Job Description
POSITION: Public Information Officer
OFFICE: Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (MOLA)
OPEN: August 1, 2025
CLOSED: August 22, 2025
GRADE: Excepted Service, Grade 5 (ES-5)
SALARY: $72,586.32
This is an Excepted Service position. Selected candidate must be a District resident or establish residency within 180 days of hire.
Current District of Columbia residents will receive priority and advanced preference for screening and interviews. background
This position is located in the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (MOLA) under the jurisdiction of the Executive Office of the Mayor. The mission of MOLA is to ensure that the Latino community has full access to quality health, education, employment, and social services in the District. The overall goal is to improve on the quality of life for Latino residents of our nation's capital by working with DC Government agencies and community-based organizations to fulfill the Mandate of MOLA, including the "Language Access Act of 2004". For more information about MOLA, please click here:
The Public Information Officer is responsible for managing the creation and implementation of strategic communications for the Mayor, MOLA, and the District of Columbia to engage, empower, and improve the quality of life for Latino constituents. Working with the Executive Office of the Mayor Communications team and with MOLA leadership, the Public Information Officer will use a variety of tools and strategies to ensures the presentation of a strong and positive message to the public regarding the Administration’s policies and programs.
Major duties
- Establish and maintain excellent relationships with local and regional media outlets, including print and broadcast journalists, and bloggers; respond to media inquiries; proactively engage with local and regional media to pitch stories.
- Plan, direct, and execute a comprehensive public information strategy on the initiatives and functions of the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs; collaborate with senior leadership to plan and develop goals and objectives for implementing long and short-term communications.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with District government agencies and community partners.
- Analyze communications issues and advise the Director and Director of Operations on public perceptions to the Administration's programs and activities.
- Develop, manage, and send the MOLA newsletter in English and Spanish.
- Develop and utilize a variety of communication outlets to inform and engage the public in MOLA's mission, values, and programs.
- Evaluate communications efforts and achievements, recommending appropriate modifications.
- Create briefing memos, talking points, articles, websites, social media postings, and other communications on a wide variety of issues.
- Use feedback and evaluation systems to evaluate effectiveness of communications activities.
- Participate in senior staff meetings and serve on committees, as assigned by the Director.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Knowledge of the mission, goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and regulations of MOLA.
- Knowledge of the program services provided through MOLA and other partnering agencies.
- Mastery of the principles, methods, and techniques of effective communications.
- Mastery of the methods, practices, and procedures used in public relations, marketing and research, mass media, advertising, special interest groups, community relations, and government relations, as they relate to large organized projects and initiatives.
- Strong analytical, strategic, and creative skills to develop and implement public outreach programs; and skill in developing strategies to disseminate information.
- Superior ability to work well under pressure and meet tough deadlines in a fast paced, demanding environment.
- Ability to effectively develop, organize, and present ideas and concepts to diverse groups, including government officials, journalists, analysts, and District residents.
- Superior writing, verbal and presentation skills.
- Strong, persuasive, compelling, and engaging writing skills, in order to convey information concerning complex programs and functions to public individuals having diverse levels of understanding of the agency's programs and activities.
- Superior skill in responding orally to criticism of the agency’s functions or performance; and to logically and effectively explain programs, functions, and activities, in order for the public to gain an understanding of the agency's efforts.
- Superior skill and ability to formulate, articulate, and coordinate an overall communications program that integrates departmental issues and conveys complex information regarding policies, programs, and decisions.
- Superior interpersonal relationship skills to serve as the principal advisor and authority on communication issues for the agency and to work with the senior leaders to address problem solving through communications.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum three (3) years of experience in public relations, communications, public policy, or a related field.
- Demonstrated connections to and past interactions with members of the local and regional press corps.
- Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Work environment
The work is performed primarily in-person in an office setting. Time in the field is frequently required for related events.
SPECIAL NOTE - SECURITY SENSITIVE
This position is deemed security sensitive. The incumbent of this position will be subject to enhanced suitability screening pursuant to Chapter 4 of DC Personnel Regulations, Suitability – Security Sensitive.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT
There is a legal requirement that each new appointee to the Excepted Service either:
- be a District of Columbia resident at the time of appointment; or
- become a District resident within one hundred eighty (180) days of appointment.
The law also requires that Excepted Service employees remain District residents during the duration of the individual’s appointment. Failure to remain a District resident for the duration of the appointment will result in forfeiture of employment.
If you are interested in this role, please upload your resume and answer the questionnaire. Only the candidates deemed most suited for the position based on resume will receive a call to schedule further discussion.
Job Tags
Full time, Temporary work, Work at office, Local area,