**Open to King County employees only**

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Metro Transit’s Mobility Division has two Communications Specialist II opportunities! These positions serve a dual role within the Customer Communications and Services Section of Metro Transit, encompassing social media and executive correspondence interactions. 

The Communications Specialist II:

• Provides real-time transit information and responses to customer inquiries, issues, commendations, and complaints submitted via Metro's social media accounts, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and blogs.
• Leads and coordinates the creation of written correspondence with customer contacts received from executive levels of government that include commendations, service requests, and complaints.

Customer contacts may include individuals or community groups. Work will also include case management for individual and team efforts using Salesforce C3, Metro Transit's customer relationship management system.
 
These positions are responsible for building working relationships within a broad range of Transit sections to ensure that transit information conveyed via social media networks and executive level correspondence is timely, accurate, and in alignment with Metro's policies and long-term strategic plans. This information frequently reaches thousands of customers and is often very time sensitive, particularly in social media interactions. The Communications Specialist II must be sensitive to the political environment as well as to culturally diverse communication styles. Work includes tracking, monitoring and follow-up of individual and team communication efforts, as well as summarizing and reporting data for social media and executive correspondence contacts using tools such as Transit's Salesforce C3 (CRM), Social Studio, and Microsoft Office applications. Because this position conveys information daily to thousands of customers and produces correspondence on behalf of the agency's senior leadership, it demands excellent judgment, superb writing skills and political sensitivity. This position is a fast moving, highly visible and at times demanding role.

This recruitment will be used to fill two career service positions. This recruitment may also be used to create a pool of qualified candidates to fill future career service, term-limited temporary, and special duty vacancies that may occur in the next 12 months at the discretion of the hiring authority. 
 
 

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work. As the Communications Specialist II, you will:
 
 

• Monitor, develop, and respond to social media communication.
• Maintain consistent and clear social media communications that conform to Metro's guidelines for style and tone.
• Assist with development of public communications relayed through social media platforms and other applications.
• Analyze social media trends and relay appropriate information to management to aid in operational or policy recommendations.
• Assist in the development of written communications, materials, and electronic messages to inform Bus, Light Rail, Marine, and customers of other Metro mobility services about construction impacts, schedule and route changes, service delays, track outages, special services, company policies, and programs.
• Conduct research to support the preparation and development of special reports, presentations, and complex correspondence.
• Assist the organization in communicating with customers about special activities, new services, emergencies, and/or other major service disruptions.
• Write, edit, and proofread assigned editorial copy, ensuring accuracy, corporate style, correct grammar usage, spelling, and clarity.
• Create electronic and print layouts using web content management and other computer application software.
• Assist in training and developing internal staff capabilities for providing social media communication across multiple platforms.
• Participate in the development and preparation of special presentations.
• Interact with specific audiences to provide information, listen to concerns, and help resolve problems.
• Coordinate and promote special events, services and/or programs, including participation by other organizations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience creating and providing digital information to external customers.
• Experience delivering customer service via multiple platforms (e.g., in-person, phone, email, online chat, etc.). 
• Experience using social media platforms.
• Ability to monitor and measure the effectiveness of social media communications and relay important information and trends to management.
• Good judgment, decision-making, and creative problem-solving skills including the ability to use discretion in a public sector environment that includes politically sensitive issues.
• Skill in assessing the communication needs of targeted audience.
• Skill in writing and editing in a clear, concise, and persuasive manner that conforms to good journalistic, marketing and/or publishing writing styles.
• Skill in communicating with a highly diverse population.
• Skill in working with confidential and/or proprietary information.
• Experience working under pressure in a fast-moving, highly visible role.
• Ability to verbally communicate ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Attentiveness to detail with the ability to multitask and prioritize effectively.
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively.
• Ability to plan, organize, and schedule own work assignments, and coordinate with others to deliver results on deadlines.
• Willingness and ability to become highly knowledgeable about diverse elements of Metro Transit's services.
• Ability to become knowledgeable of regulatory and legal requirements associated with position responsibilities.
• Demonstrated skill in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook.

 
  Desirable Qualifications (not required)

• A Bachelor's degree in communications, English, journalism, or a related field.
• Experience in external customer communications in a transit environment.
• Experience using Salesforce Social Studio.

Required application forms and materials

1. King County application including the supplemental questionnaire
2. Attach a cover letter summarizing how your education and/or experience meets the position's qualifications and how it has prepared you to perform the responsibilities and duties of this job.
3. Attach 3 examples of written materials you have published or sent - from blogs, social media, web opinion interactions, and/or business correspondence. These should preferably be customer service oriented. Please submit work as Word or PDF document. (Links to live content will not be accepted.)

 
Selection Process
Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and written communication skills. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews. Final offers are contingent on successful completion of reference checks.

Who May Apply

This position is open to King County employees only. This recruitment may also be used to create a pool of qualified candidates to fill future career service, term-limited temporary, and special duty vacancies that may occur in the next 12 months at the discretion of the hiring authority. 
 
Work Schedule
This position is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and is therefore eligible for overtime pay. Work schedule is normally Monday through Friday, 40-hour work week. Alternative work schedules may be considered. 

Union Membership
This position is represented by PROTEC17 bargaining unit.
 
Class Code 2501200 Communications Specialist II
 
Work Location

Primarily teleworking and the King Street Center – 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA

Teleworking Requirement

The work associated with this position will be performed predominantly by teleworking; complemented with onsite work and meetings as needed. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required, including the wearing of masks in some situations. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.
       
King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.  
 
For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact: 

Beatrice S. Rice (she/her), Talent Advisor

Berice@kingcounty.gov 

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement

King County employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If hired, you will be required to submit proof of vaccination as a condition of employment. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine. Employees may make requests for a reasonable accommodation based on a medical disability or for sincerely held religious beliefs. Philosophical, political, scientific, or sociological objections to vaccination will not be considered for an exemption or accommodation.

This directive applies to employees in the Executive branch*, the Assessor's Office, Elections, the King County Sheriff's Office, and the Executive Office.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.