Community Relations Officer (Public Information Officer)

Salary : $119,500.37 - $179,250.66 Annually
Location : Camarillo, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number:
Department: City Manager
Opening Date: 11/10/2026
Closing Date: 12/6/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
THE POSITION

The Public Information Officer will oversee all City communications, performing technical communications tasks necessary to deliver transparent, accurate, timely and cohesive information to the public over a variety of public communications platforms, and in accordance with City Council policy.

The City of Camarillo is seeking a strategic, creative, collaborative communications professional with experience in public communications to join its Management Team. The ideal candidate will combine strong judgment and critical thinking with excellent writing, editing, and public speaking skills and a commitment to providing transparent, accurate, timely, and cohesive information about City services, policies, programs, and priorities. Working closely with the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and Department Directors, the successful candidate will develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy, advise City leadership on public messaging, and translate complex or sensitive topics into clear, accessible information for diverse audiences. This individual will be comfortable both leading communications efforts and personally creating content for the City's website, social media, newsletters, government television channel, news releases, and other communications platforms.

The Public Information Officer acts as the City's official spokesperson with the media and must be well-versed in composing and distributing press releases and coordinating press conferences and media events. This position represents the City before the news media, public and private sector officials on a variety of issues that impact the City's public awareness and education programs; speak at workshops, panel discussions and other events. This position performs complex, responsible, and varied professional duties. Incumbents are assigned and expected to independently complete the most complex and difficult analytical work on assignments having greater impact on departmental operations. Duties may include planning, coordinating, implementing, promoting, and overseeing programs, projects, and initiatives. The Public Information Officer provides guidance to City staff on messaging and communications standards and may supervise assigned professional, technical, or support staff. Fluency in English and Spanish is desirable.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS

Please click on this link to see the entire classification description:
EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING GUIDELINES
Any combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities may be considered.

Education and Experience:

Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in communications, journalism, political science, public policy, public administration, or related field. A Master's degree is desirable.

Experience: Five years of progressively responsible professional experience in public information, communications, journalism, public relations, or community engagement, including two years leading communications programs, projects, cross-department teams, assigned staff, or contractors in the public or private sector.

Desirable qualifications: Local government or other public agency experience. Experience with crisis communications, community engagement, and communications measurements. Ability to communicate effectively in English and Spanish is desirable.

Knowledge of:

• Principles, trends, methods, and techniques used in community relations, public information, and program education and promotion in a municipal government environment
• Organization and operation of municipal government and special districts, including the unique functions of the City of Camarillo and its nature as a "contract city" operating in cooperation with other special districts serving the same constituents
• Federal, State and local laws, rules, and regulations governing the disclosure of information by a public agency
• Communications theory and the effective explanation of complicated concepts to a general audience
• Emergency Operations Center functions and practices
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases
• Principles of business letter writing
• Principles and applications of critical thinking and analysis
• Principles and practices of public administration including working with elected and appointed officials
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Principles and practices of contract and procurement management

Ability to:

• Develop and implement comprehensive public information programs utilizing various forms of media
• Gather, assess, simplify and summarize information for public distribution
• Effectively utilize current and trending social media tools and applications
• Prepare comprehensive reports, correspondence, press releases, information and promotion packages and news articles
• Manage a variety of complex and challenging projects simultaneously to completion
• Exercise judgment, initiative, decisiveness, and creativity necessary in situations involving the direction, control and planning of multiple programs, and in critical or unexpected situations involving considerable risk or loss to the City
• Establish and maintain effective professional relationships with those contacted in the course of work
• Communicate and interact effectively, persuasively, tactfully, positively both verbally and in writing with the public, media representatives, City staff, elected officials, and with other public agencies serving Camarillo residents and businesses, including California State University Channel Islands
• Operate a variety of office equipment including computers and associated word processing applications
• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, and City policies affecting public information, and recommend procedures that support compliance.

