City of Houston · 7 hours ago
SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
Houston, TX
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
2+ years expThe City of Houston is dedicated to advocating for the rights and needs of Houstonians with disabilities. The Senior Communications Specialist serves as a liaison between city administration and the community, focusing on communication strategies, grant support, and event planning to enhance accessibility and inclusion for individuals with disabilities.
HospitalityNon Profit
Responsibilities
Facilitating delivery of services
Acting as liaison to Houston Commission on Disabilities (HCOD)
Making recommendations to public and private entities regarding the development of policy and legislation
Establishing local, state and national partnerships to promote community integration and awareness
Organizes virtual and in person meetings of the Houston Commission on Disabilities (HCOD)
Work with consultants to lead the development and maintenance of a comprehensive multi-media accessibility guide for City departments
Serve as a liaison to City departments implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Monitor and audit the Department of Neighborhoods' digital media
Work with the City of Houston webmaster to write, design, and develop the Department of Neighborhoods, Office for People with Disabilities, and Houston Commission on Disabilities webpages
Manage the Office for People with Disabilities and Houston Commission on Disabilities social media channels and coordinate with the Department of Neighborhoods’ digital media strategy in compliance with City policy
Draft and prepare talking points, speeches, and presentations for office leadership
Represent the Department of Neighborhoods, the Office for People with Disabilities, and the Houston Commission on Disabilities on internal and external committees and working groups
Support DON and OPD with grant writing, research, and compliance activities, ensuring timely and accurate submissions
Assist in planning and provide recommendations for major annual events, including the ReelAbilities Film and Arts Festival, ADA Anniversary Celebration, and the Annual Houston Disability Celebration, working closely with the event lead
Participate in emergency management activations as needed, which may require overnight shifts
Assist in scheduling ASL interpreters for press conferences
Help develop messaging by incorporating communications strategies
Qualification
Required
Requires a Bachelor's degree in art, design, communications, typography or a closely related field
Two years of experience in media, public relations, the art field or a closely related field are required
Directly related professional experience may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis
Preferred
Accessibility Subject Matter Expertise (Critical)
Deep understanding of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) (Levels A and AA) and relevant laws (e.g., Section 508, ADA)
Hands-on experience testing content using screen readers (e.g., JAWS, NVDA) and other Assistive Technologies (AT). Ability to perform manual checks and use automated tools (e.g., Axe, WAVE)
Proven skill in creating or modifying content formats (e.g., PDF remediation, accessible MS Word/Google Docs, video captions/transcripts) to meet accessibility standards
Ability to serve as an internal accessibility champion, translating technical requirements into plain language and providing actionable guidance to colleagues
Advanced MS Office/Google Workspace: Mastery of accessibility features in PowerPoint/Slides and Word/Docs for professional, compliant communications
Familiarity with tools like Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Photoshop) or Canva to guide accessible multimedia creation
Experience using professional social media management (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer) and email marketing tools (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact), applying accessibility best practices within those channels to execute a strategy, measure impact, and report outcomes
Strong written and oral communication skills for drafting complex documents and presenting to diverse audiences
Ability to develop, execute, and measure integrated communication plans that embed accessibility from the planning stage
Skill in managing complex projects and coordinating effectively with senior, diverse stakeholders (including legal, IT, and executives)
Meticulous attention to detail for quality assurance and error-free, compliant content
Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills
Familiarity and awareness of current events and policy issues, both locally and nationally, that may affect the work of the department
Spanish proficiency is strongly preferred
ASL proficiency is not required but preferred
Preference shall be given to eligible veteran applicants provided such persons possess the qualifications necessary for competent discharge of the duties involved in the position applied for
Company
City of Houston
The city also employs over 22,000 full-time staff to keep the city running.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
unknownKey Investors
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
2024-07-29Grant
Leadership Team
Todd DeGidio
Founder & CEO
Mark Seale
Chief Technology Officer
Recent News
bloomberglaw.com
2026-01-03
2025-11-12
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