Public Affairs Specialist - Public Relations
Colorado Springs, CO
Public Affairs Specialist - Public Relations
Job Type: Business Operations
Pay Range $80,517 to $100,651
Location Colorado Springs, CO
Date First Posted 4/8/25
Applications are being accepted through: 4/21/25
*If no date is displayed, applications are being accepted on an ongoing basis; however, this job posting may close at any time after a minimum of 5 days of being posted.
Public Affairs Specialist – Public Relations
As a Public Affairs Specialist on the Public Relations team at Colorado Springs Utilities, your sights will be set on protecting and enhancing the organization’s brand through excellent visual and written communications, customer engagement, and support of operational objectives while maximizing the organization’s social media presence. You will focus on the messages most important to our customers and employees that support our business objectives in a way that builds an emotional connection, supports positive behavior related to the use of utility services, and commitment to building a utility of the future in a world-class city.
In this role, you will lead the organization’s social media program. You must have a passion for engaging online and the know-how to creatively reach a wide audience through a variety of channels. Experience in creating impactful social media content and memorable campaigns is a must. We are looking for a person with the ability to tell stories and find ways to make utility messages exciting and relatable, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Basic job functions:
Manage Colorado Springs Utilities' primary social media accounts and maintain a specific persona for each account and platform
Design and implement an overall social media strategy to align with the organization’s goals and communicate effectively to all customers and stakeholders
Generate, edit, publish, and share engaging content daily across multiple platforms that build brand awareness and trust
Manage interactions with customers through social media and communicate with followers by monitoring comments and responding to queries with accurate information in a timely and courteous manner
Analyze communications needs and develop strategic social media campaigns for programs and products
Promote the organization and its programs using videos, photos, infographics, memes, or text posts on social media platforms
Maintain organization’s social media policy, accessibility guidelines, and best practices and conduct training for social media contributors
Recommend and track social media engagement metrics and transform key data into actionable insights for all content stakeholders; proactively identify and make recommendations to improve content performance and social-channel engagements
Manage the organization’s social media management platform and train team members on its use
Stay up to date with current technologies and trends in social media, design tools, and applications
Lead social media response in crisis communications and participate in a 24/7 on-call emergency response team on a rotating basis
Collaborate with others both internally and externally, from immediate team members to other internal business units, to external vendors and stakeholders
Who You Are: The ideal candidate will offer the experience of professional content curation and social media experience, a proven track record of growing and retaining a social audience, and sound knowledge of key tools, including Facebook Business, Facebook Ads Manager, and Sprout Social. An obsession with creating impactful social media and video content is a must!
The military job codes/duty codes most closely related to this role are: 46A, 46Q, 46R, 46Z 35P1, 35P2, 35PX, 3N031, 3N051, 3N071, 3N0X1 1650, 1653, 1655, 1657 4301, 4302, 9674
We are looking for a team player with a great attitude, strong work ethic, and excellent communication skills. A bachelor’s degree in public relations, mass communications, marketing, journalism, or a related discipline is preferred.
We are particularly interested in your experience in the following areas, so be sure to highlight them on your resume and application:
Knowledge of best practices for social media platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, NextDoor, etc.
Proficiency in graphic design software, including Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, and other visual design tools
Ability to take initiative, collaborate, and effectively balance stakeholder relationships
You are a strong writer; you know how to craft engaging social content and write for web platforms
Excellent communication and visual design skills
Creativity, openness to new ideas, and adaptability
Who We Are…
One of the largest four-service public utilities in the nation (over 500,000 customers)
A national leader in reliability (power on an average of 99.991% of the time)
Diamond Designation recipient from the American Public Power Association – a utility sector leader in reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvements
Located at the base of the Rocky Mountains in the most desired city to live in the United States (U.S. News & World Report, 2022)
Our Commitment to Our Employees…
Our people are the heart and soul of Colorado Springs Utilities. They keep the lights on, gas flowing, water coming in, and wastewater leaving. We do not just say people are important – we prove it! That’s why we are honored to invest in protecting the health and financial security of our employees and their families through our rich benefits program.
