Description

• Coordinate Utah Transit Authority (UTA)’s media relations and public storytelling program and serves as the UTA’s primary media relations strategist and press liaison.
• Supervise social media and organic public storymining staff and sets strategy related to education, events, news, data, incidents, and engagement across public communications channels.
• Develop and execute strategic, proactive media plans and manage the distribution of information to the news media in support of events, announcements, activities, campaigns, education, and issues.
• Write and edit press advisories, pitches, releases, talking points, social posts, op-eds, messaging documents, scripts, press event plans, stories, and other materials for proactive and reactive media response.
• Develop and maintain relationships with the news media.
• Interact with reporters, editors, photographers, editorial boards, and other members of the news media for disseminating information and publicity.
• Act as a source of public information for scheduled and unscheduled events, stories, or challenging, emotional, and sensitive crises.
• Work with the agency’s Chief Communications Officer, communications and social media staff, government relations, executive team, Board of Trustees, UTA Police, and department subject matter experts to identify emerging media issues.
• Work with the Chief Communications Officer, executive staff, board leadership and agency management in developing strategy, messaging, and responding to media queries.
• Gather data and clipping reports to gauge public sentiment via media and social media engagement.
• Develop and maintains crisis communications response plans.
• Serve as UTA spokesperson, and trains and preps subject matter experts to do media interviews, testimony, editorial visits, presentations, and other public appearances that may have media presence.
• Carry a highly trusted role in an actively changing environment, seeking opportunities to strengthen the public perception of the value of transit and UTA’s operations and management.
• Supervise staff by developing goals, monitoring progress, coaching, and evaluating performance.
• Coordinates with Incident Communications Specialist team on public response to incidents and general questions over social media platforms.

Minimum Qualifications

• Eight (8) years related work experience with demonstrated competency in public relations with an extensive media relations background including two (2) years in a supervisory role.
• Professional experience must include at least two (2) years in a non-media outlet or outside of a newsroom or media organization.
• Experience in a public or government organization a plus.
• Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations, Journalism, Communications, or related field.

• Leadership, mentorship, and an ability to motivate and inspire subordinates.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Conflict Resolution.
• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing with excellent grammar and Associated Press Style.
• Develop a proactive media strategy.
• Build rapport with various groups of people.
• Handle pressure, negative attention, emotional subjects, confidential information, and meet deadlines.

UTA’s benefits package for full-time administrative employees includes:

• Health, dental, vision, life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance (eligible after 30 days of employment), with Flexible Spending and Dependent Care accounts. Choice between Traditional Co-Pay or High Deductible Health Plans for medical coverage. HSA with company match available to employees enrolled in the HDHP. Benefit plans include coverage for domestic partners (eligibility affidavit required for coverage).
• Onsite Health and Wellness Clinics for medical care at no cost to employees, spouses, domestic partners, and dependent children.
• 22 days of accrued paid time off (13 vacation days and 9 sick days), which increases with tenure at UTA.
• 10 paid holidays and two paid (2) floating holidays per year.
• Retirement options - Pension Plan with 5-year vesting schedule and 457 Contribution Plan, available for immediate contributions and company matching.
• Generous tuition reimbursement for higher education, available for any higher education degree (bachelor, master, or PHD). Course of study must be approved prior to enrollment.
• Training, development, and career advancement opportunities.
• Paid parental leave for birth, adoption, and child placement (after 12 months of employment).
• Free transit passes for employees, their spouses, and their dependent children.
• Employee assistance program – includes counseling, legal services, financial planning, etc.
• UTA Well – a comprehensive wellness program designed to support employees and dependents in their health and wellness goals.
• Free on-site fitness facilities and discounted membership to VASA Fitness.

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