Operations Manager - Communications Director for the County Executive

**See below Addendum in regard to specific duties, knowledge and experience:

Summary: The Operations Manager is responsible for planning and implementing operational goals, objectives and operations; carrying out budget, personnel, procurement and related administrative duties, management functions and ensuring complete support for facility activities. Duties may include the performance of specific line responsibilities assigned.

Essential Duties: Essential job duties for this position include the following items. Other duties must be performed as assigned or required.

• Participates in the administration, management and coordination of specific facility operations. May develop and design work procedures and practices, including workflow.
• Determines overall scheduling of work accomplishment.
• Discusses program objectives, polices, procedures and scheduling with subordinate supervisory and other personnel.
• Receives and investigates complaints about work, personnel, residents, and other issues, responds and/or corrects such situations. Manages a specific facility operation.
• Interviews and selects applicants for employment, may train new employees in the use of materials, equipment, procedure, and other specific operations.
• Evaluates or reviews performance evaluations, takes disciplinary action, keeps personnel, resident or related records.
• Complies and submits information for regular and singular reports about specific facility operations, activities or problems, including conclusions and recommendations.
• May receive and carry out particular assignments regarding patient, visitor, family or employee complaint and other kinds of issues that require research, analysis and decision making of problematic situations.
• Complies and oversees financial, budget and other administrative operational needs.
• Evaluates past budget, compares against existing and planned staffing, materials and equipment needs and anticipated changes.
• Develops and administers approved budget.
• Reviews specific facility equipment and supplies in use, tests and selects new products, revises procedures to reflect operations.
• Performs related work as required.

ADDENDUM:

The Communications Director works closely with other city departments, elected officials, community organizations, and regional media. This work requires creativity and resourcefulness to accomplish goals and objectives. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, highly organized, and possesses the ability to build effective professional relationships built on trust.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serves as spokesperson and liaison for the County of Lehigh to the media on a variety of topics. Establishes, promotes and maintains effective relations with the media and advises officials, departments and employees on how to properly frame issues and present.
• Oversees the County's communications and outreach programs. Ensures that the County's virtual media, including but not limited to website, social and video technology, are current and relevant and that County accomplishments and programs are highlighted and reported appropriately. Ensures that the County's marketing effort is well coordinated, consistent and in accordance with good public relations practices.
• Creates proactive relationships with members of the regional media and serves as staff's contact person with the media to ensure a single source of the most accurate information.
• Leads the development and execution of new media strategy that leverages social networks and other electronic media to better engage the community. Develops appropriate policies and guidelines for the use of communication tools by County departments and staff.
• Prepares and directs the drafting of speeches, press releases, public service announcements, brochures, flyers, pamphlets, newsletters, articles, scripts and related communication tools for County officials and staff which enhance the County's public image.
• Attends County meetings and functions, public outreach events and community events. These events may occur during the regularly scheduled work day or in the early mornings, evenings or on weekends.
• May oversee the selection and training of personnel; assumes responsibility for motivating and evaluating assigned personnel; provides necessary training; initiates discipline procedures as is appropriate; assigns work to staff and personnel; monitors work activities to ensure safe work practices, work quality and accuracy; ensures compliance to applicable rules, policies and procedures.
• Prepares, manages and coordinates the development of the department budget.
• Establishes positive working relationships with representatives of community organizations, state/local agencies and associations, County management and staff, and the public.
• Performs other related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree, Masters preferred, in Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Business, or a closely related field.
• Four or more years of progressively responsible experience in public relations or performing a variety of professional level administrative support activities for a public agency or community organization including supervisory experience, in the public or private sector.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for community engagement and partnership building.
• Understanding of principles and practices of communications, media, public relations, and community engagement in a local government setting
• Skills in writing, editing, graphic design, photography, media relations, and multimedia production (including audio, video, social media, and websites)