Communications Director (Legislative Senior Aide I, Grade N18)

Key Responsibilities but not limited to:

• Advise the Councilmember and Chief of Staff on communications strategy, audience, timing, message, platform, opportunity, and risk; bring forward clear recommendations rather than waiting for detailed direction.
• Translate legislative initiatives, committee leadership, budget decisions, constituent priorities, and the S.M.A.R.T. agenda into accessible, accurate communications that explain why the work matters and how it benefits the local community.
• Develop and manage an integrated communications plan, editorial calendar, and production schedule that balances planned campaigns with rapid-response needs and competing office deadlines.
• Independently, draft and edit speeches, talking points, statements, press releases, media advisories, newsletters, website content, constituent communications, presentations, opinion pieces, and briefing materials.
• Create, schedule, publish, and evaluate platform-appropriate social media, graphics, photography, short-form video, reels, captions, scripts, email content, and printed materials.
• Lead media relations by pitching stories, responding to inquiries, preparing the Councilmember for interviews, monitoring coverage, maintaining relationships, and identifying opportunities for timely amplification or correction.

• Support press conferences, public appearances, community meetings, and office events through advance planning, messaging, media coordination, on-site content capture, and prompt follow-up.
• Work across the office to gather facts, confirm policy and legislative context, coordinate approvals, anticipate communications needs, and ensure staff responsibilities and deadlines remain clear.
• Engage County departments, Council offices, community organizations, businesses, residents, and other stakeholders to communicate initiatives accurately and elevate relevant community voices.
• Use analytics and audience feedback to assess performance, strengthen reach and engagement, and recommend adjustments to strategy.
• Maintain accuracy, accessibility, brand consistency, confidentiality, public-records compliance, and appropriate approval protocols; escalate material risks, uncertainties, or delays early under the office's no-surprises standard.
• Support the Councilmember's Economic Development portfolio through research, constituent correspondence, stakeholder coordination, issue tracking, briefings, and related public information.
• Participate in evening and weekend meetings, community events, and time-sensitive communications as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to manage digital platforms, create multimedia content, communicate complex information clearly, exercise sound judgment, and meet short deadlines.
• Four or more years of progressively responsible, hands-on communications experience in government, legislative affairs, public policy, advocacy, political communications, journalism, public relations, or another high-volume public-facing environment.
• Independent ownership of communications strategy and production across social media, websites, newsletters, email, graphics, photography, video, speeches, media materials, presentations, and live events.
• A record of proactively identifying communications opportunities, translating complex policy or legislative work for diverse audiences, and producing accurate, publication-ready work with limited substantive revision.
• Strong project management, editorial planning, writing, proofreading, analytics, accessibility, and rapid-response skills, including sound judgment in sensitive or fast-changing situations.

• Knowledge of Montgomery County, local government, economic development, public health, housing, environmental policy, or other issues relevant to the Councilmember's priorities.

Application and Selection

Submit a resume, professional references, a cover letter of no more than one page, and three work samples that demonstrate strategic communications, policy translation, and hands-on multimedia production. 

The cover letter should identify one communications opportunity the applicant recognized and advanced with limited direction, explain the applicant's personal role, and describe the result. Applicants should distinguish work they personally created from work they supervised, commissioned, or approved.

Finalists may complete a timed exercise requiring them to translate a legislative or policy briefing into a communications strategy and publication-ready products, prioritize competing demands, identify facts or risks requiring escalation, and revise the work after feedback.