Director of Communications at State of Nebraska in Lincoln, NE

Job description

The work we do matters! Hiring Agency: Economic Development - Agency 72 Location: Lincoln, NE Hiring Rate: $35.252 Job Posting: JR2026-00030252 Director of Communications (Open) Applications No Longer Accepted On (If no date is displayed, job is posted as open until closed): 11-11-2026 Job Description: Are you a natural leader and looking to make a difference? The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) is looking for a Director of Communications to help Grow Nebraska. DED's mission is to provide quality leadership and services that enable Nebraska’s communities, businesses, and people to succeed in a global economy. Under administrative direction, positions at this level are responsible for the development and management of the agency’s Communications Division including marketing, communication, advertising, and/or public relation strategies, policies, and programs. This position will have full supervisory responsibility for professional and support staff. The position will provide expert consultation/support to higher level administrators on complex, rapidly changing and potentially critical/controversial issues regarding communication/public relations strategies. Why join us: • Stable Employment Opportunity • Career Development and Learning • Tuition Reimbursement • 156% match on the first 4.8% contribution to the Retirement Plan • 13 Paid Holidays • Generous Leave Accruals and Benefits • Opportunity to be a part of a caring organization Job Duties: Coordinates with key management to study the objectives, promotional policies and needs of the agency to identify, develop, implement, and evaluate marketing, communications, advertising, and public information/relation strategies for the agency to positively influence public opinion, or promote ideas, products, and services. Direct supervision of the Department's communications team. Develops and implements the informational and educational programs of the agency to ensure that the public is kept informed of agency programs and activities through newspaper releases, radio tapes, video tapes, film strips,correspondence, social media, website, and direct contact. Assigns, coordinates, and reviews activities of marketing and communications staff on special projects and the public-information-related work of technical production and office support staff members to arrange for stories, subjects, facilitate the completion of project assignments and ensure the accuracy and completeness of writing, typing, photography, layout, printing, and/or typesetting. Advises agency management and divisions to provide editorial expertise and technical assistance, discuss potential and actual reaction to and impact of agency information releases, and suggest alternative approaches for disseminating information. Confers with news media representatives to discuss agency public information needs, develop, and maintain contacts, and facilitate the dissemination of agency and program information through the mass media. Negotiates with media vendors and/or contracted advertising agency to determine annual advertising budget for agency. Plans, organizes, coordinates, and controls work unit operations and programs to establish operational priorities,coordinate these operations with their functions within the agency, and ensure program objectives and standards are established and attained and are congruent with overall goals. Develops and directs the implementation of operational plans pertinent to the operations/programs managed to ensure the establishment of appropriate goals and the development of action steps to achieve those goals. Determines and requests/submits staff, material, and equipment needs for the operations/programs managed to contribute to the formulation and justification of budgetary requests for the agency as a whole. Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with representatives from the community, state and local government officials, business officials and other pu