The Division of Homeland Security provides the leadership and oversight for the state’s homeland security initiatives, the state’s intelligence fusion center and fire safety. The division encompasses planning, preparedness and prevention related to acts of terrorism and natural or man-made incidents. The division has three offices: Office of Emergency Management, Office of Preparedness and Office of Prevention and Security.
This position serves as the Communications Specialist within the DHSEM. This position assists with media relations, graphic design, community preparedness activities, coordinates community outreach activities, develops risk messaging strategies for homeland security, public health, fire safety, and emergency management.
Position duties
Risk CommunicationDevelops risk communication products and schedules to enhance citizen awareness of threats or hazards affecting local communities, such as those following fire safety, public health, emergency management and homeland security events. Uses traditional media, social media, websites, and other technology to channel risk messaging to citizens and partners. Establishes and maintains distribution and notification lists. Helps provide multiple channels for stakeholders to add content and improve citizen communication. Plays a key role in the design, development, and distribution relevant public information and education materials on general hazard preparedness to support communities, citizens, and the media concerning the protection of lives and property resulting from all hazards incidents. Supports the internal steady-state and crisis-state communications under the direction of the program manager.
Media and Community Relations
Develops plans and designs marketing and informational materials that will increase participation (state, local, tribal, and citizen) during national outreach campaigns that promote and encourage public education (such as National Preparedness Month, National Fire Safety Month, National Night Out, ShakeOut, etc.). Provide technical assistance to all program areas within the Division to enhance the effectiveness of programs and processes. Advise the program manager on matters of cultural or political sensitivity, and provide background and research to address these items effectively. Develops effective meeting agendas and talking points for meetings and presentations. Engage stakeholders from diverse underserved communities, all socio-economic groups, and racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds in the development of marketing and messaging activities. Engage local government, non-governmental organizations and Federal partners in state preparedness activities. Makes key updates and maintains the READYColorado and Division websites and associated distribution systems. Provides input for social media posting which includes development of daily Facebook and Twitter posts, press releases, and other media messages for monthly distribution to emergency management and other preparedness partners. Cultivate relationships with community organizations, civic groups, community leaders, and appointed and elected officials to enhance preparedness. Respond to or route citizen and media inquiries to appropriate personnel. Provide media/public information coverage on a rotational basis with the program manager. Monitor social media for situational awareness. Attend local community preparedness events, such as the State Community Preparedness Advisory Council (CPAC), local/regional Citizen Corps, the Colorado Emergency Preparedness Partnership (CEPP), Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (COVOAD), the American Red Cross, Ready Colorado Campaign, and the Medical Reserve Corps to name a few. Develop presentations and other awareness materials to increase citizen preparedness. This includes fulfilling requests for material, technical or program support from preparedness partners. Provide technical and marketing assistance to all program areas within the DHSEM. Coordinate risk and response messaging with the program manager and risk communications specialist. Serve as a backup and/or support Public Information Officer/ESF-15 supporting emergency operations under the State Emergency Operations Plan (SEOP) during exercises and actual emergencies when directed by the program manager. Serve as the acting program manager in the absence of the program manager. Provide administrative and technical assistance to the Homeland Security & All-Hazards Senior Advisory Committee (H-SAC) and other official Division functions as necessary.
Marketing and Graphic Design
Provide technical and marketing assistance to all program areas within the Division. Ability to lead the graphic design needs of the Division including the design, layout, printing and dissemination of official Division items such as: Annual Report, fact sheets, brochures, Strategic Plans, conference materials, and other divisional reports as needed to share the DHSEM brand and identity. Help design templates and help develop standardized forms and materials used within and across programs in the Division. Develop and help ensure use of standard organization identity products. Provide technical and graphic design assistance to all program areas for creating documents and materials to be used in communicating with external partners and stakeholders. Assist with the writing and dissemination of the DHSEM Weekly Update, Daily Situation Report, and during State EOC activations responsible for writing the Daily Situation Report for public information dissemination. Provide assistance to conferences supported by the Division including the Colorado Emergency Management Conference and the CEPC Conference.
