Deputy Communications Director - Marketing & Comm Specialist IV - DCPHR.

About the role

The position reports to the Division Communications Director and serves as the second-in-command communications leader for DCPHR. This position directly assists the Division Communications Director in overseeing, managing, and leading communications for DCPHR and serves as interim Division Communications Director when the Division Communications Director is unavailable.

Responsibilities

• Ensuring high-risk, high-profile, politically sensitive, or reputationally sensitive media inquiries and proposed responses are escalated to and coordinated with the DCPHR Division Director, DCPHR Communications Director and the Senior Director of External Affairs and Communications prior to public release.
• Writing and editing press releases, media advisories, media responses, and media pitches.
• Responding to media inquiries in a timely manner.
• Collaborating with the CDPHE Office of Communications to ensure all media materials align with the Governor’s Office and agency executive priorities.
• Coordination with subject matter experts to draft and revise talking points for DCPHR and CDPHE spokespersons.
• Updating the DCPHR and CDPHE media trackers, coordination of media interviews, crisis communications, interview preparation for DCPHR spokespersons.
• Represents DCPHR in department-wide communications coordination efforts led by the Office of Communications, including strategic planning, emergency coordination, risk escalation, and enterprise communications alignment activities, as needed and required.
• Serves as the primary deputy to the Division Communications Director, assisting in the management and oversight of the daily operations of the communications unit.
• Affords full authority and responsibility of the Division Communications Director in their absence, representing the Division in meetings and emergency response activations.
• Ensures communications plans, messaging, and public-facing materials align with department-wide communications protocols, division and executive priorities, and enterprise communications strategies established through the Office of Communications.
• Develops and implements comprehensive communication plans for disease outbreaks, public health initiatives, and divisional programs.
• Provides high-level strategic guidance and review of content and graphics for all platforms (web, social media, reports) to ensure consistency, brand alignment, and technical accuracy.
• Coordinates with DCPHR internal partners and external stakeholders (local health departments, federal partners) to ensure collaborative public health messaging.
• Ensures messaging is synchronized across internal communications, external websites, and stakeholder communications to maintain a “one-voice” approach.
• Applies the CDPHE Communications Framework, including an eighth-grade reading level for plain language, AP Style, and inclusivity standards.
• Ensures all public-facing content adheres strictly to Colorado’s digital accessibility laws and best practices.
• Fosters a culture of “no surprises,” ensuring that DCPHR leadership and department executives are briefed on high-profile content before publication.
• Coach staff on creative problem-solving to resolve conflicts between accuracy and plain language.
• Reinforces adherence to CDPHE communications protocols, escalation pathways, and executive coordination expectations across assigned staff and projects.
• Coordinates with the Division Director, DCPHR Communications Director and Senior Director of External Affairs and Communications regarding communications priorities, enterprise alignment, and emerging communications risks impacting DCPHR, as needed.
• Assigns work, monitors workflow and progress to verify quality and quantity of services and products meets standards, timeliness, and contributes to accomplishing the unit’s work plan objectives.
• Implements methods, procedures, and processes to improve workflow and productivity.
• Maintains employee performance, provides feedback and coaching to staff on work and projects, and contributes to each assigned employee’s performance plans and evaluations.
• Reviews attendance, workplace behavior, communication, and competencies with employee on a regular basis.
• Identifies training needs to communicate to the supervisor and provides training as needed.

Requirements

• Seven (7) years of relevant experience in leading communication planning, writing and editing press releases, public relations with elected officials. media relations to promote and advance the missions of the organization or in an occupation related to the work assigned.
• A combination of related education in public relations, journalism, marketing or communications and/or relevant experience in leading communication planning, writing and editing press releases, public relations with elected officials. media relations to promote and advance the missions of the organization or in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to seven (7) years.
• Experience with public health communication.
• Experience managing a high volume of rapid-turnaround media inquiries under tight deadlines.
• Experience working with multiple competing priorities.
• Experience working with diverse groups and general public.
• Experience supporting community partnerships.
• Experience with digital engagement platforms, analytics and communications tools.
• Experience collaborating with executives, business stakeholders.
• Experience with contingency planning to adapt and prioritize multiple competing priorities.

Qualifications

• Residency Requirement: (New) This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Skills

• Public health communication.
• Leading communication planning.
• Writing and editing press releases.
• Media relations.
• Collaboration with subject matter experts.
• Coordination with the CDPHE Office of Communications.
• Representation in department-wide communications coordination efforts.
• Ensuring communications plans, messaging, and public-facing materials align with department-wide communications protocols.
• Development and implementation of comprehensive communication plans.
• High-level strategic guidance and review of content and graphics.
• Coordination with DCPHR internal partners and external stakeholders.
• Ensuring messaging is synchronized across internal communications, external websites, and stakeholder communications.
• Application of the CDPHE Communications Framework.
• Ensuring all public-facing content adheres strictly to Colorado’s digital accessibility laws and best practices.
• Fostering a culture of “no surprises.”
• Coach staff on creative problem-solving.
• Reinforcing adherence to CDPHE communications protocols.
• Coordination with the Division Director, DCPHR Communications Director and Senior Director of External Affairs and Communications.
• Assigning work, monitoring workflow and progress.
• Implementing methods, procedures, and processes to improve workflow and productivity.
• Maintaining employee performance.
• Providing feedback and coaching to staff.
• Identifying training needs.

Benefits

• Free parking and access to RTD bus lines.
• Retirement (PERA options).
• Medical and dental health plans.
• Defined Benefit Plan or the PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus optional 401K and 457 plans.
• Paid life insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability coverage.
• 11 paid holidays per year and generous personal time off.
• Tuition assistance.
• Wellness programs.
• Professional development opportunities on a wide variety of subjects.
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system.
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

Pay

N/A

Schedule

N/A