Deputy Communications Director - Marketing & Comm Specialist IV - DCPHR

About the role

The Disease Control and Public Health Response Division (DCPHR) ensures the Department and the State of Colorado can effectively prepare for, monitor, detect, diagnose, investigate, and respond to conditions that impact public health. The DCPHR Communications Unit provides a full range of internal and external communications support services across the division.

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.
• Representing 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.
• Assumes 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.
• Provides guidance to staff on assignments and projects, monitors status of project progress.
• Establishes work schedules.
• Reviews attendance, workplace behavior, communication, and competencies with employees 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 to this position.
• 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.

Qualifications

• 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.

Skills

• Strategic planning and execution.
• Public relations and media relations.
• Content creation and editing.
• Media relations and crisis communications coordination.
• Stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
• Communication planning and implementation.
• Public health communication.
• Executive communications support.
• Contingency planning and prioritization.

Benefits

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. For more information, go to: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/pslfFlow.action#!/pslf/launch

Pay

Details on pay will be provided upon hire.

Schedule

Details on schedule will be provided upon hire.