Community Relations and Outreach Manager

Position Overview

The Illinois Tollway is dedicated to providing and promoting a safe and efficient system of highways while ensuring the highest possible level of service to our customers. Whether it's I-PASS, the Move Illinois Program, open road tolling or keeping you safe with our H.E.L.P. trucks, we are committed to delivering great benefits and services to customers.

The Tollway is a user-fee system – no state or federal tax dollars are used to support maintenance and operations. Operations are funded by toll and concession revenues.

Under the leadership of the Board of Directors and Executive Staff, the Tollway is committed to achieving the following goals: increase collaboration with regional transportation and planning agencies, promote the regional economy, maintain financial integrity, foster environmental responsibility and sustainability, maintain the safety and efficiency of the Tollway system, further transparency and accountability, enhance customer service, and maintain public trust.

In support of this vision, the position of Community Relations and Outreach Manager is a key position in relation to the Illinois Tollway's capital programs, including the current $15 billion Move Illinois program, and serves as a liaison between both internal and external entities by representing the Tollway at a senior level with community agencies and/ or organizations, regional planning groups, such as Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning, as well as with various community councils and individual citizens.

Essential Job Functions

The Community Relations and Outreach Manager reports directly to the Chief of Planning. The Community Relations and Outreach Manager is responsible for supervising the Community Relations Coordinator. The Community Relations and Outreach Manager will work in close coordination with the Land Acquisition Manager, the Intergovernmental Agreement Manager, the Stakeholder Engagement Department as well as key planning personnel at IDOT, and other governmental agencies, counties and communities.

The Community Relations and Outreach Manager's main responsibility is to develop an overall outreach plan to help advance the goals and objectives of the Tollway and to represent the Tollway at a senior level with community agencies and/or organizations, regional planning groups, such as Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning, as well as with various community councils and individual citizens. This position will serve as a liaison between both internal and external entities and will be responsible for developing and delivering pro-active System-wide community and public relations strategies in order to assist decision-makers in achieving the Illinois Tollway's mission and goals, and to keep the various governmental agencies and communities informed about the Tollway's accomplishments. They will coordinate closely with the Stakeholder Engagement Department regarding media needs in their community relations efforts and will further advocate the Illinois Tollway's activities and services to the various community agencies and/or organizations, and regional planning groups. Successful coordination between governmental agencies, communities and regional planning groups is key in the Tollway's effort to find common ground regarding management and funding issues that may impact the Illinois Tollway's future growth, land use, infrastructure and transportation issues as related to the agency’s capital program.

This position will be required to identify emerging issues, develop and implement new approaches and/or refine the Illinois Tollway's approach in coordination with Tollway decision makers to generate the desired results as efficiently as possible. This role requires in researching complex issues and developing recommended actions in addition to the ability to prepare informative reports and deliver persuasive, succinct presentations to senior management and elected officials as required.

They will be responsible for planning, coordinating, and disseminating a professional media and community relations strategy, and for ensuring that all appropriate constituencies are adequately informed of community events provided by the Illinois Tollway. This role will further be responsible for conducting in-depth media and public opinion analyses, making policy recommendations, advising Tollway decision makers of emerging trends, and planning strategic responses to potentially adverse media coverage or public opinion in coordination with the Stakeholder Engagement Department.

The Community Relations and Outreach Manager will be responsible for planning and coordinating numerous community events and forums requiring large numbers of participants, including legislative officials, intergovernmental directors/managers and business leaders. They will participate in and lead cross-functional project teams; produce professional written, visual, and oral presentations; write a variety of documents including media releases; maintain confidentiality of information; and meet critical deadlines. This individual must have the ability to maintain confidences and routinely handle sensitive and political information, which requires skills in human relations, diplomacy, tact and negotiating.

This individual must have the experience, sensitivity, and confidence to represent the Illinois Tollway, as well as the creative talent and practical skill to manage large and complex issues through diverse and competing interests. They must have a strong knowledge of the principles and practices of public relations and mass communication, as well as a basic knowledge of local government and techniques and methods of planning and implementing a public information program for a large agency.

They will also be responsible for interacting with senior-level executives; for developing comprehensive communication strategies; preparing executive level reports and correspondence; and advising Illinois Tollway executives of potential community reaction to Tollway policies and activities. This individual must be able to maintain tact under stress, as well as use persuasion, influence, discretion, political acumen, and independent judgement in representing the Illinois Tollway to public agencies, community organizations, and the media.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Responsible for planning, coordinating, and disseminating accurate, timely, and credible information to internal and external constituencies.
• Develop and implement an overall communication strategic outreach plan related to key issues and initiatives of the Illinois Tollway executive staff and Board of Directors.
• Anticipates, alerts and advises the Tollway executive staff of implications of policies, developments, and current events on community perceptions of the Illinois Tollway, and makes recommendations on appropriate communication strategies.
• Participates in key decision-making meetings and presents information, proposals, and recommendations as appropriate.
• Develops and implements a proactive community and media relations strategy in order to ensure the Illinois Tollway's messages and images are appropriately conveyed to the public.
• Establishes and maintains diplomatic relations with elected officials, department directors, community organizations, and the media in order to act as point of contact for questions concerning Tollway issues and community impact.
• Monitors and analyzes community response and media coverage of the Illinois Tollway, and analyzes emerging trends in public opinion in order to address items of concern and design appropriate responses.
• Designs and coordinates professional community events, presentations, and conferences involving policy-makers from various agencies; plans, coordinates, and implements community information strategies to ensure that the public is informed of community benefits provided by the Illinois Tollway.
• Organizes community meetings and forums on subjects that are often sensitive or complex; represents the Illinois Tollway to key constituents, community organizations, and the community at large in order to create a consistent Tollway response and image.
• Establishes a high standard of excellence, honesty, integrity and professionalism in community relations and works with limited supervision making decisions involving the release and format of sensitive, strategic, and confidential information.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education and Experience (Required):

• A Bachelor's degree in Communications, Business, Public or Policy administration is required
• Five or more years of progressively responsible related experience in local government work
• Minimum of three years experience in media and/or public affairs that includes developing media or outreach strategies, collaborating with senior-level corporate or agency representatives on issues of a sensitive nature, and working with diverse competing interests on issues with the potential for significant organization-wide impact
• Excellent oral and written communications, interpersonal and organization skills
• Ability to compile and summarize information in clear, concise, relevant and professional reports
• Strong computer skills including the ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel

Education and Experience (Preferred):

• Master's Degree
• Working knowledge of business, real estate practices, appraisal and property management
• Knowledge of governmental and municipality processes