PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE III

BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

PUBLIC RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE III

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY

Marketing Department

Number of Positions: 2

(additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)

Starting Salary: $73,140

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CST on 04/2/2025

This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City's collective bargaining agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) - BARGAINING UNITS 1, 3, 4 & 5. Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

BID INSTRUCTIONS: Apply on the bid site: https://chicago.taleo.net/careersection/103/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en AND

1. Check the box on your profile titled "Currently employed by the City of Chicago"

2. Enter your employee ID (located on your pay stub labeled 'payee/employee number')

3. Select your correct bargaining unit

FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RESULT IN A REJECTED BID APPLICATION

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

The position involves, but not limited to, five areas of focus: External Audiences (Public Relations, Media Relations, Social Media and Advertising) Team Leadership & Supervision. Supervises and provides direction to a team of public relations professionals (PR Rep II) managing media relations, social media, email marketing and advertising. Assigns projects, monitors workload, and evaluates team performance. Public & Media Relations. Develops and maintains relationships with local and national media outlets to secure press coverage. Plans and supervises the preparation of news articles, press releases and media advisories. Pitches stories to journalists, bloggers and influencers to enhance the library's visibility. Organizes and supports press conferences, media events and interviews. Social media & Digital Engagement. Organizes and manages the development and execution of social media campaigns to enhance audience engagement. Develops content strategies that align with brand messaging and audience interests. Supervises and the creation of graphics, videos and multimedia content for digital platforms. Monitors social media analytics and trends to adjust strategies for better reach and impact. Develops guidelines for response strategies on digital platforms. Advertising & Promotional Campaigns. Plans and manages advertising campaigns, including digital ads, print ads, and sponsored content. Identifies new markets and opportunities to expand the library's brand presence. Works with agencies, vendors, and media partners to optimize campaign performance. Analyzes advertising data to assess ROI and inform future strategies. Brand Management & Public Engagement Ensures brand consistency across all public-facing communications. Develops talking points, key messages, and promotional materials for public events. Oversees the creation of newsletters and external email marketing campaigns. Coordinates marketing efforts to support library programs, initiatives, and events. Monitors media coverage and public sentiment to maintain the library's positive reputation. Analytics & Reporting. Tracks and analyzes media coverage and campaign performance to measure impact. Uses insights from PR and social media data to inform future strategies. Prepares reports on PR activities, earned media coverage, and advertising effectiveness.

Internal Audiences (Staff Communication, Internal Messaging, Organizational Alignment) Internal Communications & Messaging. Develops internal communication materials, including talking points, FAQs and internal memos. Writes and manages staff-facing emails, ensuring clear and consistent messaging. Ensures leadership messages and organizational updates are effectively communicated across departments. Staff Engagement & Support. Works with leadership and department heads to align internal communications with organizational goals. Develops resources to help staff communicate key initiatives and policies to the public. Facilitates internal messaging for new programs, policies, and strategic initiatives. Crisis Communication & Reputation Management. Prepares internal messaging for crisis situations, ensuring timely and clear communication to staff. Develops response plans for sensitive issues that may impact public perception.

LOCATION: 400 S. State St. -Chicago Public Library

DAYS OFF: Saturday and Sunday

SHIFT: Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm or 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

HOURS: 37.5 hours per week to be scheduled during normal unit hours

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in journalism, Communications, English or a directly related field, plus three years of experience in the preparation and dissemination of public information; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

This position requires applicants to complete an interview which will include a skills assessment as part of the interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview will be selected.

Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:

INTERNAL AUDIENCES

* Experience managing internal communications

* Bachelor's degree in Communications

* Bi-lingual in Spanish

* Experience working in a library, government or non-profit organizations

EXTERNAL AUDIENCES

* Proficiency with ad placements and Meta Ads Manager

* Bachelor's degree in Communications

* Experience with local and national media outlets

* Related supervisory experience

* Bi-lingual in Spanish

* Natural interest in storytelling

* Experience working in a library, government or non-profit organizations

For information about City of Chicago employee benefits, please click here

For information about City of Chicago salaries and job titles, please click here

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on the information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resources staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow all required employment/hiring plan provisions, federal, state, and local laws, and collective bargaining agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience, the City of Chicago has adopted ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States, residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA), and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. The learn more about our hiring processes, please click here.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago in an Equal Employment Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor