PRINCIPAL COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICER (LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS)

Metro’s mission is to provide a world-class transportation system that enhances the quality of life for all who live, work, and play within LA County.

Description

This position serves as the positive link between Metro, the community, and various stakeholders to create trust and an enduring relationship for Metro; conducts the more complex staff work in connection with community outreach, preparation, and dissemination of informational materials, training, mitigation, and rapid response resolution. A Local Government Relations Principal Community Relations Officer helps build relationships with the 88 cities of Los Angeles County through strategic coordination with local jurisdictions and civic and community organizations to advance Metro projects and programs. The Principal Community Relations Officer supports Local Government Relations managers internally with preparations for both Metro's participation in community events and Metro-hosted community meetings.

Examples of Duties

• Provides high-level liaison work between Metro and Board members, passengers, and external stakeholders, such as elected officials, businesses, and community and special interest groups regarding Metro's transit services, systems, and programs
• Serves as lead staff in planning, implementing, and managing assigned construction projects and other special projects designed to meet community needs
• Provides guidance and assistance to new or entry-level employees
• Plans and implements, or attends publicity efforts, strategies, and outreach programs to define community needs, obtain their input, gain their support, and promote Metro's projects, programs, and initiatives
• Meets and confers with Metro staff, external stakeholders, and project contractors to resolve conflicting or divergent opinions and to reach mutually acceptable solutions
• Researches incidents, complaints, and concerns, including difficult and sensitive problems, and interfaces with contractors and management at all levels of the organization to resolve issues
• Recommends strategies to promote Metro's strategic goals and objectives
• Prepares and makes presentations to management, public officials, community groups, schools and other stakeholders
• Provides support to project management and the department, and inter-department management in Board presentations, community outreach, and in coordinating construction activities and mitigations
• Provides input in creating useful communication tools and methods
• Develops content for collateral material to educate the public on construction activities
• Keeps the community and elected officials informed of construction impacts related to construction projects
• Remains up to date on current and proposed activities and programs, and applicable regulations by attending Board, project, and community meetings
• Prepares correspondence, reports, newsletter, and talking materials, as requested, by management or public officials
• Plans and conducts safety education outreach before and during construction projects
• Coordinates and conducts tours of Metro construction projects
• Provides input for developing budget
• Prepares Request for Proposals (RFPs) for promotional and/or professional services; negotiates and monitors contracts to ensure compliance with project goals
• Contributes to ensuring that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and programs of Metro are carried out
  
  May be required to perform other related job duties
  

Recruitment Timeline: Interviews are projected to be scheduled for the week of April 1, 2025. These dates are subject to change . We encourage you to monitor your governmentjobs.com profile and emails for the latest updates.

Minimum Qualifications

A combination of education and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Additional experience, as outlined below, may be substituted for required education on a year-for-year basis. A typical combination includes:

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Political Science, Public Policy, Public Administration, Business, or a related field

Experience

• Five years of relevant experience performing community relations work; some positions in this class may require specialized experience in area of assignment

Certifications/Licenses/Special Requirements

• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions
• Ability to understand and speak a language other than English may be required for some positions
• Must be willing to be on call and work evenings and weekends

Preferred Qualifications (PQs) are used to identify relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) as determined by business necessity. These criteria are considered preferred qualifications and are not intended to serve as minimum requirements for the position. PQs will help support selection decisions throughout the recruitment. In addition, applicants who possess these PQs will not automatically be selected.

The following are the preferred qualifications:

• Experience working for an elected official (federal, state, or local), a government agency or department, a political campaign, or a civic/community organization. Internships are acceptable
• Experience developing strategic communications materials, including background reports, presentations, flyers, newsletters, and related materials for the public
• Experience implementing activities that support community needs, gather their feedback and gain support to advance desired outcomes
• Experience in public speaking, either professionally or through extracurricular activities

Essential Knowledge

Knowledge of (defined as a learned body of information that is required for and applied in the performance of job tasks)

• Theories, principles, and practices of community relations, government relations, and public relations
• Protocols when communicating with public agencies
• Metro transit system
• Group dynamics and community organizing techniques
• Structure, functioning, and protocol of local government agencies and community groups
• Research and analytical techniques, methods, and procedures
• Applicable business software applications

Skill in (defined as the proficient manual, verbal, or mental utilization of data, people, or things)

