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Are you looking for a role that blends creativity, collaboration, and community impact? Join our UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County team as a Communications Associate I! This position offers the chance to develop and support engaging communications and marketing efforts, working closely with our Extension team members to ensure information is timely, consistent, and well-crafted. It’s a great opportunity to bring your communication skills to a role where every message helps connect people with resources that make a difference in their daily lives.

As part of our collaborative team, you’ll partner with both Sarasota County’s Communications Department and UF/IFAS Communication Services, ensuring our outreach is clear, effective, and impactful. Employees with UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County play an essential role in carrying out programs administered by the University of Florida, working in full partnership under the Memorandum of Understanding between UF and Sarasota County. With excellent benefits, a healthy work-life balance, and the chance to contribute to a mission-driven career, this is an opportunity to grow while serving your community. Apply today!

About the Position

In this role, you will be responsible for...

Content Creation

• Develop and edit a variety of educational and promotional materials such as brochures, catalogs, flyers, newsletters, blogs, and webpages, ensuring accordance with AP and organizational style guides.

• Develop and review campaigns, strategies, and publishing schedules for social media, blogs, and webpages.

• Assist with the maintenance of webpages, including the development of new pages and content, and the coordination of editing existing content by program staff.

• Monitor and respond to social media and other online users; use direct messages and comments in a “social” way to ensure excellent customer service.

• Provide support for video production, photography, and photo management.

Communications Facilitation & Engagement

• Support communication and marketing strategies for Extension programs and services.

• Organizes and attends project meetings with staff to plan, brainstorm, and manage communication projects.

• Assist with developing communications and engagement plans, tracking progress, and updating strategies.

• Promote programs through community engagement, including distributing materials, tabling events, and building relationships with local leaders.

Administration & Reporting

• Plan, track, and report on assigned projects and communications efforts.

• Provide guidance and training on communications practices to staff and stakeholders.

• Stay current on trends, tools, and strategies through training and development.

• Ensure all tasks follow UF, county, and department policies while providing excellent customer service.

• Assist with reporting metrics and outcomes, serving as back-up to the Communications and Marketing Coordinator.

About the Schedule

Work Hours:

• Full-time, 40 hours per week.

• Typical Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Occasional weekends are required for events and tabling opportunities.

As a reminder, all county employees are considered essential and must be prepared to protect and support the community and its citizens. Each employee, without exception, will have a duty assignment and be required to work during a disaster or declared emergency.

About You

To be considered for this role, you must have the following:

• Associate degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Media Relations, Mass Communications, Marketing, or a related field.

• OR: Significant related experience in Public Communications, Environmental, and/or Human Services Communications may substitute for the required education (at management's discretion).

The ideal candidate has the following knowledge, skills, and/or abilities:

Please note that these are not requirements but bonuses for your consideration.

• Experience developing, evaluating, and implementing community engagement or marketing plans.

• Technical skills such as HTML/CSS, data analytics (e.g., Smartsheet, Python), and web content management.

• Proficiency with communications tools and software, including Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, photo/video editing, and event management platforms.

• Strong communication, writing, presentation, and customer service skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and work collaboratively.

• Bilingual skills in Spanish (speaking and writing) are highly desirable.

Physical Demands: Employees in this role must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 lbs.

Level II Fingerprinting: This position is subject to passing a Level II Fingerprinting.

About Everything Else

Starting Pay: $25.70/hr

Our interview process could include phone interview(s), Microsoft Teams video interview(s), and/or in-person interview(s).

If you are selected to join our team, please click on this link to review the Required First Day Documents. You will need to present the following items on your first day:

1. I-9 Acceptable Documents to show your identity and authorization to work. Use this link to learn more and review the different document options: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

• If your position requires a Florida Driver’s License, this must be one of your documents. (Your Florida Driver’s License can serve as one of your documents listed in link above – List B Documents.)  

2. U.S. Social Security Card (signed, physical card). This is a requirement of our Payroll Department and failure to provide this document could jeopardize timely compensation. (Your U.S. Social Security Card can serve as one of your documents listed in link above – List C Documents.)  

Benefits:

• Enjoy great benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, Flexible Spending Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Florida Retirement System (FRS) and many, many more! Choose one of three great medical plans, including one with a $0 premium option, with completed preventative visits!
• For more information about employee benefits, please click this link or visit SCGov.net for additional information.
• Utilize our award-winning wellness program including free gyms at multiple Sarasota County Government locations. 
• Enjoy 11 paid holidays, 3 personal days and 16 paid vacation days in the first year of full-time employment with increasing accrual rates with years of service. (That adds up to a possible 30 days off in your 1st year!)​​

A different blend of voices prompt better conversations, choices and results for everyone. Sarasota County – Many Voices, One Team.

We celebrate and value the experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, talents and strengths that make us different.

Our vision is to attract, develop, retain and engage a talented workforce broadly representative of the citizens and communities we serve. To further value creativity, innovation, collaboration and great customer service – internally and externally. 

A job applicant with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to participate in the application/selection process is requested to make known the need for an accommodation to Human Resources or appropriate county staff members. For assistance with the application, please call 941-861-5353.

Sarasota County prohibits discrimination in all services, programs or activities. View the complete policy at scgov.net (keywords: ADA Compliance).

Sarasota County Government is a Tobacco-Free/Drug-Free Workplace.

Please mention you found this employment opportunity on the CareersInGovernment.com job board.

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• Sarasota County Government