Police Communications Manager

Location : Police Department Headquarters, 615 Bess Street, Wilmington, NC
Job Type: Full Time-Regular
Job Number: FY27-00064
Department: Police
Opening Date: 10/15/2026
Closing Date: 11/1/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Post-Offer Required Pre-Employment Screenings: Driving History Check

Criminal History Check

Drug Screen

Polygraph
Approved Hiring Salary/Range: $105,759.16 - $125,000
Full Salary Range: $105,759.16 - $163,926.62
Working Hours: Hours are primarily business days office hours 8-5 but must have ability to adjust and work evenings, weekends, or holidays when required by departmental activities. May also require after-hours response to emergent situations.

Position Description
One City. One Voice. One Stronger Community.

Are you a strategic communicator who knows how to build trust, navigate complex situations, and tell a story that matters?

The City of Wilmington is seeking a Police Department Communications Manager who will oversee the department's comprehensive communications program, develop and implement strategic internal and external communications to advance the department's organizational priorities, promote transparency, strengthen public trust, and foster meaningful public understanding of the department's mission and services. Serving as a trusted advisor to the Chief of Police and executive leadership, you'll shape messaging, lead media relations, guide crisis communications, and foster meaningful community engagement. Working in close partnership with the City's Office of Communications, you'll help ensure clear, consistent, and timely communication-especially when it matters most.
Why This Position Is Important
Effective communication is essential to building trust between law enforcement and the community. As the Police Department Communications Manager, you'll help ensure the public stays informed, understand the department's priorities, and has confidence in the information it receives. From everyday communications to high-profile incidents and emergencies, your leadership will help shape public understanding, support transparency, and strengthen the relationship between the Wilmington Police Department and the community it serves.

Typical Tasks

Leadership and Staff Development
• Provides leadership, mentoring, performance management, and professional development for civilian and sworn public information staff, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team.
• Provides instruction and guidance to department staff and participates in administrative strategy meetings.
• Builds and maintains productive relationships with media outlets, community organizations, government partners, and public information professionals to enhance collaboration and information sharing.

Communications Strategy and Planning
• Develops and manages communication policies, standards, and protocols that promote consistent messaging and align with citywide communication practices.
• Designs and executes integrated communication campaigns supporting crime prevention, public safety education, community engagement, recruitment, organizational initiatives, traffic safety, and internal communications.
• Directs the department's multimedia communication strategy, including video production, digital storytelling, social media, websites, and other communication platforms.
• Evaluates emerging communication technologies and trends to strengthen outreach and organizational effectiveness.
• Advises executive leadership on communication strategy during critical incidents, emergencies, major investigations, and other high-profile events, ensuring timely, accurate, and transparent information while considering operational and legal constraints.

Operations and Public Information
• Ensures departmental compliance with state and national accreditation standards and City public information procedures.
• Oversees daily department operations, including preparing and distributing information, responding to media and citizen inquiries, and coordinating information releases with departmental units.
• Provides on-scene public information support during major and minor police events of community concern.
• Monitors media coverage, digital conversations, social media trends, public sentiment, and emerging issues to identify opportunities, mitigate misinformation, and inform communication strategy.

Executive Communications Support
• Serves as executive communications advisor to the Chief of Police and command staff.
• Develops speeches, presentations, correspondence, talking points, reports, opinion pieces, video messages, and other executive-level communications.
• Provides media coaching to department leadership and manages requests for leadership participation in public appearances, productions, and community events.

Program Evaluation and Continuous Improvement
• Assesses communication program effectiveness through analytics, media monitoring, audience engagement, and performance metrics.
• Uses data and emerging trends to refine communication strategies and enhance public outreach.
Qualifications

Education/Experience

• Master's Degree in Communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, digital media, and two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in local government, program management, communications, or a related field, including supervisory or lead experience.
• Or, Bachelor's Degree in Communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, digital media, or a related field, and four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in local government, complex program management, communications, or a related field, including supervisory or lead experience.
• Or, any other equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Other Requirements

• US Drivers License and an acceptable driving record.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with the public, coworkers, and interdepartmental teams
• Strong project and program management skills.
• Experience with municipal operations.
• Ability to understand complex instructions and work independently.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, facilitation, and customer-service skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain productive relationships with businesses, community groups, contractors, event organizers, City staff, and regional partners.
• Ability to identify problems, develop solutions, and make recommendations to the department director.
• Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays when required by departmental activities.

