Communication Specialist - San Mateo County Libraries (Open & Promotional)

San Mateo County Libraries is seeking an experienced, creative, and motivated Communication Specialist to join our Library Communications Team.

Proud to consistently be named one of the top-rated libraries in the nation, we are champions of learning, sharing, and exploration of open minds, new ideas, and bright futures. Successful candidates will be excited about new challenges, eager to learn, and energized by working with people from a variety of backgrounds.

Proud to consistently be named one of the top-rated libraries in the nation, we are champions of learning, sharing, and exploration of open minds, new ideas, and bright futures. It is our mission and our passion to strengthen our community by creating an inclusive sense of place and an environment for learning. We seek enthusiastic team players, creative risk takers, and flexible individuals who proactively search for new opportunities to make public library services relevant to all members of the community. Successful candidates will be excited about new challenges, eager to learn, and energized by working with people from a variety of backgrounds.

The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic team player who is able to handle multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment. Reporting to the Director of Communications and Marketing, the Communication Specialist will plan, organize, and coordinate public and internal communications activities for San Mateo County Libraries. The Communication Specialist is expected to be a strategic thinker who develops and executes integrated communications, media and marketing plans for the library system- leveraging multi-communication channels (traditional and online), promotional materials such as, but not limited to, library signage/collateral, web content, press releases and fact sheets- with the goal of advancing outreach and library engagement to community stakeholders and library users.

The individual selected for this position should possess excellent organizational skills, work well under pressure, and be capable of performing under tight deadlines to support key messaging, design, and branding needs.

We respect, value, and celebrate our community’s diversity, and bilingual skills are always desired.

San Mateo County Libraries is a Joint Powers Authority composed of the cities of Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Millbrae, Pacifica, Portola Valley, San Carlos, Woodside, and the unincorporated areas of San Mateo County. We serve approximately 280,000 residents and cover a service area of 351 square miles. Our 13 community libraries are open 7 days per week and are vibrant hubs for learning, creativity, connection, and exploration.

Our mission is simple and powerful: Together, we build meaningful connections and inspire lifelong curiosity. 

From book clubs to bike clinics, video game design to resume workshops, Mid-Autumn Festivals to salsa tastings-our libraries offer a rich mix of programs and events that reflect and celebrate the diversity of the people we serve. Whether you're seeking inspiration, information, or a sense of belonging, San Mateo County Libraries is where community comes to thrive.

To learn more about who we are and what we do, visit www.smcl.org.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Create, develop, distribute, and maintain library print and digital assets (e.g., brochures, reports, website, social media) via multiple channels.
• Support the management of all digital and print marketing channels (e.g., digital asset management system, website, blogs, newsletters, social media, flyer creation) to ensure brand consistency.
• Provide copywriting and editing support to the libraries’ print and digital platforms.  
• Develop and implement communication/marketing strategies that include design work, patron messaging, and social media content creation.
• Support and champion the Library’s brand, ensuring that libraries and staff produce high-quality designed collateral and error-free copy. 
• Under the direction of the Director of Communications, research, design, and draft press releases, media pitches and responses, content for system initiatives, infographics, blogs, library signage, newsletters, and internal messaging. 
• Support media relations by serving as a media contact, as needed. Research and draft talking points, answer reporter inquiries, and create content for executive speeches, op-eds, etc.
• Arrange, coordinate, and support library events and programs in a virtual and in-person setting. 
• Support and evaluate the results of communication campaigns with the team.

Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:

• Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in mass media communication, public relations, journalism, business, or public administration, or a closely related field.
  
• Experience: Four (4) years of professional experience with responsibility for public relations or a closely related field and directly involved in the preparation and dissemination of information to the general public.

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, and techniques of public relations, marketing, communications, and community engagement.

• Techniques of effective interviewing, copywriting, layout, editing, and multimedia productions.

• Digital communications, including websites, social media, email marketing, newsletters, and other online platforms.

• Customs, practices, and trends in public information media.

• Methods for measuring and evaluating communications effectiveness, including engagement metrics and analytics.

• Principles and methods of community services, including current trends and issues relevant to the assigned department.

•  Principles and practices of branding, visual identity, and organizational messaging.

• Knowledge of professional writing, editing, proofreading, and content development practices.

Skill/Ability to:

• Plan, organize, and coordinate comprehensive communications programs to meet library needs, values, and priorities.

• Strategically develop programs and tools to increase and maintain public awareness of library programs, services and achievements.

• Apply principles and techniques of effective public communication to develop clear, concise, accurate, and engaging communications materials.

• Skilled in managing multiple communications projects, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.

• Speak effectively to diverse audiences, including media, civic and citizen groups and other library staff.

• Write and edit effective press releases, articles, speeches, scripts and other correspondence.

• Skilled in monitoring and analyzing communications performance and using data to improve content and outreach strategies.

• Maintain cooperative working relationships with other program managers and staff, other agency partners and the community.

• Skilled in monitoring and analyzing communications performance and using data to improve content and outreach strategies.

• Ability to exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive, high-profile, or time-sensitive communications.

• Skilled in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score.

The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%), which may include a performance exam. Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations, or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in the County of San Mateo, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, please click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

Tentative Recruitment Schedule: 
Final Filing Date: Thursday, September 3, 2026, by 11:59 PM PST
Application Screening: September 14 - 18, 2026
Panel Interviews: September 24 and/or 25, 2026

About The County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels.

 

Analyst: Sedrick Dixon (08202026) (Communication Specialist - E055)