Media Relations Officer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The City of Sugar Land is seeking a full-time Public Information & Media Relations Officer in the Communication & Community Engagement Department. As the Public Information & Media Relations Officer, you'll help tell Sugar Land's story, build meaningful connections with the community and media, and keep residents informed when it matters most. Bring your creativity, strategic thinking, and passion for communication to a role where your voice can make a difference.

Why Should You Join Our Team. Our trailblazing culture focuses on our employees, our citizens and the services we provide to our community. We are a data-driven and innovative full-service municipality located approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston that invests in our team and offers real opportunities for career growth.

We pay our Public Information & Media Relations Officer a salary of $87,485 - $100,609, depending on experience and qualifications. We also offer great benefits and perks available on your first day of employment, including: City-subsidized health benefits; life and disability insurance; a variety of voluntary benefits; a robust pension plan with TMRS to set you up for a fulfilling retirement; a down-to-earth casual environment and dress code; and a positive team-oriented culture stemming from a long-term commitment to innovation and inclusion. Benefits At-A-Glance: City-subsidized Medical and Dental Insurance with a variety of plan options; City-paid Basic Life Insurance @ 1x your annual salary and Long-term Disability; Voluntary Vision, Supplemental Life Coverage (for you and your family), Aflac indemnity plans such as Accident, Cancer, Hospitalization and Critical Illness, Short Term Disability and pre-paid legal benefits through Legal Shield; 9 paid holidays and up to 3 floating holidays to use at your discretion; A generous vacation package with accruals starting on day 1; Paid sick leave; Paid Parental Leave; A robust pension plan with TMRS includes your 7% contribution with 2:1 match by the City; You won't contribute to Social Security, but you can further your retirement income by contributing to a Deferred Compensation (457b) plan; Longevity pay for each month of service after your first 13 months of employment; On-site Wellness facilities and programming (mind, body spirit & financial preparedness); and Access to multiple mental health benefits and resources, including a robust EAP..

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Reading. Our City Mission: WE ARE TRAILBLAZERS. Relentless in Our Pursuit of Good so that Our Employees, Residents, and Businesses Can Enjoy a Life Better than They Can Even Imagine.

Our Employee Values: Our values ignite passion, drive, and a sense of purpose, fostering a thriving and successful organizational culture. We follow the BLAZE Values: Bold: We encourage each other to be bold in our ideas, decisions, and actions. We embrace innovation and take risks to drive progress.

Loyal: We are loyal to each other, the City and our Mission and Vision. We support each other to foster a cohesive and collaborative work environment. We celebrate our successes and address the challenges facing us, together.

Adaptable: We are resilient because we adapt to changing landscapes and market dynamics. We are flexible and understand the need for work-life balance. We embrace new technologies and evolving trends.

Zealous: We are committed to excellence in all endeavors. We encourage each other to strive for the highest standards of public service, quality, and performance. We hold ourselves, and each other, accountable for our words and actions.

Empowered: We are empowered with the necessary resources, opportunities, and responsibilities to excel in our roles. We seek out opportunities for development and growth, and help others do the same. We are inclusive, we embrace our differences and recognize the strength that comes from different perspectives and experiences.

We are TrailBLAZErs. About the City of Sugar Land The City of Sugar Land, a municipality with a population of 111,026, provides the highest quality of affordable services to meet the needs of its residents. And our citizens agree-the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey told us that 95% of our residents love calling Sugar Land home and 10% say that nothing would make their lives better than it already is, but we look to the future and work hard to make our community and the world better than we can even imagine.

Ask yourself: Do you enjoy working with people. Are you organized and detail-oriented. Can you manage your time well and prioritize multiple tasks effectively.

Do you embrace change. Do you enjoy working in a professional AND casual environment. Are you an advocate of team-work.

If so, please consider applying for the Public Information & Media Relations Officer position today. As a Public Information & Media Relations Officer, you will: Serve as the City's primary spokesperson and lead Public Information Officer (PIO), managing media relations and serving as the official point of contact for media inquiries. Develop and execute proactive communications strategies, messaging plans, media outreach, and executive communications that support City priorities, initiatives, and organizational goals.

Provide strategic communications counsel to executive leadership, department directors, and subject matter experts on media relations, crisis communications, public messaging, and community engagement. Develop and maintain proactive media relationships by identifying, pitching, and coordinating news stories with departments across the City that showcase City services, initiatives, projects, accomplishments, and community impact. Lead crisis and emergency communications, including serving within the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), coordinating with partner agencies, and developing timely public safety messaging during critical incidents.

Write and oversee high-quality communications materials, including news releases, speeches, talking points, website content, public notices, executive correspondence, and other public-facing communications. Prepare and coach City leadership and subject matter experts for media interviews, press conferences, public presentations, and community meetings while building strong relationships with media and community stakeholders. Monitor media coverage, digital platforms, and public sentiment to identify emerging issues, manage reputational risks, and develop proactive communications that enhance public awareness, transparency, and trust.

Regular on-site attendance is an essential function of this position. Required to work as an essential employee before, during and after an emergency or disaster, whether natural or acts of war. Stay abreast of, and comply with, all City and departmental policies and procedures.

Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned by Assistant Director and/or their designee(s). Formal Education: Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Public Administration, Marketing, English, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university. Equivalent combinations of education and progressively responsible experience may be considered.

Related Work Experience: Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in public information, media relations communications, journalism, public affairs, emergency communications, or a closely related field. Experience working in local government or another public sector organization is preferred. Experience serving as a Public Information Officer during emergencies, incidents, or crisis situations is highly desirable.

Experience developing strategic communications plans, media strategies, executive communications, and digital communications is preferred. Training (License and/or Certification): Valid Texas Driver License. FEMA Basic Public Information Officer Certification (or ability to obtain within one year of hire).

The citizens of Sugar Land depend on City employees before, during and after an emergency or disaster to provide or restore essential public services for the health, safety and quality of life for our community. In the event of a wide scale emergency that could impact our community, all employees must be ready to assist in managing the crisis and will be considered essential for the continuity of governmental operations. Our success is achieved by the courage to do things differently and accept that failure will occur on the path to innovation.

The City of Sugar Land is an equal Opportunity employer.