Chief Communications Officer

The City of Colorado Springs is seeking a visionary, strategic, and collaborative Chief Communications Officer (CCO) to lead a team of public affairs, media relations, and marketing communications professionals to engage the public, share vital information and tell the story of the City of Colorado Springs and its government.

Reporting to the Chief of Staff for the Mayor, the CCO serves as the City's principal advisor and strategist for communications­ overseeing media/public engagement, internal communications, public messaging, digital content, and brand management.

This high-impact role requires a confident and experienced leader with deep executive communications experience. The CCO will work closely with internal leadership, elected officials, community partners, and the media to communicate the City's priorities, programs, and vision with clarity, credibility, and reach.

*Please note that this posting will remain open until the position is filled. It also may close early if a sufficient number of applications are received.

The City of Colorado Springs:
Nestled at the foot of Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs is a vibrant, forward-looking city with over 506,000 residents. Colorado Springs is renowned for its exceptional quality of life, innovative industries, and natural beauty. Home to five military installations, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, Colorado Springs is known as “Olympic City USA” and regularly finds itself atop best places lists for quality of life, family and military environments.

As an organization, the City of Colorado Springs is committed to being:
Transparent in its governance
Proactive in its approach
Approachable in its service to the community

As the Chief Communications Officer, you will:
Lead a team of communications professionals responsible for media messaging, public engagement, social media, crisis communications and brand marketing.
Serve as the City's lead spokesperson and chief architect of public messaging and media relations.
Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy aligned with the Mayor's vision and policy priorities.
Oversee the media relations team that manages press releases, media briefings, digital communications, social media, and print publications.
Manage the City's brand identity as Olympic City USA, ensuring a cohesive and professional public image across all platforms.
Collaborate with civic organizations, non-profits, business leaders, and government agencies to foster public engagement and support for key initiatives.
Provide high-level strategic counsel to the Mayor and executive leadership, including speechwriting, messaging development, and media coaching.
Lead cross-organizational communications during emergency situations and high-visibility events.
Other duties as assigned
Learn more about this job by reviewing the class specification on the Colorado Springs Class Specifications

We are seeking a seasoned communications executive with:
Proven experience developing and leading strategic communication plans in complex, high-profile organizations (public or private sector).
Deep understanding of media relations, crisis communications, digital engagement, and brand management.
Exceptional writing, editing, and public speaking abilities.
Strong commitment to confidentiality and handling sensitive information.
Strong political acumen and the ability to navigate complex situations with discretion and confidence.
Proven track record of strategic leadership, goal-setting and team development.
Demonstrated commitment to transparency, accessibility, community involvement and public service.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field.
Seven years of full-time, professional experience in executive-level communications.
Two years of administrator and/or supervisory experience.
We value a diverse range of qualifications and experiences. Our organization views each year of further education as equivalent to each year of relevant work experience, and each year of additional relevant work experience as equivalent to each year of required education.

Preferred Qualifications
The following qualifications are not required, but they are considered desirable. If you possess any of the preferred qualifications, please include specific details in your application. This information may be used to identify a top group of applicants.
Master's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, or a related field.
Posses professional certification such as APR (Accredited in Public Relations) or CMP (Certified Marketing Professional).
Ten years of full-time, professional experience in executive-level communications.
Four years of experience leading dynamic and multi-level teams.
Experience executing marketing and/or communications strategy for C-suite or other public executive.
Experience in a public-facing and high profile organization.