Communications & Social Media Specialist (PIO I), Grade N21
Salary
$83,556.00 - $134,086.00 Annually
Location
100 Maryland Ave Rockville MD 20850 USA
Job Type
Permanent
Remote Employment
Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number
2026-00233
Department
County Council
Division
CCL 01 Council Central Staff
Opening Date
06/01/2026
Closing Date
6/5/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA
Exempt
About the Position
The salary range above represents this position's earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $70,556 per year to $88,255 per year, based on the candidate's qualifications and experience.
WHO WE ARE
The Montgomery County Council is the legislative body for Montgomery County, MD. Montgomery County, which shares a border with Washington, D.C., is one of the largest, most diverse counties in the United States. More than a quarter of its one million residents are foreign-born and speak over 100 languages. As one of the wealthiest counties in the country, it also holds the record for most post-graduate degrees per capita. The Council's synergy of talent, resources and support makes the Council an ideal employer for individuals who are looking to innovate and work on a diverse range of issues and create blueprints for bold thinking. The County Council's Communications Office is responsible for managing media relations, creating and disseminating content, and engaging with communities across the County to inform the public about the Council's work.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The Montgomery County Council is seeking a Communications & Social Media Specialist (Public Information Officer) focused on social media and public education campaigns related to public policy, community and government issues in Montgomery County, Maryland.
What Youll Be Doing
This is professional communications work in the Councils Communication Office developing, implementing, and evaluating social media strategies and collateral materials; developing public education campaigns about public policy, community, and Council issues; and drafting frequent press releases, digital content, and collateral materials.
Things to note about this position:
Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Two (2) years of professional experience in journalism, communications, public relations, social media production, or related field.
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, public relations, or a related field.
Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
All Applicants will be reviewed by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) for minimum qualifications. Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated "Qualified," placed on the Referred List, and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade or higher will be placed on the Referred List as a "Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:
If selected for an interview, applicants will be required to provide writing samples and/or share their portfolio.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicants responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the Countys "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriffs office) are subject to the Countys ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Leave Benefits
Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.
Retirement Benefits
All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.
Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness
Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.
Free Mass Transit Benefit
County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.
Reduced Child and Health Care Costs
Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.
Employee Wellbeing
We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.
Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
01
What is your highest level of completed education?
02
How many years of professional experience in journalism, communications, public relations, social media productions, or a related field?
Required Question
Employer Montgomery County (MD)
Address 101 Monroe Street
7th Floor
Rockville, Maryland, 20850
Phone 240-777-0311