Communications Manager (Communications Manager 2)

Initial Posting Date:

04/06/2026

Application Deadline:

04/19/2026

Agency:

Department of Environmental Quality

Salary Range:

$7,537 - $11,657

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Communications Manager (Communications Manager 2)

Job Description:

Are you interested in applying your communications leadership skills to protecting and enhancing Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive and equitable environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We strive to be a workplace where we share our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals, and while collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. We celebrate and appreciate diversity, champion equity, and treat each other with respect and dignity.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, age, or physical or mental disability in the administration of our programs and activities. Visit DEQ’s Civil Rights and Environmental Justice page.

Opportunity:

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity available for a Communications Manager (Communications Manager 2). This position is based out of Portland, Oregon.

Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality.

The Agency:

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is the primary regulatory agency of the government of the U.S. State of Oregon responsible for protecting and enhancing the state's natural resources. At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land, and water.

This position serves within the Office of the Director’s Office of Policy and External Relations. The Office of Policy and External Relations ensures that the legislative agenda and budget are effectively developed and implemented, and that DEQ is connected to and collaborating with communities across Oregon and other interested parties. This office has lead responsibility for liaison work with the Legislature and Environmental Quality Commission; communication with and outreach to Oregon communities; media and public relations; coordination with the Governor’s office and other state agencies; and development of budget policy packages and legislative concepts for the agency request budget and operating budget.

For a visual representation of DEQ’s offices and their locations, view our DEQ Offices and Vehicle Inspection Testing Stations map.

What you will do!

You will manage the Agency’s Office of Communications and Outreach section which includes developing program goals and objectives and monitoring progress; identifying, prioritizing, and scheduling work; and hiring, managing, leading, and coaching staff in the fulfillment of the objectives and goals of the Office of Communications and Outreach. You will direct DEQ’s statewide communication and outreach efforts, including design and implementation of public information and education programs, internal and external communication and websites, and content management of the agency’s internal document management and storage platform; oversee media relations, as well as internal and external branding efforts; act as a spokesperson for DEQ; and serve as the principal advisor to the director and executive team on communication and outreach. In addition, you will represent the agency before the commission, the Governor’s Office, local governments, tribal governments, interested parties, and local and national media.

As a State supervisory manager, you will be expected to develop proficiency in, as well as model to others, these competencies: proactive communication, innovation, intentional engagement, mentoring and developing others, stewardship, and business acumen. 

These competencies are demonstrated by:

• Ensuring staff are supported and have the tools, learning, and equipment necessary to perform their duties.
• Coaching, mentoring, and motivating staff; meeting regularly with staff to provide leadership, guidance, and feedback, and to encourage skill development and career growth.
• Setting clear work objectives, goals, and expectations for staff; evaluating performance and addressing performance in a timely manner.
• Building team cohesion; encouraging collaboration and ensuring staff are cross-trained.

Desired Attributes/Skills:

If you have these qualities, let us know! Candidates who are most competitive will reflect the following:

• Demonstrated commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity; proven experience developing and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
• Experience communicating about public policy and process, including experience with public boards, committees, councils, and/or commissions.
• Experience as a supervisory manager of a communications section and team.
• Familiarity with a wide variety of communication tools, including press releases, email list serves, web and social media, as well as community engagement techniques.
• An understanding of how to work with news media on a wide variety of topics, both proactively and reactively.
• Experience communicating complex technical information and data to audiences who may be unfamiliar with the subject matter.
• Experience leading teams or organizations in crisis and emergency communications efforts.
• Experience leading the development of comprehensive and strategic communication planning and messaging efforts.
• Experience advising, briefing, staffing, and preparing executive leadership to engage in high-profile and contentious public relation environments (e.g. media interviews, press briefings, public meetings).
• Experience representing an agency or organization in meetings with government officials, commissions, advisory committees, interested parties, local and national media, and the public, sometimes in urgent, contentious, or high profile situations.
• Experience building and supporting high-performing, collaborative, and inclusive teams that appreciate and encourage diverse thinking and foster an inclusive culture of belonging; proven experience fostering teamwork among direct-report employees; experience coaching, mentoring, and motivating direct-report employees and peers through inclusivity, equity, and kindness.
• Supervisory management experience in the public sector (ex: local, state, or federal government, school districts, etc.); understanding of or experience in working with labor unions, particularly in a government setting.
• Skill in cultivating positive relationships across diverse teams while addressing workplace dynamics with professionalism and cultural sensitivity.
• Experience in strategic planning, plan implementation, succession planning, outcome-based management, and change management; champions process improvement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability and experience managing human, financial, and informational resources in a manner that instills employee and public trust and accomplishes the organization's mission.

