View All Class Specifications

Planning Program Specialist

Category: Classified/Excluded
Pay Grade: C24
Job Code: 06148

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described.  Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

JOB SUMMARY

This is professional and administrative communication and public relations planning work in the support of Forward Pinellas. An employee in this class will be involved in the development and implementation of the strategic communication plan, including implementation of communication and outreach activities. Incumbent will be responsible for the development and execution of communications plans for various Forward Pinellas activities, and the administration and engagement of Forward Pinellas’ social media presence. The position will support the MPO’s Title VI Civil Rights compliance responsibilities. Incumbent performs a wide range of tasks and assignments involving a high degree of independence, sound judgment, initiative, and administrative capabilities related to departmental activities.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (examples, not all inclusive)

• Develops and executes strategic communications plan for Forward Pinellas and for individual activities;
• Administers and engages Forward Pinellas’ social media presence;
• Leads activities of subordinate planners, technical personnel, and aides;
• Edits and drafts blog posts;
• Supports the MPO’s Title VI Civil Rights compliance responsibilities;
• Prepares and delivers presentations to various public and private organizations and disseminates planning information to the public;
• Prepares video storyboards and provides direction for digital storytelling activities;
• Prepares correspondence pertaining to the planning program;
• Performs website management (blog included);
• Performs data processing related duties, including using available statistical packages or programs, encoding data, data entry and retrieval, and routine computer terminal operations and programming/reprogramming;
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, communications, public administration or related field plus two (2) years of professional experience; as described; or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience.

Special Qualifications (May be required depending on area of assignment):

• Florida Driver’s License or Florida Commercial Driver’s License and endorsement, if any.
• Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.
• Other highly desirable knowledge, skills, abilities, and credentials required for a specific position.
  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and methods of public planning;
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of civil engineering and architecture as applied to public planning;
• Knowledge of economics, municipal finance and sociology as applied to public planning;
• Knowledge of modern office procedures, practices, and appliances;
• Ability to direct and participate in complex planning studies and to analyze information and formulate substantive recommendations based upon such studies;
• Ability to interpret laws, rules and regulations in government plans;
• Ability to direct work to others and present ideas and findings clearly and concisely in written, oral or graphic form;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with department heads, outside agencies and the public.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS

This work which requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force to move objects.  Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Mental acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Repetitive motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Visual acuity: Have close visual acuity such as color differentiation, depth perception, and adequate field vision.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is typically performed in a dynamic environment that requires sensitivity to changing goals, priorities, and needs.