Title: Customer Communications Specialist

State Role Title: PR & Mktg Spec III

Hiring Range: $60,000 - $80,000

Pay Band: 4

Agency: VA Information Tech Agency

Location: VA Information Technologies

Agency Website: https://www.vita.virginia.gov/

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

VITA seeks an efficient, organized, responsive and effective professional to join its Strategy and Communications Division as the customer communications specialist.

This role is responsible for assisting with critical business-related content and messages to Commonwealth of Virginia agencies and localities.

The customer communications specialist helps shape how VITA connects with and supports its customers, playing a pivotal role in advancing digital modernization throughout the Commonwealth.

Part of a cross-functional team, the ideal candidate is a collaborative multi-tasker, prioritizes consistency, can meet tight deadlines and is adept at translating complex technical language into customer-friendly messaging.

VITA needs a proactive professional with a positive, solution-focused attitude and excellent work ethic who can partner with colleagues to produce mutually beneficial results. They need to have a growth mindset, always ready to embrace challenges and look for opportunities to expand past the status quo.

The customer communications specialist serves on a productive, fast-moving team responsible for internal, external and customer communications, and reports to the assistant director of communications.

The customer communications specialist plays a key role in advancing VITA’s mission by understanding customer needs, then developing communications strategies and effectively executing tactics that positively enhance customer relationships. This role is vital to VITA’s credibility, ensuring information flows effectively from VITA to various professionals at customer agencies by aligning the message with the correct target audience and best timing.

Through a demonstrated ability to plan and manage projects, the customer communications specialist supports and promotes VITA’s key initiatives around governance, cybersecurity, procurement and infrastructure services by providing an essential customer service function: clear, consistent and timely information.

The customer communications specialist looks for any and all ways to promote VITA as a customer-focused technology partner that adds value and helps customer agencies achieve their mission. They have experience following style guides as well as a meticulous approach to research and factchecking to ensure all communications uphold the highest standards of accuracy and credibility.

The goal of this role is to exceed customer expectations by fostering a sense of connection, building trust and ensuring VITA outreach is effective.

The customer communications specialist will:

Draft, edit and/or distribute customer newsletters by the established deadlines, including managing distribution lists; ensuring accessibility and AP style compliance; gaining approvals; collaborating with subject matter experts for content development; and tracking performance metrics.

Edit and distribute customer email messages crafted by the Customer Experience team within 48 hours of receipt or by the stated deadline, whichever is soonest. This includes managing distribution lists; posting corresponding content to the customer website; ensuring accessibility and AP style compliance; and tracking performance metrics.

Edit customer communications materials, content and resources – such as knowledge base articles, user guides, video scripts, FAQs and request items – by the stated deadline to ensure accessibility and AP style compliance.

Work with Customer Experience teams to draft, edit and/or distribute a bi-annual customer satisfaction survey, including ensuring AP style compliance and completing quality assurance testing. Use results to ensure VITA outreach is effective and identify areas of improvement.

Collaborate with Customer Experience teams to support programs, events and agency initiatives.

Review/edit presentations for customer meetings – such as Relationship Management Committee, Agency Information Technology Resource and CIO advisory council – by stated deadline to ensure accessibility and AP style compliance.

Work with Customer Experience teams to support the customer-focused website, including ensuring accessibility and AP style compliance; reviewing content timeliness, clarity and effectiveness; and marketing key VITA initiatives.

Work with the web team to ensure the VITA website has timely, relevant and clear information related to customer needs.

Apply public relations, marketing, promotions and digital publication best practices to produce communications for customer-related projects.

Ensure alignment of all customer communications with VITA's mission, voice and brand identity.

Produce monthly analytics reports to show outcomes of customer communications efforts.

Other communications duties as assigned.

Join VITA at The Boulders in Richmond, VA, where innovation meets impact! As the Commonwealth’s leading IT agency, we’re connecting, protecting, innovating, and powering Virginia’s digital future through collaboration, creativity, and purpose. Our team thrives in a vibrant, customer-focused environment that values growth, accountability, and forward thinking — all while making technology work for every corner of Virginia.

Minimum Qualifications

Considerable experience in a communications, PR, marketing, digital publications or similar role.

Considerable experience producing high-quality written and electronic communications, including experience using and/or editing for AP style.

Considerable experience developing and successfully implementing strategic communications plans that include measurable goals.

Considerable experience writing grammatically correct content for diverse channels and audiences.

Experience translating complex information/processes into clear, understandable language for non-technical audiences.

Considerable experience managing the functionality of, and developing/disseminating content using, content management systems (ex: Constant Contact).

Experience with project coordination, including using productivity and project tracking tools.

Considerable experience creating, distributing and tracking the performance of electronic communications/newsletters.

Additional Considerations

Experience supporting customer-focused communications or marketing initiatives.

Experience ensuring accessibility compliance.

Experience with process improvement.

Working knowledge of the Microsoft 365 platform and its associated applications, especially SharePoint.

Working knowledge of state government functions, processes and relationships.

General knowledge of information technology related services.

Public information officer experience.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Complete an application with the required documents:
• Resume
• Cover letter
• Portfolio or writing sample (articles, publications, communications plans, etc.)
 
These materials will be used to evaluate the candidate’s communications abilities and verify applied experience. Applications without all required documents will not be considered.

This position is eligible for one (1) day telework.

Applicants must consent to a fingerprint background check.

The Commonwealth of Virginia welcomes all applicants authorized to work in the United States. Sponsorship is not provided; therefore, applicants must be a citizen or national of the U.S., a Lawful Permanent Resident, or an alien authorized to work.

State applications and/or resumes will only be accepted as submitted online by 11:55 p.m. on the closing date through the state applicant tracking system. We will not accept applications, resumes, cover letters, etc. in any other format. Please refer to “Your Application” in your PageUp account to check the status of your application for this position. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided in the application and/or resume.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during the application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act.

VITA is a “Virginia Values Veterans” (V3) official certified state agency that provides hiring preference to Veterans and Members of the Virginia National Guard in support of Executive Order 29, (2010). If you are a Veteran or Virginia National Guard Member, we encourage you to apply and receive preference in the hiring process. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni also are encouraged to apply.

Contact Information

Name: VITA Human Resources

Phone: Recruitment@vita.virginia.gov

Email: Recruitment@vita.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.