledge of the use and functionality of industry standard software applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail, and database.

Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.

Ability to speak effectively in public.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Ability to communicate effectively orally.

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities):

Two years of public relations work experience promoting programs through the mass media, or community organizing experience; and a bachelor’s degree;

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An equivalent combination of experience and training.