Responsibilities

• The Media Specialist (Public Information Officer) supports the County of Marin’s communications and community engagement work by delivering clear, timely, and accurate information to residents, including producing and appearing in on-camera content.
• Working within the Office of the County Executive, this position supports communications across multiple County departments and issue areas.
• The Media Specialist drafts public-facing content, assists with media relations, and supports time-sensitive and emergency communications as needed.
• This role is highly tactical and people-facing.
• The Media Specialist gathers information from staff and subject-matter experts who may be busy, unclear, or approaching issues from different perspectives and helps guide those conversations toward clear, usable communications.
• Work often involves synthesizing incomplete or evolving information, making quick revisions, and moving content forward under real deadlines while staying aligned with team direction and shared judgment.
• The Media Specialist should also be comfortable on camera and using video and photography tools to support public-facing communications, including interviews, short videos, and visual storytelling.
• Through this work, the Media Specialist helps ensure County communications are clear, accessible, and focused on what residents need to know and do.
• This position works full time onsite at the historic Frank Lloyd Wright designed Civic Center in San Rafael.

Requirements

• experience in public information, communications, or media work
• understands the responsibility of communicating on behalf of a public institution
• translating complex or technical information into plain language
• writing and editing public-facing content under real deadlines
• exercising sound judgment in time-sensitive or sensitive situations
• adapting quickly as priorities and information change
• facilitating productive interviews and information-gathering
• appearing on camera and adapting to different on-camera communication needs
• knowledge of Public information and media relations practices
• plain-language communication for diverse audiences
• Associated Press style
• drafting public-facing communications
• interviewing staff and partners to gather information
• working collaboratively across teams or departments
• ability to organize work, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines
• communicate respectfully across diverse backgrounds and perspectives

Preferred

• experience with crisis or emergency communications
• familiarity with video production tools beyond on-camera presence
• strong collaboration and teamwork orientation

Benefits

• Paid Time Off : Competitive vacation accrual; 12 holidays per year; and generous sick leave accruals.
• Health Plan : Choice of four health plans (two Kaiser HMOs, Western Health Advantage HMO, and an Anthem Blue Cross PPO) along with dental through Delta Dental PPO, and vision through Vision Service Plan (VSP).
• There is a County contribution toward the premiums (the contribution amount varies depending on coverage tier elected such as employee only, employee + 1, employee + family).
• Retirement : Defined benefit plan under the County Employees Retirement Act of 1937.
• IRS 457 Plan : Choice of pre-tax or post-tax (Roth) employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.
• Retiree Medical : The County provides access to group health plan coverage to eligible retirees.
• Disability, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending Plans, a Dependent Care Assistance Program, professional development and more.