Communications Director

Responsibilities

• Strategic Communications & Brand Leadership: Lead Hocking County's comprehensive communications strategy and safeguard its brand identity.
• Team Leadership: Direct the Communications Team in coordinating high-impact messaging across all digital and print channels.
• Community Alignment & Engagement: Build trusted relationships and convene community partners to align communications priorities.
• Media & Issues Management: Oversee media relations, public information, and proactive crisis communications strategies.
• Economic & Community Development: Support broader strategic priorities through targeted messaging for tourism, workforce, and infrastructure.
• Budget Management: Direct and manage the Communications Department budget to ensure efficient and strategic resource allocation.
• Strategic Communications & Brand Leadership: Lead the development and implementation of Hocking County's comprehensive communications strategy and multi-year communications roadmap.
• Serve as the strategic steward of the Hocking County brand, ensuring the County's vision, voice, messaging, and identity are consistently represented.
• Establish communications priorities, standards, policies, and performance expectations for the Communications Team and external agency partners.
• Advise County leadership on communications strategy, public perception, emerging issues, message timing, and reputational considerations.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, public administration, community development, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and significant relevant experience may be considered.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, marketing, community engagement, public affairs, economic development, destination/community marketing, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing strategic communications plans.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with people and organizations representing different interests and perspectives.
• Experience managing multiple projects, priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Experience developing content across digital, print, social, media, and public-facing channels.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion when working with sensitive, controversial, or rapidly evolving issues.

Preferred

• Familiarity with Appalachian, rural, tourism-dependent, or rapidly changing communities.
• Experience in local government, community development, economic development, tourism, destination management, or a similarly complex stakeholder environment.
• Experience developing or managing a place-based or organizational brand.
• Experience facilitating community engagement, public meetings, listening sessions, or stakeholder processes.
• Experience managing agencies, consultants, vendors, budgets, and contracts.
• Experience with media relations and crisis communications.
• Experience using research, analytics, surveys, and public sentiment data to guide communications decisions.

Benefits

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance