Public Information OfficerID- 11404

Description

The City of Roanoke is seeking a dynamic and experienced Public Information Officer (PIO) to lead and oversee the City's Communications Division. The PIO will be responsible for developing, implementing, and managing strategic communication and public engagement initiatives to promote transparency, strengthen community trust, and enhance the City's public image. This position provides leadership and supervision to a diverse team, including a Communications Manager, Community Engagement Manager, Inclusive Services Manager, Community Engagement and Communications Coordinator, and Administrative Assistant III.

The City of Roanoke is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA/M/F/Disability Employer.

To elevate the performance of the organization, we are committed to respecting, celebrating, and embracing the collective mixture of differences and similarities between our employees as a rich tapestry. Our behaviors will demonstrate open communication, and we will seek opportunities to learn, recognizing and rewarding actions that promote acceptance while suspending judgment. By doing this, we will foster an inclusive, open work environment that delivers excellent service and creates a more vibrant and inviting community.

This is an exempt position.

Examples of Duties

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Directs and oversees all operations of the Communications Division, ensuring alignment with the City’s goals, values, and strategic priorities.

  • Supervises and provides leadership to division staff, including the Communications Manager, Community Engagement Manager, Inclusive Services Manager, Community Engagement and Communications Coordinator, and Administrative Assistant III.

  • Develops and implements comprehensive internal and external communication strategies to inform and engage residents, employees, media, and stakeholders.


  • Serves as the City's spokesperson and primary media liaison; coordinates press conferences, interviews, and official statements.


  • Oversees the creation and distribution of communication materials, including press releases, newsletters, digital content, social media, and reports.


  • Advises City leadership on communication matters, crisis communication, and public relations strategies.


  • Ensures consistency of messaging across departments and platforms.


  • Leads inclusive and culturally responsive communication and outreach efforts to ensure broad community representation and accessibility.


  • Collaborates with departments to support initiatives related to community engagement, public outreach, emergency response, and special projects.


  • Manages division budgets, contracts, and performance metrics; ensures compliance with applicable policies and regulations.


  • Monitors public sentiment, media coverage, and social trends to proactively shape communication strategies.

 

Typical Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Public Administration, or a related field. A Master’s degree is preferred.

  • Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in public relations, communications, or a related field, including supervisory experience.

  • Demonstrated success in leading communication teams and initiatives in a public sector or similar environment.


  • Strong knowledge of media relations, public engagement practices, and crisis communication.


  • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.


  • Proficiency in modern communication platforms, including social media, web content management, and media production tools.


  • Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.