Time Off – Because everybody needs time off to recharge
Vacation – New employees accrue 13 days of paid time off to start, while our more tenured employees accrue 24 days per year
Personal Leave –3 days per year of personal leave
Paid Holidays –12 paid holidays per year
Sick Leave – Accrue 12 days of sick leave annually for those days when you or a family member is feeling under the weather
Vacation Buy – Purchase up to 40 hours of additional vacation time
Pension Plan – Looking forward to a comfortable lifestyle once you’re done working? The Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) provides you with retirement benefits and peace of mind when you retire
Medical – Select from three comprehensive medical plans, starting at $10.00 a month. Employees also enjoy access to a Health Savings Account (HSA) and a Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Wellness Program – Voluntary wellness program that allows you and your spouse to each earn up to $500 to use towards healthcare expenses, $100 in Visa gift cards, and up to $400 in gym membership reimbursements
Dental – Select from two dental plans, with in-network PPO preventive care covered at 100% and access to orthodontia coverage
Vision – A Voluntary plan that covers full vision care services and discounts on LASIK eye surgery
Retirement Saving Programs – Supplement your pension plan with voluntary retirement programs such as the PERAPlus 401(k) and MissionSquare’s Roth IRA and 457 plans
Disability Coverage – Short-Term (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance available for purchase
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Makes the going a little easier by aiding with mental health, stress management, work-life balance, financial and legal matters, and much more
Long-Term Care Insurance (LTC) – Whether it's due to an accident or a serious illness, LTC insurance is available for purchase to help you and your loved ones
Life Insurance – Company-paid life insurance and supplemental coverage available
Tuition Reimbursement – Employees are eligible to receive up to $5,250 annually for Tuition Reimbursement
Qualifying Public Service Employer – Payments made towards student loans may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
ATTENTION :
All positions will be posted for a minimum of 5 calendar days.
Starting pay will be determined within the posted pay range based on the experience, education, and training of the successful candidate; if there is a single pay rate posted, the job starts at that rate.
Colorado Springs Utilities does not sponsor work visas of any kind (including but not limited to H-1B, TN, or F-1 student visas with an OPT extension). Eligible applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.
Colorado Springs Utilities is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Our differences make us richer. Learning and growing from one another makes us more than what we were. We want our workforce to be as diverse as our business and recognize the limitless benefits of this commitment. Our desire is to have the organization reflect the diversity of the Pikes Peak Region. As an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, it is our commitment that no person shall be unlawfully discriminated against because of race, color, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, religious convictions, veteran status, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Affirmative Action is Colorado Springs Utilities’ effort to ensure positive steps are taken to have a representative workforce reflective of the relevant available labor force.
For more information regarding applicant rights, visit https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/ofccpost.htm
Accessibility Accommodations . If you are an individual with a disability or disabled veteran who is unable to use our online tools to search and apply for jobs, you may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting us at accessibility@csu.org or by calling 719-668-7500. This option is reserved for individuals who are unable to use or require assistance with the online tools as the result of a disability and is not intended for other purposes.
E-Verify and Right to Work Notice . Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. Colorado Springs Utilities participates in E-Verify. For more information on your rights and responsibilities as an applicant, please visit: http://coloradospringsutilities.jobs/applicants-rights-and-responsibilities/ . If you have a legal right to work in the United States, there are laws to protect you against discrimination in the workplace. You should know that no employer can deny you a job or fire you because of your national origin. Unless mandated by law or government contract, employers cannot require you to be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident or refuse any legally acceptable documents. If any of these things have happened to you, you may have a valid charge of discrimination that can be filed with the OSC. Contact the OSC for assistance in your own language. Call 1-800-255-7688. TDD for the hearing impaired is 1-800-237-2515. In the Washington, D.C., area, please call 202-616-5594, TDD 202-616-5525 Or write to: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel NYA 950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20530.
Have a question? If you have a question about a position or need assistance from a recruiter, email us at csurecruiting@csu.org or call 719-668-7500.
Job Type: Business Operations
