Description
SALARY: Negotiable
Charlotte’s local government, with more than 9,000 employees and a total budget of $3.65 billion budget, works hard to ensure that the community will be a winning city for everyone – a truly remarkable place to live, work, learn and play.
Charlotte Water is an enterprise department of the City of Charlotte and one of the largest public water and sewer service providers in the southeast with over 330,000 customer accounts and over 1100 employees. Our service area includes the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the towns of Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mint Hill, Matthews and Pineville. Charlotte Water’s FY 26 budget is $651 million and a five-year capital program of $2.2.28 billion. We enjoy the highest credit ratings from Moody’s and S&P Global as a result of sound financial planning and management and strong support from our City Council. We value competent, skilled candidates with a customer service focus to work in a team environment.
SUMMARY:
Responsible for developing and executing comprehensive marketing, communications, and stakeholder engagement strategies that advance Charlotte Water’s mission, reputation, and public visibility. Reporting directly to the Director, the position promotes consistent messaging, strategic outreach, and digital engagement to build strong relationships with the public, media, stakeholders, and internal teams. The incumbent will lead a team of professionals and serve as a spokesperson for the department while aligning efforts with the Director’s vision.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents within this classification. Incumbents are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance on the job are not routinely listed in the job descriptions, but are an essential function. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
- Lead the creation and execution of a strategic communications plan (internal and external) in alignment with executive leadership goals.
- Oversee Charlotte Water’s reputation and brand management across public relations, marketing, internal/external affairs, and social media.
- Develop consistent, integrated messaging across multiple platforms to ensure effective communication with varied audiences.
- Direct digital marketing efforts, including website content, social media, email campaigns, blogs, and paid advertisements. Utilize data and analytics to guide digital strategy.
- Implement a proactive public relations strategy that enhances leadership engagement with key external stakeholders, including media, elected officials, and community influencers.
- Identify and address emerging issues by developing communication responses and crisis strategies.
- Serve as lead spokesperson for media interactions; manage crisis communication and operational messaging.
- Lead cross-departmental initiatives and major projects that involve marketing and public engagement.
- Assess risks and potential impacts of communications initiatives to inform decision-making.
- Design and implement community and stakeholder engagement plans, ensuring inclusive outreach and feedback.
- Supervise and guide managers and staff across marketing & communications, external affairs, and public relations functions.
- Responsible for performance management, staff development, and operational effectiveness of the team.
- Has frequent interaction with the Director, executive leadership, division managers, external stakeholders, community groups, elected officials, media representatives, and government partners.
- Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned by the Director.
QUALIFICATIONS:
To successfully perform the job, the incumbent must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Requirements listed are representative of the knowledge and skills.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in communications, marketing, business administration, journalism, public policy, or a related field; AND seven (7) years of experience; OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience as determined by Human Resources. Has at least three (3) years of supervisory or management-level experience.
REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS:
Continued employment is contingent upon all required licenses and certificates being maintained in active status without suspension or revocation.
N/A
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Required Knowledge:
Advanced knowledge of marketing, public relations, media relations, and branding strategies.
In-depth understanding of digital platforms, including social media, content marketing, analytics, and email marketing.
Required Skills:
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Effective leadership and team-building skills with a proven ability to manage high-performing teams.
Strong project management and organizational planning capabilities.
Media and crisis communication expertise, including serving as spokesperson.
Skilled in data-driven decision-making for digital engagement. Ability to craft and implement comprehensive communication strategies.
Ability to represent the organization in high-stakes or sensitive environments.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:
The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Mobility to work in an office setting, use standard office equipment and stamina to sit for extended periods of time; strength to lift and carry up to 20 pounds; vision to read printed materials; and hearing and speech to communicate in person or over the telephone.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed in an office setting.