Live Chat Support, $40/hr, Remote, Entry Level, Part-Time Virtual Assistant, $35/hr, Evening, Remote, College Student Customer Support, $40/hr, Remote, Part-Time, No Degree Virtual Assistant, Remote, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience Customer Support, $50/hr, Remote, Evening/Night Job, No Degree Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Remote, No Experience, Evening Virtual Assistant, $42/hr, Evening, Remote, College Student Virtual Assistant, No Experience, $40/hr, Remote, Part-Time Remote Moderator, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience Required Remote Moderator, $40/hr, Part-Time, Weekend, No Degree Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, Night Shift, College Student Job Remote Customer Support, $40/hr, Weekend, No Experience Remote Moderator, $40/hr, Part-Time, Weekend, No Degree Remote Customer Support, $40/hr, No Experience, Part-Time Virtual Assistant, $50/hr, Evening, Remote, College Student Remote Phone Support, $40/hr, Evening, No Experience Required Remote Phone Support, $45/hr, Night Job, College Student Data Entry, $50/hr, Night Shift, No Degree, Remote Job Remote Live Chat, $35/hr, Part-Time, Evening/Night Job Data Entry, No Experience, $35/hr, Remote, College Student Data Entry, $40/hr, Part-Time, Remote, Weekend Job Remote Live Chat, $40/hr, College Student, No Experience Remote Moderator, $45/hr, No Degree, Weekend Job, Part-Time Customer Support, $50/hr, Remote, Evening/Night Job, No Degree Virtual Assistant, Remote, $50/hr, Part-Time, Night Shift Live Chat Support, $40/hr, Remote, Entry Level, Part-Time Entry Level Phone Job, $40/hr, Remote, No Degree Required Virtual Assistant, Remote, $45/hr, Evening, No Experience Live Chat Support, Remote, $40/hr, Night Shift, College Student Remote Customer Support, $50/hr, Night Shift, No Degree Remote Phone Job, $45/hr, Part-Time, No Degree Required Virtual Assistant, $42/hr, Remote, Weekend, Entry Level Remote Phone Support, $40/hr, Evening, No Experience Required Evening Virtual Assistant, Remote, $45/hr, No Experience Remote Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Evening, Part-Time Job Phone Job, $50/hr, Remote, No Degree, Part-Time, Weekend Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, Night Job, No Degree Phone Job, $50/hr, Remote, Part-Time, College Student Remote Phone Job, $40/hr, Night Shift, College Student Friendly Phone Support, Remote, $40/hr, Evening/Night Shift Weekend Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, No Experience Data Entry, $40/hr, Remote, Night Job, No Degree Data Entry, $35/hr, Night Shift, No Degree,?Remote?Job Live Chat Support, $35/hr, Remote, Night Shift, No Degree Remote Data Entry, $40/hr, College Student Friendly, Part-Time Remote Data Entry, $35/hr, No Experience, Evening/Night Job Virtual Assistant, $40/hr, Evening, Remote, No Degree Virtual Assistant, $42/hr, Remote, Weekend, No Degree Remote Moderator, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience Required Remote Data Entry, No Experience, $40/hr, Part-Time Remote Customer Support, $42/hr, Night Job, No Experience Remote Live Chat, $42/hr, Weekend, No Degree, Part-Time Entry-Level Remote Data Entry, $50/hr, Evening Job Live Chat Support, Remote, $40/hr, Night Shift, College Student Customer Support, No Degree, $40/hr, Remote, Weekend Job Remote Data Entry, $40/hr, No Degree, Night Shift Remote Data Entry, $40/hr, Evening/Night Job, No Experience Remote Customer Support, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience Remote Phone Job, $42/hr, Part-Time, No Experience Required Remote Phone Job, $40/hr, Part-Time, No Degree Required Remote Live Chat, $35/hr, Part-Time, Evening/Night Job Virtual Assistant, $50/hr, Remote, Part-Time, Evening Job Remote Phone Job, $35/hr, College Student, Night Shift Remote Customer Support, $50/hr, Night Shift, No Degree Remote Phone Job, $40/hr, No Degree, College Student Friendly Data Entry, $35/hr, Remote, Evening Job, College Student Entry-Level Remote Data Entry, $35/hr, Evening Job Virtual Assistant, $50/hr, Evening, Remote, College Student Phone Job, $50/hr, Remote, No Degree, Part-Time, Weekend Remote Moderator, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience Required Customer Support, $40/hr, Weekend Job, Remote, No Degree Data Entry, No Experience, $35/hr, Remote, College Student Data Entry, $50/hr, Night Shift, No Degree, Remote Job Phone Job, $35/hr, Remote, Part-Time, College Student Data Entry, $40/hr, Remote, Night Job, No Degree Remote Live Chat, $50/hr, Part-Time, Evening/Night Job Remote Data Entry, No Experience, $40/hr, Part-Time Customer Support, $42/hr, Remote, Evening, No Experience Data Entry, Remote, $42/hr, Evening Job, No Degree Part-Time Customer Support, $40/hr, Remote, College Student Virtual Assistant, Remote, $45/hr, Evening, No Experience Customer Support, $40/hr, Remote, Evening, No Experience Weekend Customer Support, $42/hr, Remote, College Student Data Entry, $35/hr, Remote, Evening Job, College Student Virtual Assistant, No Experience, $42/hr, Remote, Weekend Phone Job, $40/hr, Remote, Night Shift, No Degree Data Entry, No Experience, $35/hr, Remote, College Student Remote Moderator, No Degree, $35/hr, Evening, Weekend Job Remote Moderator, No Degree, $50/hr, Evening, Weekend Job Virtual Assistant, Remote, $42/hr, Weekend, No Experience Virtual Assistant, No Experience, $40/hr, Remote, Weekend Entry-Level Remote Data Entry, $35/hr, Evening Job Remote Live Chat, $35/hr, Part-Time, Evening/Night Job Part-Time Customer Support, $40/hr, Remote, College Student Phone Support, Remote, $42/hr, Evening/Night Shift Phone Support, Remote, $50/hr, No Experience, Part-Time Customer Support, $42/hr, Remote, Part-Time, No Degree Phone Support, $45/hr, Remote, No Experience, Evening Job Data Entry, $45/hr, Remote, Night Job, No Degree Remote Live Chat, $50/hr, College Student, No Experience Remote Customer Support, $45/hr, Part-Time, College Student Live Chat Support, $40/hr, Part-Time, Remote, No Degree Remote Live Chat, $45/hr, College Student, No Experience Remote Data Entry, $50/hr, No Experience, Evening/Night Job Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience working with diverse communities and implementing inclusive communication strategies.


  • Certification in public relations or communication (e.g., APR, FEMA PIO training) is a plus.


  • Bilingual abilities are highly desirable.

Supplemental Information

 

Supplemental Information:
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret periodicals, journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, employees, and the general public.

REASONING ABILITY
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written or oral form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Ability to exercise good judgment and make decisions according to law. Ability to work under pressures and handle election day problems quickly and efficiently.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and sit. The employee is occasionally required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

This is a job description and not an individualized position description. A job description defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but it is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
Back to blog

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?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

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...