External Affairs Assistant or Coordinator

Job Title: External Affairs Assistant or Coordinator
Job Code: Administrative Support
Salary Range: $25.85 - $37.34 hourly Coordinator $24.66 - $32.91 hourly Assistant
Department: External Affairs
Reports To: External Affairs Manager
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Compensation Factor(s): Education, Training & Experience; Merit System; Seniority
Prepared Date: August 2022
Revised Date: November 2024

SUMMARY 
This position works under the direction of the External Affairs Manager (“Manager”) and is responsible for assisting and supporting the Manager in a variety of public relations, outreach, and marketing programs designed to create and maintain a favorable image for the Ute Water Conservancy District (“District”) at the community and statewide levels in pursuit of the District’s objectives by performing the following duties. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 
Performance of duties follows standards, policies, and plans established by the District as well as applicable federal, state, and local regulations. 
• Assists and supports the Manager in a variety of public relations, outreach, and marketing programs designed to create and maintain a favorable image for the District at the community and statewide levels.
 • Responsible for researching and creating original content, including design and production of print and digital deliverables for internal and external use (social media banners/graphics, District newsletter, flyers, posters, department documents, videos, etc.). Manages the District and its affiliate's websites to continually maintain an online presence, increase accessibility, and meet the education needs of customers. This includes content creation for website blogs, maintenance of the website, assisting other departments with updates to their webpages, training, and education of website functions, etc. 
• Responsible for a variety of internal communications. Responsible for publishing the quarterly District newsletter, which includes, but is not limited to, writing articles, designing the layout, and coordinating the printing and distribution of the newsletter. 
 • Collaborates with the Manager on a variety of projects. Projects may include event setup, booth attendance, and take down at events. Prepares drafts for review by the Manager for media relations in its various aspects. Assists in the coordination of branding and campaign development, including an annual water conservation campaign. Supports and potentially leads the implementation of special communication projects. Supports the Manager and other supervisors’ communications requests. Responsibilities will fluctuate depending on departmental needs. 
• Assists with many aspects of the annual Western Colorado Children’s Water Festival. This may involve correspondence and coordination with instructors, sponsors, teachers, committee members, volunteers, and stakeholders. Sets up and takes down exhibits and performs any other functions that will assist with the festival's coordination as directed. 
• Assists with community outreach by developing presentations, tours for community members, and various events. Events may include air show, Mesa County Fair, Drought Response Information Project (DRIP) workshops, tours, etc. Participates in a variety of external committees on behalf of the District, including DRIP and Mesa County Communications Officers Association (MCCOA). Collaborates with internal and external partners to promote and grow existing events, develop new events, and ensure event relevance to the District and the community. 
• Responsible for multiple social media platforms and accounts for the District and its affiliates. Duties may include creating original content, posting, assisting with monitoring, and engaging in online conversations. Create, manage, and report content on all social media platforms according to the best practices for each platform. 
• Prepares appropriate meeting room(s), such as conference and board room, for standing meetings and events. Responsible for meeting room coordination, scheduling of meeting rooms, anticipating audio and visual needs, and room configuration. Develops, reviews, and revises standard operating procedures for audio and visual capabilities in meeting rooms as required. Manages calendar for District meeting rooms to include scheduling requests, resolving conflicts, and coordinating with employees and external users. 
• Aid in the support of activities for the Board of Directors. This may include contacting board members; updating meeting materials including but not limited to public notice(s), agendas, department reports, supporting documents, etc.; acting as backup to the Manager at meetings by assisting with minutes, providing documents, anticipating participant needs, ensures audio/visual setup and technology functionality, etc. Responsible for catering coordination for all meetings and events. Knowledgeable in Robert’s Rules of Order. 
• Responsible for photography and videography of District events. Films and produces videos. Creates photo, video, and news article archives. Tracks earned media results. 
• Assists other departments with various projects, participates in committees, and cross-trains to proficiency to act as a backup for Customer Service Representatives as needed. 
• Regular or continuous public contact is an essential duty for this position. Interacts respectfully and professionally with all District employees, board members, and nonemployees, such as the public, customers, vendors, contractors, consultants, etc. 
• Demonstrates reliable and consistent job attendance. 
• Operates a motor vehicle. Some travel is required. 
• Performs the essential functions listed on pages 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the full job description. 

GENERAL DUTIES 
• General duties may be assigned. Assists in others as assigned. 
• Management retains the discretion to add to or change the position's duties at any time. 
• Performs all essential functions and responsibilities of the Manager during absences or as assigned.
 • May assist in providing budget recommendations. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION 
To perform this job successfully, an individual must perform each essential duty and all job requirements satisfactorily. The requirements detailed within this job description are representative of the knowledge, skills, certifications, licenses, registrations, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities. To request an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES 
This job has no supervisory responsibilities. 

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, AND/OR REGISTRATIONS 
Based on level, the External Affairs position matrix of education, experience, and/or licensure is as follows: 

Level	Education	Experience	License
Coordinator	Bachelor’s degree in business, management, marketing, mass communications, English, or a related field.	Three (3) years or more of public communication and relations experience. Experience must demonstrate excellent organizational, writing, speaking, and communication skills.	Valid Colorado Driver’s License
Assistant	Bachelor’s degree in business, management, marketing, mass communications, English, or a related field.	Two (2) years or less of public communication and relations experience. Experience must demonstrate excellent organizational, writing, speaking, and communication skills.	Valid Colorado Driver’s License

Preferred: 
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite. 
• Knowledge of AP style and grammar rules is highly desirable. 
• Bilingual communication skills. 
• Public sector experience. 
Any equivalent combination of certifications, education, or experience that provides the required skills, knowledge, and abilities of the position.
 
For the complete job description, application instructions, and required materials, visit utewater.org/careers.