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications: 6 years of supervision, management, or progressively related experience or 3 years of related experience and a Bachelor’s degree.

What’s in it for you!

DEQ cares deeply about employee wellness and benefits. You will receive a comprehensive, competitive, and affordable benefits, leave, and wellness package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 11 paid holidays
• 10 hours of vacation per month, eligible to be used as accrued
• 8 hours of sick leave per month, eligible to be used as accrued
• 24 hours of personal business leave per fiscal year, eligible to be used after 6 months of service
• Optional life insurance packages
• Flexible spending accounts
• Membership in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
• Optional deferred compensation retirement program
• Opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• Continuous growth and development opportunities
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work
• A healthy work/life balance, including flexible schedules and hybrid work options for many positions

This is a full-time, management service supervisory position.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies.

Working Conditions:

DEQ believes in a diverse and inclusive work environment. All employees are expected to contribute to a work environment that collectively values and benefits from respecting its diversity and promotes a culture of inclusiveness.

This position will be based out of DEQ’s Headquarters office in Portland, however, the successful candidate may be eligible for hybrid work. The logistics of hybrid work will need to be worked out with the Hiring Manager prior to your hire and may be changed at any time given specific job duties and business needs. DEQ will provide necessary hardware (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and cell phone) for an employee to successfully work from home. At DEQ sites, you will have access to a workspace, however, it may be shared with other employees.

Most work is performed in a professional office setting with multiple demands on time. There is frequent work under tight deadlines. This position requires some travel on official State business for meetings, conferences, trainings, and public hearings, some of which may involve evening work, weekend work, and/or overnight stays. There will be extended working hours during legislative sessions and emergencies. This position may be on-call during crisis or sensitive situations.

How to Apply: (complete the application in full)

• External Applicants Click on the “Apply” button and submit your application. For resources and support related to applying, view our External Candidate job aid and Workday Recruitment for External Job Applicants video.
• Internal Applicants (current State of Oregon employees): Apply through your employee Workday account. For step-by-step resources on how to apply, review the Jobs, search & apply knowledge article.

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Help Your Application Rise to the Top!

Your application materials are the perfect opportunity to highlight your interest in the position and showcase your amazing skills and experience. In addition to your related work experience and education, DEQ will use the desired attributes and minimum qualifications above, under the “What are we looking for?” section to determine whom to interview. Please make sure your attributes and minimum qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application materials.

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Veterans Information:

DEQ provides candidate preference points to all eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former). For more information on candidate preference, please visit Veterans Resources. For privacy reasons, please do not attach candidate preference documents when initially applying. Instead, you will be asked to submit those at a later time as part of a future task in Workday.

Equal Pay Analysis:

As an employer, the State of Oregon complies with HB 2005, the Pay Equity Bill. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class in the payment of wages, and we do not screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. All finalists have an equal pay analysis completed to determine their placement on the salary scale. Please note: the salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS qualifying, the salary range will reflect an additional 6.95% (6% goes to PERS and .95% covers payroll taxes). Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.

Work Authorization:

DEQ does not offer visa sponsorships. On the first day of employment, all hires will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. In addition, hires will have three business days from their first day of employment to present documents that establish employment authorization and identity. DEQ is an E-Verify employer and will use E-Verify to confirm that hires are authorized to work in the United States.

Questions/Need Help?

If you have questions about the recruitment or need assistance to participate in the application process, including an accommodation request under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact DEQ’s Recruitment Team at jobs@deq.oregon.gov or 503-229-5107. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.