COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST at City of San Marcos – San Marcos, California
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About This Position
Salary: $27.10 - $37.51 Hourly
Job Type: Full Time
Department: Administration
Opening Date: 02/18/2026
Closing Date: 03/04/26
Location: 1 Civic Center Drive San Marcos, CA
Job Number: 2026 - 11
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Description: SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
Join our team
The City of San Marcos is investing in transparency, customer service and community engagement, with the goal of providing an even better level of service to our community. None of this happens without good communication, which is where you come in.
What we’re looking for
This role will support day-to-day communication with the community across all service areas. Our ideal candidate will already have some direct experience in a communication role and a passion for helping local government connect with those we serve.
Why you’ll love it here
At San Marcos, we live our values: teamwork, professionalism, fiscal responsibility and customer service. We believe in operating like an efficient business while never losing sight of the residents we serve and the employees who make it possible. This is a place where your ideas will be heard, your creativity will be valued, and your work will make a visible difference in the community.
San Marcos is …
- One of the top 25 places to raise a family (Fortune Magazine)
- The health care hub of North County (Kaiser’s hospital opened last year and Scripps just announced its next hospital will be in San Marcos)
- An education leader, home to Cal State San Marcos and Palomar Community College
- Top 10 safest city in California
This opportunity is currently available -- applications will reviewed as received and well qualified candidates will be contacted directly to set up an interview. Don't delay -- apply today!
What we offer
A competitive salary
9/80 schedule (city is closed every other Friday)
Hybrid work options
Generous health benefits (all medical premiums employer paid at 90%)
Time off (15 paid holidays, 3 floating holidays and vacation)
Participate in the CalPERS retirement system (Classic members 2% @ 55, PEPRA members 2% @ 62) and Social Security
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
Examples of Essential Functions
- Determine appropriate media to market different programs, services, and events using communication strategies and techniques.
- Support the Communication Manager in creating routine brand-compliant content and campaigns, ensuring optimized presence, consistent messaging, and visual elements on City of San Marcos social media channels.
- Under supervision, contribute to the daily maintenance of the social media editorial calendar, including researching, analyzing, writing original content, and taking brand-compliant photos and videos.
- Participate in meetings to coordinate details and tasks.
- Meet deadlines and manage projects flexibly and professionally with direct supervision.
- Monitor existing City of San Marcos social media channels, as well as future channels the City may acquire, for conversations and inquiries directed to or about San Marcos.
- Keep managers informed of critical or sensitive social media activity, which may require further action by management. Work collaboratively with program areas to quickly and effectively resolve routine inquiries.
- Perform less complex analytical assignments/projects as needed, including tracking social media metrics, analyzing, and reporting on the effectiveness of social media campaigns. Appropriately apply findings to improve engagement and reach of posts.
- Work collaboratively to promote social media programs through outreach events, live-tweeting, and writing and disseminating relevant information to internal staff, members, employers, and stakeholders.
- Monitor emerging trends in social media tools and provide insight on how they may be incorporated into existing strategies. Under supervision, research best practices and make recommendations to enhance social media usage.
- Assist with the development of customer and public relations materials, including news releases, media clips, PSAs, fact sheets, newsletters, and outreach campaign materials—created and executed by both staff and consultants.
- Take photographs and videos for city promotional publications and digital platforms.
- Represent the Office of Communications at meetings with residents, public and private organizations, and staff.
- Write and edit press releases, news articles regarding department programs, policy decisions, and events for print, radio, cable television, social media, and other electronic media.
- Develop, implement, and administer advertising campaigns for programs and services, and coordinate campaigns with other private and public organizations.
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Qualifications
The Specialist reports to the Communication Manager and is expected to prepare a variety of digital content that can be used for City communications, social media, websites, and other public relations purposes. You'll need to be up to speed on the latest trends in digital outreach, social media, and communications.
This position requires strong writing skills and knowledge of advertising, graphic arts, audio-visual production, and photography. You will be expected to embrace technology and work with Word and Excel, along with other tools used in the oversight of your program area.
The incumbent must communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with or without reasonable accommodation, in dealing with the public and/or other employees—all while completing assignments in a timely and efficient manner.
Incumbents work under close supervision while being trained and gradually work more independently as knowledge and skills increase.
The Communications Office is committed to providing excellent customer service and community outreach, so you may be required to work outside of regular business hours.
Ability to:
- Promote programs and events through the use of promotional materials.
- Apply general marketing concepts to specific programs and events.
- Elicit community and organizational support for assigned programs and projects.
- Research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods and techniques.
- Respond to requests and inquiries from the general public.
- Exercise independent judgment.
- Effectively communicate verbally and in writing.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
- Develop timelines, balance multiple priorities, and meet deadlines.
Education
- High School Diploma or equivalent is required. A bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, journalism, public relations, business or a closely related field from an accredited college or university is desired but not required
- A minimum of two (2) years of related work experience. Must have experience with digital outreach tools and outreach campaign development and/or event management.
- Possession of an appropriate, valid driver's license with satisfactory driving record.
Benefits:
Holidays – The City observes fifteen (15) paid holidays that include twelve (12) specifically designated days as recognized by the State of California and three (3) floating holidays.
Bereavement Leave - Employees are eligible to use up to 40 hours of bereavement leave per fiscal year.
Group Health Insurance Program – A new employee will become a member of one of the City's group health plans (Aetna HMO, Aetna AWH HMO, Aetna PPO, or Kaiser HMO) effective the first day of the month following their date of hire. The City will pay 90% of the health care premium and employees will pick up 10% of the premiums of the plan they select.
Voluntary Dental/Vision Insurance Programs – The City offers two voluntary dental insurance programs, an HMO program and a PPO Program, as well as a voluntary vision insurance program.
Retiree Health Savings (RHS) – All employees participate in a Retiree Health Savings plan through the ICMA Retirement Corporation.
Deferred Compensation Employer Match Program - The City offers a Deferred Compensation Employer Match Program, matching employee contributions up to 2%
Bilingual Pay: A stipend of $100 per month will be paid to those employees utilizing their bilingual skills in the performance of their duties.
Additional Benefits – The City offers additional benefits such as short and long-term disability, group life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, employee benefit allocation program and workers' compensation insurance.
Questions:
- News releases
- Website content management
- Social media (on behalf of an organization)
- Event planning
- Community outreach
- Emergency/crisis communication
- Video production
- Photography
Required Question