Title: Public Engagement Specialist

Division: Transportation

LJA recognizes that our success depends on the quality of the people we hire. We are currently seeking highly talented individuals that take pride in their work, function exceptionally well in team environments, and contribute to the overall success of the company. As a 100% employee-owned company, we promote an entrepreneurial spirit that helps drive the bottom line and the long-term professional and financial success of our employees. With more than 50 office locations, LJA is growing and ready for talented people to help us build our future.

Summary: LJA is seeking a Senior Public Engagement & Communications Specialist to serve our Southwest Region marketplace. The position will focus on developing and implementing strategic communications and engagement plans for our public agency transportation clients during the planning, design, and construction phases of projects.

The candidate should be organized and able to manage multiple tasks and projects within defined scopes, schedules, and budgets. The candidate should be collaborative and effectively work with project managers, client teams, graphic designers, and other staff involved in the delivery of outreach activities.

The candidate should have demonstrated experience developing strategic communications plans, facilitating meetings, working with the public and stakeholders, developing collateral materials, organizing events, and managing various online and social media platforms. Experience with equitable engagement strategies and relationship-building best practices is a must.

What You'll Do:

• Develops and helps implement effective dissemination of outreach materials, facts and information on project messaging and supports client activities to stakeholders according to the public outreach plan including external agencies, associations, and news organizations using print, periodicals, radio, social and/or visual communication media.
• Reviews and refines records and reports related to public involvement meetings, forums and public hearings as well as tracks social engagement and other digital strategies as needed.
• Drafts speeches, creates and designs presentation materials, prepares remarks, briefing documents and/or composes correspondence for use in mailings, meetings, workshops and other public events.
• Responsible for initial fact checking for reports, articles, and other publications.
• Develops and implements digital strategies for use on web-based communications, including but not limited to websites and social channels.
• Helps develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and reviews draft reports to indicate a campaign's milestones.
• Supports coordination efforts for public meetings and engagements to best support outreach and initiative goals.
• Interacts with clients to coordinate implementation of communication programs and goals.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

What You'll Need:

• Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Marketing, Communications, English, Journalism or related field and 6 years of relevant experience, or
• In lieu of education, 10 years of relevant experience

Primary Focus Will Include:

• Develop strategic communications and public engagement plans for transportation projects during the planning, design, and construction phases.
• Organize and facilitate public meetings, stakeholder workshops, and advisory committees.
• Oversee the preparation of a range of communication materials including presentations, newsletters, factsheets, brochures, and information displays in coordination with graphic designers.
• Utilize a range of online engagement tools including surveys, websites, and social media.
• Manage the scheduling and logistics of public engagement activities.
• Oversee the timely dissemination of project information and notifications.
• Interface with the public, stakeholders, and local officials to build trust and answer questions in a timely manner.
• Communicate with project teams and clients to report on the progress of the engagement plan.
• Travel primarily within Wisconsin will be required.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills:

• 8 years of related experience
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Public involvement, media relations and community engagement expertise