Communications Manager(Job Id 15813)
PLEASE ATTACH THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE
Job ID: 15813
Agency: Department of Game, Fish and Parks / Office of the Secretary
Location: Pierre
Salary: $50,320.80 - $62,953.20 annually, depending on experience
Pay Grade: GK
Closing Date: 03/17/2021
This is a full-time position with the Department of Game, Fish and Parks. For more information on the Department of Game, Fish and Parks, please visit http://gfp.sd.gov.
Why the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks?
Culture and tradition run strong at the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks. Our skilled workforce believes in professionalism and accountability to meet the growing expectations of our customers. Working here isn't just a job – it's a life passion. Our atmosphere empowers professional success, team building, and facilitating relationships with organizations to ensure our state's rich outdoor heritage lives on for the next generation.
Communications, marketing, and staying relevant in a highly competitive outdoor world is an important component of our mission and central to every issue and opportunity that comes our way. As the communications manager, you would provide the work direction, support, and quality control of the communications planning, messaging, and public relations priorities for the entire agency. This position directly supervises a team of four communications specialists, including a full-time graphic designer and photographer, a full-time communications specialist and videographer, a digital content strategist, and a part-time graphic designer/content specialist. Each member is responsible for certain areas of communication and messaging while working in the team environment lead by the Marketing and Outreach Director. Continued emphasis in this role is on the evaluation of staff workload to foster collaboration, provide feedback and identify emerging needs. Additionally, this position works to ensure that milestones are met, and metrics are reported. This position is integral in shaping the department's marketing and business strategy.
All we need is you! Sound like a good fit? As a Department of Game, Fish, and Parks employee, here's what you'll experience:
- Innovation – This position is responsible for the oversight of day to day and future strategic communications development, brand and reputation management, media and public relations writing and tactics, editorial content management of all print and digital materials, social media management, advertising partnerships, awareness, and public relations campaigns and special projects. The communications manager develops, frames, and oversees the implementation of public policy communications and media relations strategies to support the agency and state government programs and services.
- Professional Development – We provide training and support for you to become an expert in what you do and new areas of business that align with the department's mission.
- Facilitation and Project Management – You will not have a shortage of project management responsibilities. From full-service marketing campaign efforts to new customer service initiatives or redesigning web content and digital strategies, there is a great mix of opportunities to facilitate, manage and execute communications activities in a team environment.
- Task Diversity – Press releases, speech writing, talking points, press conferences, briefing packages, and maintaining media relationships are all initiated and managed by this position. Furthermore, this position provides technical assistance and oversight on complex or high-profile work that the department initiates on behalf of the State of South Dakota. Developing policies, procedures, and best practices to ensure quality representation of the GFP brand is a critical component in this role.
- Collaboration and Communication – As the communications manager, you will direct, develop and share pertinent information with staff as it relates to the strategic plan, annual report, quarterly newsletter, Intranet, legislative updates, speaking points, frequently asked questions, as well as other news and information. This position provides support, feedback, planning strategies, assignments, and insights on all communications-related strategies to a variety of staff levels throughout the agency to ensure effective and consistent messaging.
- Part of the Big Picture – This is a leadership position that will align and implement department-wide, statewide, and nationwide content marketing and communications strategies, special project assignments from other state, federal and local partners, public relations needs, and management of the implementation and evaluation of educational awareness campaigns.
The incumbent works in a typical office environment. This individual must reside in the central office in Pierre, South Dakota.
This position is exempt from the Civil Service Act.
The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
We are looking for an individual with a Bachelor's degree in marketing communications, mass communications, public relations, and/or similar professional experience. This individual must reside in the central office in Pierre, South Dakota. Qualified candidates must have strong written and oral communication skills, be self-motivated and punctual, deploy high-quality organizational skills, and are passionate about serving the public while carrying out the Game, Fish, and Park's mission. Supervisory experience is preferred but not required. Professional experience in leading and shaping teams is ideal. Candidates must also apply problem-solving and critical thinking skills to each area of the position.
Knowledge of:
- Communications Planning, Development, and Implementation;
- Brand Messaging and Management;
- Marketing Strategy Development;
- Public and Media Relations;
- Editing and Copy Writing;
- Issues Management.
Skill to:
- communicate effectively;
- foster team collaboration;
- lead new objectives and initiatives to ensure delivery of measurable outcomes and return on investment outlined in the department's strategic plan.
Ability to:
- research new communications strategies and techniques relevant to hunters, anglers, campers, trappers, boaters, landowners, and other outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and demographics.
About the Area
South Dakota is centrally located in the U.S. and boasts the beautiful Missouri River and the Black Hills. Our state has a rich frontier history and is a premier outdoor destination, offering some of the nation's best outdoor recreation opportunities.Fishing, hunting, and photography are all popular activities that offer year-round opportunities for residents. Multiple state parks are ideal getaways for camping, hiking, and biking. Many towns offer the amenities of a larger city but with a small-town feel.
If you enjoy a career that is both exciting and challenging, possess good organizational and communication skills, and want to make a difference in public service, we'd like to hear from you!
Additional Requirements: Please develop a comprehensive communications plan and content calendar (two separate documents and complete with tactics on platforms, main messages, audience, and market segments, and outline key performance indicators) on one of the two-issue items:
- Sharing information with staff and external partners/audiences on the decline in federal funding due to COVID-19 and a drop in license sales across the state, or
- Promotion, awareness, and recruitment efforts of seasonal staff and volunteers after a year like COVID-19.
The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9.
The State of South Dakota offers employer paid health insurance plus ten paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information at https://bhr.sd.gov/job-seekers/work-for-state-government/. This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.
South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources
Telephone: 605.773.3148 Fax: 605.773.4344
"An Equal Opportunity Employer"