Senior Internal Communications Specialist

Salary range is $61k to $155k, with a midpoint of $108k. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a - 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b - up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.
• Compensation Practices: We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you'll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

GENERAL PURPOSE:

The Senior Internal Communications Specialist develops content for various internal channels and contributes to programs that keep our employees informed, inspired and connected to the agency's goals, mission and values. The Senior Internal Communication Specialist is responsible for producing the agency's bi-weekly employee newsletter and oversees the intranet's news content. They must possess excellent interpersonal, writing and editing skills, excel at building cross-functional relationships with internal partners, and be skilled at transforming complex information into meaningful messages for our employees.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Manages, edits, produces, and distributes the agency's bi-weekly employee newsletter.
• Leads and coordinates content planning for a bi-weekly employee newsletter with key agency partners.
• Creates and implements complex, multi-phased internal communications plans leveraging diverse channels in service to client, program, or project objectives, including intake meetings.
• Oversees the agency's intranet news content and prioritizes content placement.
• Writes, edits, and distributes content across channels including intranet pages, emails, internal newsletters, and presentations.
• Serves as an authoritative internal resource for agency editorial standards, including AP style, grammar, and branding requirements.
• Builds strong relationships with leadership, key partners, and employees to keep a pulse on employee engagement.
• Develops executive communications that maintains personal voice and aligns with the agency's external messaging.
• Provides consulting to internal clients on communications messaging, timing, and tactics.
• Provides editing support on internal documents such as guidelines, reports, handbooks and procedures.
• Provides content development support for quarterly all-staff meetings and other meetings and events as needed.
• Supports internal communications channels and programming as needed, including employee engagement events, all-staff meetings, etc.
• Maintains awareness of new trends and developments in the internal communications field and makes recommendations to keep the internal communications program relevant.
• Champions and models Sound Transit's core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit's Equity & Inclusion Policy.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communications, or closely related field. Four years of editorial and writing experience working in the journalism, marketing, or communications field; Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Associated Press style and plain talk standards.
• Advanced principles of research, writing, and editing.
• Non-idiomatic writing that improves the ease and quality of non-English translation.
• Microsoft products including Office 365 (Word, Excel, etc.) and SharePoint.
• Writing persuasively and succinctly on tight deadlines.
• Technical competence with Microsoft Office suite and online cloud editing tools.
• Senior level project management techniques and principles, including ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and organizing work to meet challenging priorites and deadlines.
• Process design and continuous process improvement.
• Cultural diversity and sensitivity.
• Principles of inclusion and respect.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other division staff, management, and vendors.
• Applying problem-solving techniques.
• Maintaining confidentiality and communicating with tact and diplomacy.
• Responding to inquiries in effective oral and written communication.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a standard hybrid office environment.
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  Must be able to design, format, and select images for internal communications and intranet, with or without reasonable accommodation.

  
  
• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or other protected class.