A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Managing Director’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS) is charged with driving change through our transportation and infrastructure systems. OTIS leads a portfolio of departments, including Streets Transportation, Streets Sanitation, Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), and the Office of Sustainability to provide cost-effective quality services with a focus on the resident. OTIS collaborates with a wide variety of organizations such as DVRPC, PATCO, PennDOT, and SEPTA.   

More information about the functions of OTIS can be found at: www.phila.gov/otis, https://www.phila.gov/departments/office-of-sustainability, and https://www.phila.gov/departments/department-of-streets/.   OTIS has recently doubled in size due to the Bi-partisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and has received hundreds of millions of dollars of Federal and State funding.   OTIS staff have a passion for Philadelphia and are dedicated to making a positive impact.

The Communications Manager will lead day-to-day communications for the Managing Director’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS) and will be responsible for working with OTIS leadership to develop and implement the communications strategy for the organization. 

Essential Functions

Communications Management for OTIS 

• Create and implement a communications strategy for OTIS, highlighting the important work and projects of OTIS and its partner agencies. 
• Handle day-to-day communications responsibilities for Office of Complete Streets, grants group, Infrastructure Solutions Team, and other OTIS initiatives.   
• Represent OTIS and participate in citywide communications coordination meetings with Mayor’s Office of Communications, Managing Director’s Office, 3-1-1, social media working groups, assisting with citywide public relations as needed.
• Coordinate with public affairs and communications staff in Streets, Water, and Sustainability on joint projects and initiatives.  Assist during crisis communications.
• Primary City point of contact with communications teams from partners including Bicycle Transit Systems, SEPTA, DVRPC, and PennDOT.  Collaborate on press conferences, press releases, blog posts, social media, and launch events.
• Build strong agency and community relationships and seek opportunities to create long-lasting, reciprocal, and open partnerships. 
• Coordinate with the Director of the Office of Complete Streets and staff to prepare and implement project communications 
• Coordinate with the Vision Zero Program team on Safe-Routes-to-School communications and Vision Zero communications and marketing.  
• Coordinate with the Indego Program Manager on Indego marketing and events and Better Bike Share Partnership communications.  

Grant funded project communications 

• Prepare and implement communications strategies for federal (Bi-partisan Infrastructure Law) and state grant announcements, working with the Director of Federal Infrastructure Strategy and Transportation Grants Manager.  
• Plan press conferences and other communication strategies for ground breakings and ribbon cuttings for federal and state funded infrastructure projects.  
• Liaise with communications teams from elected officials offices on press conferences and launch events 

Media relations and events 

• Organize and represent OTIS at press events with partner departments, agencies, and organizations. 
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with reporters; respond to media requests and proactively pitch stories. 
• Track, review, and report on media coverage. 
• Write press releases, blogs, and talking points about OTIS initiatives. 

Digital Communications 

• Develop social media toolkits for community and agency stakeholders. 
• Manage social media strategy and implementation in coordination with OTIS initiatives – BIL, Vision Zero, Indego and others. 
• Analyze and create reports based on social media and ad campaign metrics. 
• Maintain webpages on phila.gov and act as OTIS main point of contact for City web development team. 

This position will report to the Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives with dotted line reporting to the Director of Communications in the Managing Directors Office.  

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to develop press releases, media alerts, Q&A, talking points, and other media materials 
• Experience organizing press events, including, but not limited to press conferences and media briefings 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
• Strong administrative skills and ability to prioritize multiple tasks across portfolio of work 
• Experience with website management and Wordpress
• Proficient in Microsoft Office programs, especially Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint 
• Proficient in social media management and managing platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram 
• Experience creating digital graphics and designing print materials 
• Experience using communications and design tools, such as MailChimp, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, etc.  
• Ability to conduct outreach to diverse community groups and deliver public-facing presentations 
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet tight deadlines 
• Excellent self-direction and the ability to take ownership and see responsibilities through to completion 
• Ability to establish and foster relationships with cross-sector partners and to work as part of a collaborative team 
• Available to work nights and weekends as needed 
• Second language a plus 

Work-Life

Working hours are generally 37.5 hours per week.  Our team is currently hybrid with both virtual and in-office days, however the position can opt to come in the office each day if desired.

Required: 

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.  Optimal candidate has a degree in Communications, Marketing, or a related field. 
• Five or more years of experience in the field of communications. 

Desirable:  

• Experience and interest of transportation, infrastructure, and government.  

We welcome and encourage applicants with non-traditional career paths. If you don’t exactly meet the qualifications outlined here, please apply and describe in your cover letter how your own experiences equip you to excel in this position. 

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a cover letter and resume.

Salary Range: $90,000 - $98,000

Did you know?

• We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer
• 25% tuition discount program for City employees (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Please note that effective September 1, 2021 the City of Philadelphia is requiring all new employees to present proof of vaccination against COVID-19. 

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to [email protected].

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx