Consultant - Strategic Communications

Company Description:

Raftelis helps local governments and utilities thrive by providing management consulting expertise to help transform local governments and utilities. We’ve helped more than 700 organizations in the last year alone. We work in all areas of management consulting including finance, assessment, communications, technology, executive recruitment, and strategic planning.

We’re proud to share that Raftelis has been certified as a Great Place to Work®! 93% of our employees say it is a great place to work, compared to 57% of employees at a typical US-based company. As one of our employees said, “at Raftelis, we maintain a great balance between hard work and allowing staff to focus on their lives outside of work. We also have a strong culture where people genuinely care about each other, and leadership is committed to doing what's best for both our employees and the firm”.

Job Summary:

Working fairly independently within a remote team, the Strategic Communications Consultant provides exceptional service to clients in the water/wastewater/stormwater utility and municipal sectors on a variety of projects. The primary work is to develop customized strategic communication and outreach plans that help clients meet their goals, whatever they may be, such as getting a rate increase passed by a city council; or getting support for a large infrastructure project; or helping a client manage a social media firestorm. The work is varied and challenging and requires you to support clients in assessing the problem or challenge and helping develop the right set of strategies to successfully meet that challenge.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Support clients in the development of communication and outreach strategies and tactics that solve their most pressing problems. This includes conducting market research, program assessments, communication planning, community engagement, traditional and social media relations, public participation techniques, risk and crisis communications, presentations, facts sheets, and more.
• Apply technical writing skills to translate complex concepts into consumer-friendly marketing materials, documents, and presentations.
• Support the Strategic Communications team and other firm Project Managers in the development and execution of project work.
• Create content for client deliverables and for internal and external marketing efforts.
• Participate in the preparation of presentations.
• Work with graphic design staff to produce communications materials.
• Contribute to the firm’s continued success by actively engaging in both the utility and public sector to build your personal reputation, and Raftelis’ reputation as a trusted expert in your field.
• Maintain effective, professional attributes while working with clients and colleagues.
• Develop and maintain a keen understanding of market trends affecting clients.
• Contribute to the growth of the Strategic Communications practice within Raftelis by building relationships with employees, and showcasing the value of the work we do.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in public relations, communications, political science, journalism, marketing, business, environmental science, or other related fields
• 3+ years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communication and outreach
• Experience in the utility or public works sector, and/or local government
• Exceptional communication skills including writing, public speaking, and meeting facilitation
• Proven experience using various public participation and engagement techniques
• Proven ability to conduct proactive and self-directed work
• Experience managing traditional and social media, and digital marketing
• Diligent, enthusiastic, and team-player
• Positive attitude, entrepreneurial, and customer service oriented
• Comfortable working remotely and connecting with clients and coworkers using a variety of virtual tools and software
• Willingness to travel overnight (up to 25% of the time)

Preferences:

• Masters degree in a related field
• Experience in consulting
• Accreditation in public relations (APR) or willingness to obtain accreditation
• Formal training and/or certification in public participation (IAP2)
• While this position can be based anywhere in the U.S., we would prefer a candidate located in California, Texas or Florida

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. We will consider any equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

Rewards:

Working for a values-based organization focused on growth with an exceptional reputation in its industry, employees receive competitive compensation and excellent benefits that include:

• 100% Company paid medical (50% paid dependent medical) and dental benefits
• Health Savings Account with company contributions
• Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Vision Insurance
• Company paid Life and Disability Insurance and Employee Assistance Program
• Discretionary paid time off program and education reimbursement program
• 401(k) with company contributions
• Long term care benefits
• Pet insurance

The salary range for the Consultant position is $75k to $100k. Compensation depends on education, experience, and location.

Additional Information:

To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status. Raftelis uses E-VERIFY. Raftelis is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and our sincere belief in the dignity of each employee, it is our policy to prohibit discrimination or harassment based on of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, domestic partnership status, familial status, parental status, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, or related condition, including but not limited to lactation, age, disability, genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, volunteer rescue squad worker status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Raftelis is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment. To request a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Lisa Wilson, Director of Human Resources at 704-910-8961.

To learn more about Raftelis and apply, please visit www.raftelis.com.