JOB TITLE: ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST

JOB CODE: 05790

DEFINITION: This is advanced professional work in community relations and outreach for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). An employee in this job plans, develops, implements, and coordinates community and media relations or environmental justice programs designed to promote the public’s participation, awareness, and understanding of environment-related initiatives, laws, regulations, and enforcement activities that impact their communities. Work involves serving as the liaison for matters involving community and media relations or environmental justice programs and issues in an assigned geographic area. Work includes serving as the department's spokesperson during public hearings, community meetings, and emergency situations; reviewing controversial or highly sensitive issues or projects, assessing probable reactions, and developing and implementing plans to address these issues; developing and presenting effective communications to promote an understanding of departmental actions and activities; and researching and responding to inquiries from the press and the public. Employees exercise considerable independent judgment following established policies and procedures, and work is reviewed through 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.)

• Plans, develops, implements, and coordinates community relations and outreach programs designed to promote citizen participation and understanding in the programmatic, regulatory, and enforcement activities of the department.

• Serves as the liaison in dealing with the media, environmental and conservation groups, trade associations, community groups, and the public within an assigned geographical area and provides a forum for discussing and alleviating conflicts between them and the department.

• Serves as the liaison for the DEP regional office with respect to the implementation of the department’s environmental justice policies and initiatives and works with communities, municipalities, and the regulated industry to ensure that the regulatory process is occurring justly.

• Reviews controversial or highly sensitive issues or projects; assesses probable reaction by media, community groups, environmental and conservation groups, trade associations, legislators, and the public; and develops and implements effective plans and presentations to promote an understanding of departmental positions, actions, and activities.

• Plans and implements program communications, which includes preparing press releases, public service announcements, fact sheets, feature stories for periodicals, media presentations, and related literature covering items of special or significant interest.

• Recommends policies and procedures associated with environmental justice and community and media relations and implements and interprets approved policies and procedures at the local level.

• Assists in the development and leads regional implementation of the community relations or environmental justice strategic plan.

• Plans, organizes, and coordinates state and local programs and educational opportunities to assist community organizations and individuals in enhancing their involvement in environmental decisions, programs, regulations, and policies.

• Coordinates, schedules, and conducts public hearings, community meetings, and regional roundtables and acts as a departmental spokesperson and representative.

• Researches and responds to a wide variety of technical and non-technical public and press inquiries.

• Reviews and edits press releases to ensure effective presentation of departmental positions, programs, actions, and activities.

• Provides assistance to regional directors, program managers, regional community relations coordinators, regional local government liaisons, community organizations, legislators, and industry representatives in matters related to federal and state environmental justice, civil rights, and environmental protection laws and requirements.

• Develops and maintains a roster of departmental personnel capable of presenting programs to service, social, and community groups on a variety of programs and issues concerning departmental activities and arranges for presentations by departmental employees upon request.

• Develops and implements programs to train departmental employees in effective public relations and media methods and techniques to utilize in dealing with the public.

• Operates motor vehicles.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• An employee 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 the principles, methods, and techniques utilized in public relations.

• Knowledge of the methods and techniques utilized in community organizing.

• Knowledge of the methods to plan, organize, and coordinate community and media relations programs.

• Knowledge of the methods and techniques of writing and editing public-facing communications.

• Knowledge of the methods to select newsworthy material for community and media relations programs.

• Knowledge of government administration and areas of jurisdiction.

• Knowledge of the use and functionality of Microsoft Office Suite software.

• Ability to coordinate, schedule, and conduct public hearings, meetings, and roundtables.

• Ability to speak in public to audiences of various sizes and interests.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

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

• Three years of professional experience in public relations or community organizing, and a bachelor's degree with a major in public relations, social services, political science, communications, environmental sciences, or a closely related field;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

• Certain positions require possession of an active motor vehicle license.