Working Title: Communications Associate

Job Class: Information Officer 2

Agency: Department of Employment and Economic Development

• Job ID : 81481

• Location : St. Paul

• Telework Eligible : Yes, may be eligible to telework up to four (4) days per week

• Full/Part Time : Full-Time

• Regular/Temporary : Limited

• Who May Apply : Open to all qualified job seekers

• Date Posted : 11/01/2024

• Closing Date : 11/07/2024

• Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Employment & Economic Development Department / MAPE

• Division/Unit : Paid Family & Medical Leave

• Work Shift/Work Hours : Day Shift

• Days of Work : Monday - Friday

• Travel Required : No

• Salary Range: $25.29 - $36.71 / hourly; $52,805 - $76,650 / annually

• Classified Status : Unclassified

• Bargaining Unit/Union : 214 - MN Association of Professional Employees / MAPE

• End Date : Up to two (2) years

• FLSA Status : Nonexempt

• Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : No

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

About the Paid Leave Division:

Paid Leave is a new program launching in 2026. The program will provide partial wage replacement to Minnesota workers who are out of work due to a qualifying condition, such as a severe health condition that prevents them from working, or when they need time to care for a family member or a new child. We are building a program that will be easy for every Minnesotan to use. We are engaging the people who depend on us—workers, employers, caregivers, and insurers—to learn from them and build the program around their needs. We are using modern service delivery and product practices to deliver the program. The Paid Leave team has high standards and an unrelenting commitment to serving Minnesotans. It is a start-up environment without legacy systems or preconceived ways of working, so we have a unique opportunity to create human-centric processes and systems to deliver this new benefit to Minnesotans.

Position Purpose:

Under general supervision of the Paid Leave External Communications Manager, the Communications Associate will help implement all aspects of the communications program for Paid Leave. The primary purpose of this role is to prepare a variety of informational material to increase public awareness of the Paid Leave Program. This position will provide technical and copy writing services and support external content creation for the Paid Leave program. This position may receive work direction from other communications staff within the team and will work alongside and provide administrative support to all members of the communications team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide technical and copy writing services for the Paid Leave program, which content may include email newsletters, public presentations, prepared remarks, product documentation and other copywriting and technical writing needs.

• Provide copyediting services for written communications, including copy drafted by Paid Leave subject matter experts, including articles for the internal knowledge base and answers to frequently asked questions.

• Support internal communications such as team email updates, presentations, and other team communications needs.

• Provide communications and administrative support to the division as needed. This may include requests to: Track projects, assist with procurement and purchases, help with communications events and meetings, catalog photos, update file systems, and compile metrics and analytics.

This posting may be used to fill multiple positions.

This position is telework (https://mn.gov/mmb-stat/policies/1422-telework.pdf) eligible and is occasionally required to be on-site at the St. Paul office. Staff are provided with the tools and equipment to be successful in a virtual work environment and may telework from anywhere in Minnesota or a neighboring state. Please note, the telework policy could change with notice based on business needs.

This position is expected to last two (2) years.

Minimum Qualifications

Please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month and year for each job held. Only applicants whose resumes clearly demonstrate fulfillment of each of these minimum qualifications will be considered for this position.

One (1) year of experience in communications, journalism, or marketing.

Applicants that meet the above minimum qualification will be further evaluated on the following:

• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite or similar software such as Word, PowerPoint, and Teams.

• Knowledge of journalistic principles, Associate Press (AP) Style, and media relations.

• Experience writing and communicating for a diverse public audience.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities at the same time and meet strict deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in communications, journalism, marketing, or other closely related field as determined by the agency.

• Experience writing press releases and blog posts.

• Experience working with the media.

• Knowledge of social media platforms.

Our employees are dedicated to ensuring cultural responsiveness. Preferred candidates will have a variety of experiences working effectively with others from different backgrounds and cultures.

Additional Requirements

A job offer will be contingent upon successfully passing a background check. The background check may consist of the following components:

• Criminal Background Check

• Employment Record Review (current and former State employees only)

• Employment Reference Check

• Conflict of Interest Review

• Driver’s Record Check

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development will not sponsor applicants for work visas. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us . Please indicate what assistance is needed.