• Identify and respond to community and organizational issues, concerns, and needs
• Work under steady pressure with frequent interruptions and a high degree of public contact by phone and in person
• Exercise good judgment and maintain confidentiality in maintaining critical and sensitive information, records, and reports
• Effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public
• Maintain a professional demeanor and appearance in order to effectively represent the City of Camarillo
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• Establish and maintain effective professional working relationships with those contacted in the course of work
• Analyze a variety of complex administrative problems and make sound policy and procedural recommendations
• Provide functional direction and feedback on communications work and, when assigned, supervise and evaluate staff.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; and to verbally communicate to exchange information.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting; some travel to other locations to attend meetings.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Communication regarding your application and/or status will be sent to the email address listed on your application. Please check your email and spam regularly throughout the recruitment process. You may also log into your governmentjobs.com account to view the correspondence.

FOR FIRST CONSIDERATION, CITY APPLICATION AND RESPONSES TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE LISTED CLOSING DATE AND TIME. TENTATIVE FIRST ROUND INTERVIEWS WILL BE HELD THE WEEK OF JANUARY 4 AND FINAL INTERVIEWS THE WEEK OF JANUARY 11.

• Retirement - All regular employees are enrolled in CalPERS. "Classic" members: 2% @ 55; City pays the employee contribution. "PEPRA" members: 2% @ 62; employee contributes 8.25% of salary.
• Social Security - The City does not participate in Social Security. Receiving a CalPERS benefit may affect your Social Security upon retirement. For further information contact a Social Security office or www.socialsecurity.gov/form1945.
• Medicare - Employees hired after April 1, 1986 are required to contribute 1.45% of earnings, with an equal amount paid by the City.
• Defined Contribution - The City contributes 7% of employee's gross salary to a 401a Plan.
• Deferred Compensation - Employees have the option to contribute to a 457 Plan up to the maximum allowed by law.
• Health Insurance - The City contributes $162 per month towards a selection of plans. Health insurance is effective the first of the month after date of hire.
• Flex Benefit/Cafeteria Plan - $3,175 monthly, which may be applied toward health insurance premiums. Unused money may be taken as cash, payable twice a month.
• Dental/Vision Insurance - City pays premium for employees and dependents. Dental/Vision insurance is effective the first of the month after date of hire.
• Life Insurance - City-paid term life insurance equal to the employee's annual salary, plus $5,000, rounded up to next $5,000 and dependent life insurance of $2,000 per dependent, is provided.
• Short/Long Term Disability - City pays premium for employees. Eligibility period: 0 days for injury/hospitalization or 7 days for an illness.
• Retirement Health Savings (RHS) Plan - Investment vehicle funded by employee contributions to pay for medical benefits upon retirement or separation from the City. Mandatory participation for all employees.
• Holidays - 12 days plus 3 floating holidays (24 hours) per year.
• Management Leave - Executive and mid-management exempt employees receive 40-88 hours per year.
• Vacation - Vacation is determined by number of years of service. (0-4 years = 80 hrs; 5-9 years = 120 hrs; 10-14 years = 160 hrs; 15+ years = 168-200 hrs).
• Sick Leave - 96 hours per year.
• Comprehensive Annual Leave (CAL) - Sanitary District Only. Combined vacation, sick and floating holiday leaves. (0-4 yrs = 160 hrs; 5-9 yrs = 200 hrs; 10-14 yrs = 240 hrs; 15+ yrs = 248-288 hrs)

Benefits listed may not reflect all benefits offered. Not all benefits apply to all positions. Regular, part-time employees receive pro-rated benefits. Additional information is available by contacting Human Resources.
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The supplemental questionnaire is part of the examination process for this position and will be used in determining your qualifications. In order to receive every consideration in the selection process you must complete all the questions with concise yet detailed answers and provide all the requested information. The experience you indicate in your response to the supplemental questions must also be described in detail, on the Work Experience section of your Employment Application. Failure to complete the "Work Experience" section of the employment application may result in your application not being considered. The hiring department may review each answer to evaluate your qualifications. Responses such as "See Resume" or "See Application" will result in disqualification and will not be considered further.By continuing in the recruitment process, you are certifying that all information provided in the Supplemental Questionnaire is true to the best of your knowledge. If you are select