Chief Communications Officer

Are you a visionary communications leader with a passion for public service and community engagement? The City of Corona is seeking a dynamic and strategic Chief Communications Officer to lead its communications efforts. This is your opportunity to help shape the narrative of a dynamic City on the go - one of Southern California's hidden gems.

The Chief Communications Officer will oversee the City's public, community and media relations, and create and direct the implementation of the City's Strategic Communications Plan to engage the community and tell our story.

If you're ready to inspire, lead, and make a lasting impact-Corona is calling.

Knowledge & Education

• Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public relations, communications, journalism, or a related field.
• Knowledge of current trends in communication strategies, community engagement techniques, utilization of different media types, and related tools.
• Knowledge of social media and its application to community engagement and marketing of municipal services.
• Understanding principles, practices and procedures of public administration for local government.
• Understanding of organizational and management practices for leading a high functioning team.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to provide administrative and professional leadership for the team.
• Ability to develop and distribute honest, thoughtful, and compelling media to build culture and ground Corona with community engagement and a strong sense of place.
• Ability to understand the needs of diverse internal stakeholders, coordinate efforts with interdepartmental teams, and deliver results that are on brand.
• Ability to deliver effective creative writing, creative thinking, and public speaking.
• Skilled at organizing, delegating, and accomplishing work in a fast-paced, creative, team environment
• Ability to prepare and administer large and complex budgets; allocate limited resources in a cost-effective manner.
• Ability to effectively administer special projects with contractual agreements and ensure compliance with contractual obligations.

Experience

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• Seven (7) years of increasingly responsible experience related to public information, strategic communications, marketing, and public relations, preferable in the public sector, including three (3) years of managerial leadership experience.

Characteristics

• An organized leader - someone who can set a vision for the team, make and coordinate assignments, manage resource demands, and support their team to success.
• A self-starter with a can-do attitude.
• A collaborative contributor who possesses intrinsic motivation, unwavering commitment, ambitious drive, an insatiable curiosity, adaptability, and reliability.
• An innovator- someone that proactively brings new methods and ideas to projects.

This position is FLSA Exempt.

To view the positions complete job description, click here.

Application Process
Applications for this recruitment will be accepted continuously with a first review date of Tuesday, September 2, 2025. Candidates that successfully pass the screening process and are deemed to possess the most desirable qualifications will be invited to a virtual HireVue interview. Candidates who pass the virtual HireVue interview will be invited to the in-person oral interviews tentatively scheduled for September 16, 2025. The top scoring candidates from the oral interview will be placed on an eligibility list from which the department may hire.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo a reference / background check including livescan and pass a pre-employment medical examination (which will include a drug/alcohol screening).

Community

A City whose heritage spans more than a century, the City of Corona, located in Riverside County, California, encompasses around 40 square miles and has a vibrant, culturally diverse population of approximately 168,100 residents. Residents of Corona enjoy a variety of cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities that provide a first-rate quality of life for its residents and visitors. Within an hour's travel time, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy such winter activities as snowboarding and skiing and such summer activities as surfing, boating, or simply relaxing on a beach. Corona's economy is strong and getting stronger; more than 84,000 people work here. Our retail, commercial, and housing areas are expanding, and office development continues to be strong.

The Organization

The City of Corona is a General Law city operating under a Council-Manager form of government. Policymaking and legislative authority is vested in the City Council, consisting of a Mayor and four Council Members. Members of the City Council are elected by District to a four-year term. The Mayor is selected by the Council and serves as the presiding officer for one year.

The City is organized into the following departments/organizational units: Community Services, City Manager's Office, Economic Development, Finance, Fire, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal and Risk Management, Police, Planning & Development, Public Works and Utilities. Oversight of these departments is divided between the City Manager and two Assistant City Managers.

The City's total operating budget for Fiscal Year 2026 is $422.7 million with a General Fund operating budget of $231.3 million. Corona enjoys a workforce of 935 dedicated employees who provide high-quality services to its residents and visitors each day.

To view the essential duties and responsibilities, click here.

To view the qualifications guidelines, click here.

To view the physical/mental demands and work environment, click here.