Senior Communications Officer

SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Overview
Do you love turning complex issues into compelling stories that help people understand their community and make a difference? Are you looking for an opportunity to combine creative communications, environmental stewardship, and meaningful public service? Join the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services (T&ES) as a Communications Officer and help tell the story of the work protecting Alexandria’s environment, strengthening its infrastructure, and preparing the City for the future.

This position is part of the T&ES Communications Team and will play a key role in communicating the Department’s stormwater management, water quality, and environmental initiatives, with a particular focus on the Waterfront Flood Mitigation Project and the Flood Action Alexandria Program. These efforts address some of Alexandria’s most pressing challenges, from reducing flood risks and protecting the waterfront to improving water quality and building a more resilient community.

The Communications Officer will work closely with communications colleagues and environmental services experts to bring these important initiatives to life for the community. This means finding fresh ways to tell the story behind the work, anticipating what residents need to know, and helping the City communicate with clarity and purpose as projects evolve. The role offers an opportunity to collaborate across disciplines, contribute ideas, and help shape how the City shares information about its environmental priorities.

The ideal candidate is a creative storyteller and thoughtful communicator who can make technical subjects approachable, develop compelling public-facing materials, support community outreach and engagement, and build understanding around projects that may be complex, long-term, and highly visible. This role also supports communications across T&ES’s broader environmental services work, including stormwater and sanitary infrastructure and environmental quality initiatives.

If you are excited by the opportunity to tell meaningful stories, connect people with important public projects, and help a community navigate complex environmental challenges, we encourage you to apply and join a team working to make Alexandria safer, more resilient, and more sustainable.

The Opportunity

• Creates compelling, creative content that brings the Department’s work to life, including social media, short-form video, website content, newsletters, and other digital communications that highlight projects, initiatives, and staff
• Develops and implements communications strategies that make complex environmental and infrastructure issues accessible and relevant to Alexandria residents, businesses, and City employees. Topics include stormwater management and flooding, water quality, sanitary sewer systems, climate resilience, capital projects, and other environmental programs and services
• Leads public engagement and outreach for stormwater initiatives and related projects, helping residents understand the challenges the City is addressing, stays informed about project developments
• Works collaboratively with communications colleagues, technical experts, project managers, and consultants to develop timely, accurate, and engaging content across multiple projects, often balancing competing priorities and tight deadlines
• Helps plan and deliver community outreach activities, public events, and coordinated communications across digital and other channels
• Responds to media inquiries and proactively identifies opportunities to share the Department’s work through news stories and other media coverage
• Monitors and evaluates communications effectiveness using metrics such as website traffic, newsletter subscriptions, social media engagement, and media coverage, and uses those insights to strengthen future outreach.

About T&ES

T&ES is a community partner in shaping a livable, green, and prospering Alexandria. We plan, build, operate, and maintain transportation systems and infrastructure that improve mobility and provide people and businesses with core public services. The work we do keeps Alexandrians moving, growing sustainability, and thriving. If you are curious for a broader view of our City, click City of Alexandria to learn more.

Bachelor’s degree in communication, Five years of experience in communications, public relations, public information and graphic production or publications editing work, including experience with desktop graphic; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. The employee must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of their residence.

Excellent communication skills, highly motivated, results driven, creative problem solver. Possessing a working knowledge of social media platforms and software (Facebook, X, Instagram, and Bluesky), creative software (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar), Microsoft Office Suite, website content management systems (Wordpress, Drupal, or similar), email marketing tools and platforms (Mailchimp, BEE, or similar), and web analytics tools (Google Analytics or similar). Experience with photography and videography is preferred.