Communications Manager

Communications Manager

The City of San Mateo invites your application for the Communications Manager opportunity!

Why Join Our City?

The City of San Mateo is home to a collaborative team of skilled professionals and provides great benefits and retirement packages to care for its employees. The City Manager's Office (the Office) provides leadership and support throughout the organization to ensure the City Council's initiatives and programs are executed and that high-quality service is consistently delivered to the community and other departments. Our program areas include Communications, Economic Development, Sustainability, Goal-setting, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Volunteerism and have a community-wide impact. The team within the Office works closely together to assist in the success of each program. The Communications Manager plays a vital role in sharing critical information about what is happening in San Mateo and in engaging the community to help ensure everyone has a way to contribute to what happens within their city.

Collaboration, accountability, innovation, respect, creativity, transparency, constructive leadership, and inclusivity are attributes that we are seeking in the candidates.

Look to some of the reasons why the City of San Mateo is a great place to work : https : / / www.youtube.com / watch?v=_GTIzeSpc_g

What You'll Do

The Communications Manager will hone and execute the City of San Mateo's communication strategy, which will include key actions to enhance community engagement and participation, increase community awareness about City activities and initiatives, foster cross-departmental coordination and unity, standardize media response procedures, improve the website user experience, and standardize training and onboarding for new communications staff. You will work with our internal team to ensure current, high-quality communications products are available. The Communications Manager reports to the Assistant City Manager and may receive direction from the City Manager, has direct supervisory responsibilities, and will lead collaborative teams.

Some duties may include :

• Lead the City's social media efforts and cross departmental social media team; develop and coordinate implementation of the City's social media strategy, policies and presence and monitor the City's online reputation.
• Develop and implement an integrated strategic communication plan to advance the City's brand identity and broaden awareness of its programs, priorities and accomplishments; ensure communication strategies are consistent with the City's strategic plan and vision.
• Create and manage a decentralized communications team to support the departments' communications needs and the development and execution of the communications strategy.
• Anticipate and identify challenges and emerging issues faced by the organization; work with the senior management team and staff to recognize communications opportunities and design and execute appropriate strategies to address them.
• Develop and oversee mechanisms to measure the success and continuously improve the quality of the City's communications.
• Oversee development and dissemination of print communications (including the annual report, marketing collateral materials) and electronic communications (including the City's website, social media and new media) and manage relationships with associated vendors.
• Serve as spokesperson and lead contact on media interactions; build and manage press relationships to achieve accurate coverage of City events, public announcements, projects and programs.
• Prepare talking points, presentations, speeches and other supporting material as needed.
• Manage the City's website, including content strategy, integrated messaging, creative direction and analytics.
• Collaborate with departments to plan and coordinate public meetings, surveys and other outreach efforts to better understand community views regarding potential City decisions, satisfaction with City services and preferences for engaging with the City.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

What You Need

Knowledge of :

Ability to :

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be :

Highly Desirable Qualifications (not required)

Are You Ready? Apply.

Submit an online application, resume, and video presentation (to screen for Best Qualified) at https : / / www.calopps.org / city-of-san-mateo or to the Human Resources Department, City of San Mateo, 330 W. 20th Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94403, (650) 522-7260.

Application Deadline : Recruitment will close on October 3, 2025, at 5 : 00 p.m.

Examination Process : All applications received will be reviewed for minimum qualifications. A fully completed application is required; a resume does not replace the information required on the employment application, including work history. Applications with "see rsum" as a substitution for the work experience description, those with none or unclear current / past employment information, or those with insufficient information to evaluate possession of minimum qualifications will not be considered; missing information cannot be assumed. Additionally, as a part of the application process, we require candidates to submit a resume and a practical demonstration of skill and ability (see Screening for Best Qualified for more details). A limited number of the most highly qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the examination process, which may consist of an oral panel interview, written exercise, or in the form of another practical demonstration of skill and ability, or any combination of these; an in-person panel interview is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2025.

An employment list will be established for those who pass the examination process. Current and future vacancies may be filled from this list. The list will remain in effect for at least six months with the possibility of an extension for an additional six months. Once placed on an employment list, and at the time a vacancy occurs, eligible candidates may be contacted by the hiring department and scheduled for additional department interviews.

What We Offer