Supplemental Information
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
• Office Work: Primarily sedentary, involving prolonged sitting, computer use, telephone and office equipment operation, and standard office tasks. Requires visual acuity, hearing, and manual dexterity for reviewing documents, analyzing data, and completing administrative responsibilities.
• Field Work: May require standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, pushing, pulling, and lifting or carrying objects up to 10 pounds occasionally. Employees may encounter uneven terrain, traffic and outdoor weather conditions and must use appropriate personal protective equipment.
• General Requirements: The position involves occasional travel to meetings, events, or weather-related response. Often handles multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment and maintains situational awareness. All work is performed in compliance with applicable State and Federal OSHA regulations, including hazard communication, personal protective equipment, and slip, trip, and fall prevention.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is primarily performed in an office environment, with frequent use of standard office equipment and computers. The position may require occasional travel to City facilities, construction sites, and public rights-of-way to assess accessibility, monitor compliance, and conduct inspections. The incumbent may be exposed to outdoor weather conditions, construction environments, and varying levels of accessibility challenges, and may be required to walk, stand, or navigate uneven surfaces for extended periods.

The position may require evening or weekend work to attend meetings, public hearings, or training sessions, and occasional lifting or carrying of materials. The incumbent must handle sensitive and confidential information related to disability accommodations and accessibility complaints, communicate effectively with employees, management, elected officials, and the public, and may participate in emergency operations and disaster-recovery activities as assigned.
What we offer:

The City of Wilmington believes that employees are one of our most important resources. We offer an excellent salary and competitive benefits package to serve the needs of our employees and their families. Our benefits package includes:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance + many other insurance options
• Excellent retirement benefits, including a city provided 4.5% contribution each pay period into a 401(k) account and automatic enrollment into the North Carolina Local Government Employees' Retirement System
• Employer-paid health & wellness clinic
• Free on-site city gym access
• Paid sick and vacation leave + 13 paid holidays per year
• 6-weeks paid parental leave
• Paid volunteer & blood donation leave to give back to our community
• Flex schedule and telework availability, depending on your position
• Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives
• Tuition assistance benefits

Applicant Status Updates: After the closing date for this position, applications will be screened by Human Resources. Applicants who meet the minimum and/or preferred qualifications will be referred over to the hiring department. All updates regarding an application can be viewed through your applicant portal.
Health Benefits are offered to employees working at least 30 hours per week.

Health Insurance - The City offers two options for health coverage: a standard PPO plan and a High Deductible Health Plan with an associated Health Savings Account. Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month following hire for employees and their eligible dependents. Both you and the City contribute to the overall cost of coverage.

Dental Insurance - Coverage becomes effective the first day of the month following hire. Employees, their spouse and dependent children are eligible for coverage.

Life Insurance - The city pays to provide coverage valued at one times your annual salary. Supplemental insurance is available for employees to purchase. Optional coverage for dependents is also available for purchase.

Retirement:
- NC Local Government Retirement System -All benefits eligible employees make a mandatory 6% contribution every pay period.

- Deferred Compensation - The city contributes an amount equal to 4.5% of the annual salary to a 401(k) plan regardless of employee contribution. Employees may choose to contribute additional money to the 401(k) or 457 deferred compensation plans, without a match from the City, within the IRS guidelines.
Paid Leave (offered to employees working at least 1,000 hours annually*):
- Sick Leave - 12 days accrued each year

- Annual Leave - Accrual based on years of service and classification. Employees can earn from 10 to 24 days each year.
- Holidays - 13 paid holidays annually
- Paid Parental Leave - Six weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or placement of a child (must run concurrently with FMLA).

*Part-Time Employees will earn paid leave benefits on a pro-rated basis.

Miscellaneous:
- Tuition reimbursement
- Employee Assistance Program
- Short & Long Term Disability

- Cancer & Critical Illness

- Accident Insurance

- Whole Life Insurance
- Credit Union membership
- Access to City Fitness Center
Note: The City of Wilmington is on a bi-weekly pay cycle. New employees should expect to receive their first paycheck approximately 4 weeks after their start date.
**This is intended to be a brief overview of the benefits offered. Please visit our website at for more information.**
01

Please acknowledge that you agree to fully complete all required sections of the application, including work experience, education, and the supplemental questionnaire; and that your responses are truthful and complete and can be verified within your application.Unacceptable response : entering "N/A' or "See Resume/Application" does not qualify as an acceptable response and may disqualfy you from moving forward.

• Yes

02

Which best describes your highest level of education in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, digital media, or a related field ?

• High School Diploma or GED
• Vocational/Technical Training or Certificate
• Some College
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Doctorate Degree
• None - N/A

03

How many years of experience do you have in local government, complex program management, communications, or a rela