Communication Manager - City of Columbus
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Position Title:
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Communications Manager
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Department:
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Administration
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Supervisor:
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Executive Director of Administration
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Salary Range:
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$51,400- $77,100
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FLSA:
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Full-Time, Exempt
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Application Deadline:
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January 27th, 2026 – interviews to begin immediately (initial phone screens and then in-person interviews with a hiring committee)
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Apply Online at www.columbus.in.gov/jobs
INTRODUCTION:
Columbus, Indiana, population 50,000 is well known for its architectural innovation, community collaborations, engaged public, and high quality of life. The City is a regional center for financial services, health care, employment, entertainment, and shopping. For more information about our community visit our visitor center website at https://columbus.in.us.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
The City of Columbus is seeking a Communications Manager to manage the planning, development, and execution of City government internal and external communications initiatives for the City. This role is responsible for coordinating with outside contractors and city departments the timely, accurate, and accessible content across the City’s website, email systems, and digital alerts in support of the Executive Director of Administration's and Mayor's communications initiatives. The position plays a vital role in enhancing public awareness, fostering community involvement, and upholding the City’s civic identity across all platforms. This position reports to the Executive Director of Administration.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
- Thrive in an environment that emphasizes accountability and collaboration
- Coordinate the development and distribution of public communications: work with contractors and city departments' communications staff to maintain up-to-date and timely messaging and coordinate dissemination of internal and external communications, such as newsletters, emails, social media posts, and website content
- Coordinate management of social media and digital platforms: work with contractors and departments to ensure that content is created, scheduled, and monitored across social media channels; and coordinate a response to public inquiries online
- Stay up to date with the latest social media, website best practices, and technologies as well as accessibility compliance standards and coordinate regular training for all City department communicators
- Use social media marketing tools such as Buffer, Sprout, Hootsuite, and others as designated
- Coordinate with departments and City leadership: Work with City staff, the Mayor, the Executive Director of Administration to communicate key initiatives and services
- Work closely with Public Safety Information Officers (PIOs) to support their specific public safety communications initiatives with consistent internal communication to City staff and coordinate the Mayor and Administration's communications to maintain consistency with public safety messaging in an emergency
- Support the City's civic communications campaigns: Maintain consistency; promote events, City services, and community programs through various media
- Seek out the successes and stories from within individual Departments that need to be shared with the Columbus community and communicate those successes
- Coordinate the maintenance and updates of the City website: Oversee digital content strategy and ensure information is accurate, accessible, and timely
- Produce or support graphic and video content: Create or manage the production of flyers, brochures, videos, and visual materials for public use
- Plan and implement internal communications: Assist with the communication of City news and policy updates to employees and foster internal engagement
- Implement a Citywide communications strategy: Execute strategic messaging plans aligned with City goals and leadership directives
- Support the Public Information Officers in their emergency and crisis communication: Maintain consistent Administration/Mayor's office messaging that is consistent with the lead PIO in an emergency and coordinate internal communications to staff consistent with PIO messaging during natural disasters, public safety events, or high-profile incidents
- Monitor communication effectiveness: Track engagement metrics (e.g., social media reach, website traffic) and adjust strategies accordingly
- Monitor accessibility compliance of city messaging across various platforms and give departments feedback regarding ADA compliance
- Manage public outreach and civic engagement efforts: Facilitate surveys, community meetings, and two-way dialogue between City officials and residents
- Support the relationship between the City of Columbus and the general public by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with community members, visitors, and City staff; promote City goals and priorities, and comply with all City policies and procedures
- Maintain confidentiality of work-related issues and City information when confidentiality is required and facilitate openness when openness is expected
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with county, state, and federal partners
- Take direction from the Executive Director of Administration and work effectively and collaboratively
- Performs other duties as required or assigned
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, English, or a closely related field
- Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in communications, media relations, journalism, marketing, or public affairs roles
- Experience in a government or public-sector environment preferred
- Supervisory or team leadership experience managing staff, interns, vendors, contractors, or cross-departmental projects preferred
- Experience with tools like Constant Contact, Mailchimp, or similar platforms
- Equivalent combination of education, training and experience will be considered
KNOWLDEGE/SKILLS:
- Strong writing and verbal communication skills required: Ability to prepare press releases, speeches, reports, and promotional materials
- Knowledge of or ability to learn federal, state, county and City laws, rules, regulations and ordinances, including but not limited to a media professional's competency in ADA Accessibility guidelines and the State of Indiana's Open Door statute
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Competency with entire Microsoft Office Suite and working knowledge of the internet and database applications, management and research tools
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:
The Communications Manager will work in City Hall in the Administration Department to encourage collaboration and cross-training, which is also a central City of Columbus, Indiana location for collaborative projects with City Department leaders and administrators. The Communications Manager shall visit other City departments, the community, meet residents, review facilities and infrastructure to fully understand communication needs in the City. Typical hours will be 8 am to 5 pm; there can be evening and weekend events that require communications management including the presence of the Communications Manager, as directed by the Executive Director of Communication which may require hours beyond forty in a week.
The Communications Manager must spend extended periods of time in concentration, on the computer typing, creating content, managing data effectively, and preparing detailed reports which require attention to detail and high levels of accuracy.
The Communications Manager must meet multiple competing deadlines and will have to manage a number of requests and situations at one time, and manage interruptions and changing priorities with courtesy and skill. The Communications Manager must work well with a diversity of departments, people, agencies, and organizations.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:
In addition to a competitive salary range, the City of Columbus offers generous benefits:
- Public Employee Retirement Fund (PERF) in which the City funds 14.2% of salary
- Health insurance that includes optional dental and vision coverage as well as a free health and wellness clinic. PPO and HDHP plans are offered with the City contributing funds to a Health Savings Account (HSA) if the HDHP is chosen
- Free First Stop Health virtual urgent care appointments and virtual mental health counseling appointments
- Free long- and short-term disability insurance
- Life insurance coverage ($50,000) provided with the option to purchase additional coverage
- Optional 457 Deferred Compensation account
- Professional development support
- The City of Columbus, Indiana is a qualified public service employer for student loan forgiveness through the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.
RESIDENCY:
Must reside in Bartholomew County or adjoining county within six (6) months of employment.
DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTING:
This is a safety sensitive position as the Communications Manager frequently visits various departments and as such is subject to the City of Columbus’ Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace Program which includes: pre-employment testing, random testing, post-accident testing, reasonable suspicion testing, return-to-duty testing, and follow-up testing.
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This description is intended to describe the type of and level of work being performed by the person assigned to this job. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required by a person and employees at the City may be given other assignments at will.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
*All potential applicants are encouraged to apply, and if you need an accommodation or help to apply online, please call 812.376.2570 to make an appointment or email humanresources@columnus.in.gov
