Communications and Engagement Manager

The City of Sequim is seeking a creative, technology-minded and community-focused Communications and Engagement Manager to help tell the City's story, strengthen public trust, and connect residents, businesses, visitors and partners with clear, timely, accessible and engaging information.

The Communications and Engagement Manager leads the City’s communications, public engagement, media relations, and tourism marketing efforts to ensure residents, businesses, visitors, and partners receive clear, timely, accessible, and engaging information.

Under the direction of the City Manager, the Communications & Engagement Manager helps shape and implement the City’s strategic approach to communications, public engagement and digital outreach. This position uses predictive analytics, advanced digital platforms, audience segmentation, and utilization of emerging engagement technologies to anticipate community information needs, strengthen trust, and improve two-way communication. The role provides guidance and recommendations to the City Manager and departments on messaging, issues management, media and community relations, and opportunities to use technology and data to ensure City communications are proactive, inclusive, transparent, and measurable.

The Communication & Engagement Manager also leads tourism and destination marketing strategies that strengthen Sequim’s identity as a distinctive, welcoming destination and support year-round economic vitality. This work includes developing and implementing an annual marketing plan, which may include shaping campaigns and partnerships that elevate the visitor experience, promote local businesses, and align tourism efforts with the City’s broader communications, community engagement, and economic development goals. The position serves as a staff liaison to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) and administers the Tourism Enhancement Grant Program.

The selected manager will also have the opportunity to assess communications support needs and hire, onboard, and supervise a part-time employee to develop communications, engagement, marketing and related project work.

In addition to the online application, all candidates must submit a cover letter and either a portfolio or a document containing links to relevant work samples. Portfolio materials should demonstrate the applicant’s creative process, communication abilities, range of work, and approach to problem-solving. Examples may include campaigns, writing samples, websites, social media content, photography, video, public engagement projects, marketing materials, strategic plans, or other applicable work. 

This position is open until filled, with first review of candidates the week of August 24.

1. Leads the City’s communications across print, digital, and multimedia platforms, ensuring alignment with City policies, professional standards and communications best practices. 
2. Develops and manages a Citywide communications strategy, editorial calendar, and campaign workflow that supports timely, coordinated, and audience-first content across departments.  
3. Leads the City’s tourism and destination marketing strategy, including brand positioning and visitor communications campaigns, and collaborates with regional agencies such as the Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau, Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission and Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce, to ensure a coordinated approach to marketing the area. 
4. Handles or advises on high-profile, sensitive, confidential, or complex media issues and develops strategic communications approaches for emerging public policy matters, community concerns, and issues of significant public interest in coordination with City leadership and appropriate stakeholders.
5. Manages or advises on stakeholder outreach, community engagement, building productive relationships with residents, businesses, media, community organizations and public-sector partners. 
6. Manages the Lodging Tax, tracks and maintains financial and budget information for the lodging tax dollars; provides staff support to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC); compliant with state requirements.
7. Supports innovation and continuous improvement by responsibly testing and using emerging tools, including AI-assisted research, content development, workflow automation, and social listening, while maintaining accuracy, privacy, transparency, and human judgment.
8. Leads digital-first storytelling and public-information campaigns related to City services, programs, events, infrastructure, development, and community priorities, using accessible website content, newsletters, social media, visual media, and other tools to make City information understandable.
9. Provides communications guidance and recommendations to the City Manager and departments on communication needs, emerging issues, key messages, target audiences and appropriate distribution and engagement methods. 
10. Develops and monitors annual work plans, budgets and performance measures for communications, public engagement and tourism marketing programs. 
11. Oversees public-facing content and ensures consistent application of City brand, editorial, accessibility and quality standards. 
12. Supports emergency and crisis communications and serves in assigned public-information roles within emergency operations or joint information centers. 
13. Uses public opinion research, analytics and audience feedback and performance measures to evaluate communications and engagement efforts and improve strategies, content and outcomes. 
14. Prepares and administers contracts for communications, marketing, research and creative services, including scopes of work, cost estimates and contractor performance. 
15. Assigns, supervises and reviews the work of employees, consultants, interns, temporary staff and other contributors. 
16. Regular, reliable, and in-person attendance is required to support operational needs, public meetings, community events, emergency communications, and coordination with City staff and partners.
17. Performs other duties of a similar nature or level as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

1. Advanced knowledge of strategic communications, public information, community engagement, media relations, destination marketing, and municipal government practices. 
2. Knowledge of digital and traditional communications platforms, including websites, social media, newsletters, print, photography, video and graphic design. 
3. Knowledge of accessible, inclusive and plain-language communication practices. 
4. Knowledge of brand management, editorial standards and quality control across print and digital materials. 
5. Knowledge of research, public opinion methods, analytics and performance measures used to evaluate communications and engagement efforts. 
6. Knowledge of budgeting, work-plan development, contract administration, requests for proposals and consultant oversight. 
7. Excellent writing, editing, presentation and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt core messages for different audiences, platforms and outcomes. 
8. Ability to translate complex, technical or sensitive information into clear, accurate and engaging public communications. 
9. Ability to build collaborative relationships and communicate effectively with City leadership, employees, elected officials, media, partner organizations and the public. 
10. Ability to facilitate meetings and public discussions with professionalism, tact, and sensitivity to differing perspectives. 
11. Ability to respond effectively to emerging issues, public concerns, and emergency communications while exercising sound, ethical judgment. 
12. Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities and deadlines with accuracy, organization and limited supervision. 
13. Ability to supervise and evaluate employees, consultants, interns and other project contributors. 
14. Skill in responsibly using artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to support research, content development, analysis and workflow efficiency while maintaining accuracy, privacy and human oversight. 

A bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, marketing, public relations or a closely related field, along with at least five years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public engagement, tourism destination marketing, digital media, content development, or a related area.

Demonstrated experience developing communications and outreach materials across print, digital, social, video or other media platforms is required. Applicants must submit a portfolio or links to relevant work samples that demonstrate their creative process, communication abilities, range of work, and approach to problem-solving. Examples may include campaigns, writing samples, websites, social media content, photography, video, public engagement projects, marketing materials, strategic plans, or other applicable work.WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is primarily performed indoors in an office setting, as well as at events and meetings throughout the community. Some evening and/or weekend work for meetings, presentations, and out of town travel and overnight seminars/meetings may be required. The employee may be required to sit at a work station for extended periods of time, frequently using a computer and/or the phone. This individual must have the ability to hear at a normal level; verbally communicate in person and by telephone; stand, walk, and drive as needed throughout day; and occasionally lift and carry parcels weighing up 25 pounds.