Communications Director (Legislative Senior Aide I), Grade N18, Non-Merit)

<p style="margin:0in;" data-pasted="true"><br></p><p style="margin:0in;" data-pasted="true"><strong><span style="color:inherit;">Please note: The salary range below represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $62,328</span></strong><strong><span style="color:inherit;"> to $86,922</span><span style="color:inherit;">, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.</span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;"><strong><span style="color:inherit;">    </span></strong></p><p style="margin:0in;"><strong>WHO WE ARE</strong></p><p style="margin:0in;margin-top:6.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;">The office of a Montgomery County Councilmember is looking for an experienced <a href="" data-uw-pdf-br="2" data-uw-pdf-doc="">Communications Director (Legislative Senior Aide I)</a> to strengthen connections with residents, the media, and stakeholders. This fast-paced, collaborative role focuses on communication to advance community priorities and build public trust, offering opportunities for growth and hands-on experience.</p><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><p style="margin:0in;"><strong>WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR</strong></p><p style="margin:0in;">The ideal candidate is a motivated multimedia communications professional with expertise in social media and a proven ability to develop effective communication strategies independently. They should excel in both written, verbal, and digital communications and thrive in fast-paced environments. Key qualities include responsiveness, flexibility, creativity, strong organizational skills, good judgment, and a passion for storytelling and public impact.</p><p style="margin:0in;" data-pasted="true"><strong>Key Responsibilities:</strong></p><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;">Develop, schedule, and evaluate performance of comprehensive social media campaigns across various platforms, including content creation, graphic design, and website maintenance.</li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;">Effectively manage all aspects of external communication, from strategy development to execution, under tight deadlines, to deliver accurate and timely information for our monthly newsletter.</li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;margin-left:.5in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;">Conduct research on legislative topics to draft speeches, compile data, and prepare memos, press releases, and talking points for the Councilmember’s review, ensuring effective communication with the public and media.</li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;margin-left:.5in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;"><span style="color:inherit;">Coordinate media events, press conferences, and other public appearances to amplify community voices and make government more visible, accessible, and responsive.</span></li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;margin-left:.5in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;">Collaborate with other Councilmember staff, county departments, elected officials, nonprofits, and businesses to promote legislative initiatives and meet community needs.</li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><p style="margin:0in;"><em><strong>This role offers a dynamic, engaging environment with opportunities to work both in and out of the office, including occasional evenings and weekends. </strong></em></p><p style="margin:0in;" data-pasted="true"><strong>Experience:</strong> One (1) year of progressively responsible experience in journalism, social media, public relations, communications, digital media, public affairs, legislative or policy research, or a related field relevant to local government administration, including demonstrated ability to manage digital platforms, create engaging multimedia content, and communicate complex information clearly to diverse audiences.</p><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><p style="margin:0in;"><strong>Education: </strong>Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree.</p><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><p style="margin:0in;"><strong>Equivalency:</strong> An equivalent combination of education and experience may be submitted. </p><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><p style="margin:0in;" data-pasted="true"><span style="color:inherit;"><strong>Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;">Managing, developing, and executing data-driven digital strategies using analytics tools across social media, website, and digital platforms to provide accurate and timely information.</li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;margin-left:.5in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;">Two to three (2 to 3) years of progressively responsible experience in journalism, social media, public relations, communications, digital media, public affairs, legislative or policy research, or a related field relevant to local government administration.</li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;">Drafting and editing speeches, press releases, and talking points to ensure effective engagement with the public and local media.</li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;">Conducting legislative research, compiling data, and preparing clear, concise, nuanced memos and compelling talking points.</li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;"><span style="color:inherit;">Proven ability to independently manage a high-volume workload while effectively prioritizing tasks in a fast-paced environment.</span></li></ul></div><p style="margin:0in;"><br></p><div style="margin:0in;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in;"><li style="margin:0in;"><span style="color:inherit;">Extensive experience and proficiency with various social media platforms and analytics tools to quickly develop and execute timely, thoughtful, fact-checked information and responses.</span></li></ul></div>

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Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

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5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

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6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...