• Performing effective, diverse, and spontaneous communications
• Communicating effectively orally and in writing
• Exercising sound judgement and creativity in making recommendations
• Interacting professionally with various levels of Metro staff and outside stakeholders
• Designing, implementing, and coordinating public or community programs to promote Metro's services and programs
• Working under pressure

Ability to (defined as a present competence to perform an observable behavior or produce an observable result)

• Relate to diverse community members
• Represent Metro before the public
• Write clear comprehensive reports
• Analyze situations, identify problems, recommend solutions, and evaluate outcomes
• Coordinate multiple projects and meet critical deadlines
• Understand, interpret, and apply relevant policies, laws, regulations, and contracts
• Read, write, speak, and understand English

Special Conditions

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Metro provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions

• Typical office situation
• Close exposure to computer monitors and video screen
• Work irregular hours, split shifts, weekends, holidays, or 24-hour-a-day on-call assignments
• Work after designated regular hours in case of special assignments or emergencies

Physical Effort Required

• Sitting at a desk or table
• Operate a telephone or other telecommunications device and communicate through the medium
• Type and use a keyboard and mouse to perform necessary computer-based functions
• Communicating through speech in the English language required

(JAL)

Metro is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, age, veteran status, or disability. Learn more about Metro’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program . Metro does not deny participation in the application process to anyone with prior justice system involvement, in line with Fair Chance hiring practices.

Selection Procedure

Applicants who best meet job-related qualifications will be invited to participate in the examination process that may consist of any combination of written, performance, or oral appraisal to further evaluate job-related experience, knowledge, skills and abilities.

Application Procedure

To apply, visit Metro's website at www.metro.net and complete an online Employment Application.

Computers are available to complete online Employment Applications at the following Metro location:

METRO Headquarters, Employment Office
One Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Telephone: (213) 922-6217 or persons with hearing or speech impairments can use California Relay Service 711 to contact Metro.

All completed online Employment Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the closing date. Late applications will not be considered.

*Open to the public and all Metro employees

This job bulletin is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Employees may be required to perform other related job duties.

*Please refer to the applicable benefit type (Regular or Temporary)*

BENEFITS FOR REGULAR EMPLOYEES

Benefits cover probationary or regular full-time (working at least 40 hrs/week) employees of Metro.

We offer a range of high-quality medical, dental and vision plan options as well as health care spending accounts for you and your family. Metro will cover a significant portion of your health care premiums.

Medical/Dental/Vision Plan- Employee has the choice of 3 separate medical plans and 3 dental plans. A separate vision plan is included in each medical plan.

Group Life Insurance- PTSC pays for an amount equal to your annual salary, rounded up to the nearest $1,000. Minimum amount of life insurance is $30,000.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance- PTSC provides $50,000 coverage for each employee. Additional voluntary coverage in amounts up to $500,000 is available at favorable premium rates.

Long-Term Disability Insurance- 100% employer paid. Provides employees with a minimum income of 60% of earnings after six months of disability. Buy up or buy down options available.

Holidays- 12 days a year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans' Day, Cesar E Chavez, Juneteenth,Thanksgiving Day, Day After Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.

Time off with Pay (TOWP)- Compensates employees who are on approved absence from work for reasons such as illness, injury, medical and dental appointments, personal business, vacation, or observance of (a) religious holiday.
Years of Service Annual Accrual
Hire date - 5 years20 days
Beginning of 6th - 10th year25 days
Beginning of 11th - 15th year30 days
Beginning of 16th + years35 days

Pension Plan- PTSC retirement plan is the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). Vesting is five (5) years. Minimum retirement age is 52, based on the 2% at 62 formula.

Other Benefits: Transportation passes for employees and/or eligible dependents; Medicare; Tuition reimbursement; credit union membership; SDI; Deferred Compensation Plan; 401(K) Thrift plan; EAP; Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts; Flexible work schedules; and Jury Duty Pay.

BENEFITS FOR TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES

Temporary (Contingent) employees are eligible for the following benefits only:

• Kaiser medical insurance
• Public Pension Plan
• 457/401K Plan
• Flex Spending
• Paid Sick Time
• Fare Media
• Rideshare Subsidies
• Metro One Fitness membership

For more information on the Benefits Enrollment for Contingent Employees, please visit LA Metro’s Pension & Benefits website at www.benefits.metro.net .

Closing Date/Time: 3/20/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

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• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority - LA Metro

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