Strategic Communications Manager (Community Outreach Manager), Grade N28
Apply NowCompany: Montgomery County, MD
Location: Rockville, MD 20850
Description:
Salary : $92,075.00 - $149,112.00 Annually
Location : 101 Monroe St Rockville MD 20850 USA
Job Type: Permanent
Job Number: 2025-00238
Department: Office of Human Resources
Division: OHR 33 Strategic Communications
Opening Date: 04/01/2025
Closing Date: 4/8/2025 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt
About the Position
This position is available only to employees of Montgomery County Government interested in applying for a temporary promotion through a competitive process.
Please note that the department has the discretion to either convert the promotion from a temporary to a permanent one without further competition OR to fill the position under a second competitive process.
WHO WE ARE
We are a highly motivated, versatile, and people-oriented team dedicated to serving our community by hiring, training, and retaining a well-qualified, high-performing, diverse, and inclusive workforce to serve over one million County residents. We serve 10,000 employees in 35 different departments and 6,000 retirees. We promote positive management/union relationships in coordination with our four union organizations. We value diversity, inclusion, and equity for all employees.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) is looking for a Strategic Communications Manager (Community Outreach Manager) to lead a dynamic team of professionals who are responsible for our communications strategies and customer service initiatives. Join us as we shape the future of engagement, connection, and choice for public-sector employees!
This job is for you if:
What You'll Be Doing
As the Strategic Communications Manager, you'll be leading the work of the Strategic Communications team, within the Division for Policy, Practice & Strategic Communications. You'll drive internal and external communications, plan for key initiatives, and serve as a key architect of OHR's strategic outreach effort. You'll expand our customer service approach, streamline our customer service delivery, and improve online self-service platforms. You'll build bridges between OHR and our business partners, as well as our diverse community of employees, candidates and stakeholders while accomplishing these major duties:
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Extensive (seven (7) years) professional administrative experience in the area of public relations, human resources management, change management or related field.
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in human resources management, business administration, industrial psychology, public administration, or related field.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:
Please be sure your resume includes relevant experience in these areas.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at OHR@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Leave Benefits
Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.
Retirement Benefits
All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.
Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness
Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.
Free Mass Transit Benefit
County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.
Reduced Child and Health Care Costs
Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.
Employee Wellbeing
We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.
Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
01
What is your highest level of completed education?
02
Do you have a degree in Public or Business Administration, Human Resources Management, Industrial Psychology, or related field?
03
How many years of professional administrative experience do you have in the area of public relations, human resources management, change management or related field?
04
Are you a current Montgomery County Government employee?
05
Please provide details of your experience with strong technical writing and group facilitation skills.
06
Please provide details of your experience in community outreach, communications and/or marketing.
07
Please provide details of your project management experience, especially in collaboration with varied stakeholders.
08
Please provide details of your experience leading the work of successful teams.
Required Question
Location : 101 Monroe St Rockville MD 20850 USA
Job Type: Permanent
Job Number: 2025-00238
Department: Office of Human Resources
Division: OHR 33 Strategic Communications
Opening Date: 04/01/2025
Closing Date: 4/8/2025 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt
About the Position
This position is available only to employees of Montgomery County Government interested in applying for a temporary promotion through a competitive process.
Please note that the department has the discretion to either convert the promotion from a temporary to a permanent one without further competition OR to fill the position under a second competitive process.
WHO WE ARE
We are a highly motivated, versatile, and people-oriented team dedicated to serving our community by hiring, training, and retaining a well-qualified, high-performing, diverse, and inclusive workforce to serve over one million County residents. We serve 10,000 employees in 35 different departments and 6,000 retirees. We promote positive management/union relationships in coordination with our four union organizations. We value diversity, inclusion, and equity for all employees.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) is looking for a Strategic Communications Manager (Community Outreach Manager) to lead a dynamic team of professionals who are responsible for our communications strategies and customer service initiatives. Join us as we shape the future of engagement, connection, and choice for public-sector employees!
This job is for you if:
- You are passionate about HR innovation and care about the customer experience.
- You are eager to lead and be part of transformative work to develop and engage the County's workforce.
- You are a data wonk and use communication analytics to build a culture of continuous improvement.
- You possess strong communication skills, stakeholder management techniques, and robust writing skills and can leverage these to create compelling campaigns to promote County jobs, functions, and resources.
What You'll Be Doing
As the Strategic Communications Manager, you'll be leading the work of the Strategic Communications team, within the Division for Policy, Practice & Strategic Communications. You'll drive internal and external communications, plan for key initiatives, and serve as a key architect of OHR's strategic outreach effort. You'll expand our customer service approach, streamline our customer service delivery, and improve online self-service platforms. You'll build bridges between OHR and our business partners, as well as our diverse community of employees, candidates and stakeholders while accomplishing these major duties:
- Lead and develop a high-performing communications and customer service team
- Shape and execute comprehensive communications strategies that bring our HR initiatives to life
- Manage our digital presence across web and social media platforms
- Drive community outreach programs to strengthen our employer brand
- Oversee our customer service operations, ensuring exceptional support for employees and candidates
- Spearhead strategic projects that enhance the HR experience
- Lead change management and engagement initiatives
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Extensive (seven (7) years) professional administrative experience in the area of public relations, human resources management, change management or related field.
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in human resources management, business administration, industrial psychology, public administration, or related field.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:
- Strong technical writing and group facilitation skills
- Demonstrated experience in community outreach, communications and/or marketing
- Proven track record in customer service delivery and leadership
- Experience in the development and implementation of comprehensive communication and change management strategies, including experiencewith utilizing both paid and organic media.
- Exceptional project management skills, especially in collaboration with varied stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to lead the work of successful teams
Please be sure your resume includes relevant experience in these areas.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at OHR@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Leave Benefits
Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.
Retirement Benefits
All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.
Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness
Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.
Free Mass Transit Benefit
County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.
Reduced Child and Health Care Costs
Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.
Employee Wellbeing
We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.
Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
01
What is your highest level of completed education?
- N/A
- High School/GED
- Associate's Degree
- Bachelor's Degree
- Master's Degree
- Juris Doctor
- Doctorate
02
Do you have a degree in Public or Business Administration, Human Resources Management, Industrial Psychology, or related field?
- Yes
- No
03
How many years of professional administrative experience do you have in the area of public relations, human resources management, change management or related field?
- Less than a Year of Experience
- 1 Year Experience
- 2 Year's Experience
- 3 Year's Experience
- 4 Year's Experience
- 5 Year's Experience
- 6 Year's Experience
- 7 Years Experience
- 8 Years Experience
- 9 Years Experience
- 10 Years Experience
- 11+ Years Experience
04
Are you a current Montgomery County Government employee?
- Yes
- No
05
Please provide details of your experience with strong technical writing and group facilitation skills.
06
Please provide details of your experience in community outreach, communications and/or marketing.
07
Please provide details of your project management experience, especially in collaboration with varied stakeholders.
08
Please provide details of your experience leading the work of successful teams.
Required Question