Communications and Programs Lead (COM 3)
State of Washington
FreshPosted Feb 4
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Posted: February 6, 2026 (2 days ago)
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Communication Specialist III (Cannabis and Commercial Tobacco Communications Lead)
King County
DPH - Public Health
Location
Seattle, Washington, 98104
Salary
$47.01 - $59.59
per year
Type
Full Time
More Communications & Media jobs →Closes
February 21, 2026
Job Description
Summary
This role involves leading communication efforts to prevent youth use of cannabis, tobacco, and vaping products, while promoting harm reduction and quitting strategies for all ages.
The job focuses on creating engaging campaigns that reach diverse communities and address health inequities.
A good fit would be someone creative, experienced in public health messaging, and passionate about social justice who enjoys collaborating with teams and partners.
Key Requirements
- Experience designing, implementing, and evaluating communications strategies for health topics
- Ability to engage diverse audiences and apply equity and social justice principles
- Expertise in providing technical assistance for internal and partner communications projects
- Skills in co-creating effective prevention and harm reduction campaigns
- Commitment to anti-racism and addressing health disparities in communities
- Reside in Washington state and ability to work in a hybrid model (2-3 days onsite in Seattle)
- Availability for a standard Monday-Friday schedule, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Full Job Description
Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Cannabis, Commercial Tobacco, and Vaping Prevention Program (CCTV) is seeking a creative and community-driven Communications Specialist III (Cannabis, Commercial Tobacco, and Vaping Prevention Communications Lead) to join our team.
This new position will promote prevention of youth use of cannabis and commercial tobacco products as well as harm reduction and cessation for youth and adults.
The ideal candidate will bring experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating communications strategies that engage diverse audiences in health and well-being topics.
They will also be able to provide expert technical assistance for internal and partner communications projects and to co-create effective campaigns while applying equity and social justice principles across all aspects of their work.
About the Team
The CCTV team sits in the Health Sciences Division of Public Health which is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of residents through innovative, evidence-based programs and services.
The CCTV team reduces the harmful impacts of cannabis, commercial tobacco and vaping through community-engaged approaches that focus on addressing disparities and removing inequities in harm reduction, cessation, and youth prevention.
Commitment To Equity and Social Justice
Named after Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world.
It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities.
With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups.
Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.
To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx
Work Schedule
This position is FSLA exempt and is not eligible for overtime. This typical work week is normally Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Remote and Onsite Work
The Health Science team works in a hybrid model, with (2-3) days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is (Chinook Building - 401 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104).
Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely.
The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.
Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
Requirements
The CCTV Communications lead will perform the following duties:
- Assess internal and community communication needs and resources to identify effective communication strategies.
- Collaborate with CCTV team and community partners to develop communication plans that apply frameworks, knowledge, and theories of public health and multicultural communications to achieve program goals.
- Lead implementation of communications plans including project management, materials design, pre-testing, and monitoring and evaluation.
- Support administration of communications plans by assisting with budget preparation, vendor solicitations, and managing communications-related contracts.
- Create effective public health audio, visual, and written content such as infographics, presentations, blogs, videos, social media posts, and web materials for internal and external audiences, including working with community members to co-create materials and campaigns.
- Provide internal and external technical assistance as the health communications expert for the program and its partners.
- Serve as the public information lead for the program, liaising with the Public Health Information Officer for communication efforts related to CCTV, engaging with press, and supporting responses to media requests.
- Develop communications resources, tools, and trainings that support community partners in their outreach efforts to engage youth, caregivers, and other community members.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Ideal Candidate:- Two years or more of experience in independent roles in community-engaged communications efforts that include designing, planning, testing, and evaluation.
- Knowledge of and experience in developing communications strategies and plans that identify messaging, audiences, channels, and resources and are a fit to the needs and culture of specific audiences.
- Solid understanding of equity and social justice principles and practices, and the effects of place-, race- and policy & systems-based inequities on marginalized communities and populations.
- Experience and skills in identifying and assessing the communication needs of diverse audiences, including experience in co-creation, language access, and culturally relevant communications.
- Professional, personal and/or educational experience and interest within mental health, substance use prevention, public health, youth development, and/or related fields.
- Experience and skills creating for digital and traditional platforms, including graphic and/or video design.
- Skills in synthesizing and communicating health and wellbeing information for non-technical audiences in writing, orally, and visually.
- Skill in building community relationships to expand, reinforce, and amplify communications strategies.
- Knowledge and skill in project management, including working within budgets to meet project objectives.
- Skill in managing deadlines while engaged with multiple projects.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
- Ability to travel around the county in a timely manner.
- Experience and skill with Microsoft Office products and design applications.
Desired Candidate:
- Bi or multilingual.
- Awareness and knowledge of resources in King County related to youth mental health, substance use, and/or emotional well-being .
- Experience working in public health and/or government organizations.
- Experience collaborating with community-based organizations serving youth and families.
Additional Information
Supplemental Information:
Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.Guided by our"True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.
Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.
If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Who May Apply
This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications.
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:
- NEOGOV Job Application(The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
- Supplemental Questions(The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
- Resume
(Please note: Cover letters and additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process if not outlined as a required application material as outlined above).
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application.
Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.
Necessary Special Requirements
- The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
- The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR (if applicable).
- The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment. (and Pre-employment Physical, if applicable).
- For more information on our selection process, please refer towww.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visithttps://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en.
- Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
- Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
- Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
- Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
- If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.
When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description.
This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.
Union Membership
Non-Represented
Contact
For more information about the application process please contact Alexis Owens atAlowens@kingcounty.gov
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