Engagement Specialist

This Opportunity

WSP is currently seeking for a Full-Time Communications/Stakeholder Engagement Specialist based in our Salt Lake City, UT office. Become a member of our Advisory Services/Communications & Public Involvement (CPI) Team and be a part of a growing organization of professionals. This position will play a supporting role as an essential member with a team of communications and outreach professionals, and will primarily assist with engagement activities for projects in the Utah market. This is an exciting opportunity to join our national team of talented communications and public outreach/public information professionals.

At WSP, we are driven by inspiring the best people to be part of our future-focused business objectives. Our devotion to teamwork has allowed us to build communities and expand our skylines. Here at WSP, anything is within our reach - and yours as a WSP employee. Come join us and help shape the future!

The best candidate will be an experienced self-starter with the motivation and practice of simultaneously working on multiple and dynamic project deliverables. This requires self-accountability, including smart time management, excellent organization skills, maximizing of resources, and being results driven and proactive with challenging environments. Creativity and collaboration are essential in bringing our clients the most innovative and effective communications ideas, solutions and resources. Experience with public information and community engagement best practices will help build authentic relationships with the project's communities. The person in this role should be prepared to create and deliver options and solutions for proactive public communications in a fast-paced environment.

Your Impact

• Support the development and execution of project-based community engagement strategies.
• Create written content for community engagement and public involvement materials.
• Create communication materials (presentations, fact sheets, infographics, videos, web updates, summaries, etc.) designed to inform the public and stakeholders.
• Support communications team in executing and monitoring public information and communication plans, including media and social media strategy.
• Work with project-based community engagement teams, including subconsultants and clients.
• Support communications team in outreach and communications to stakeholders, agency staff, local elected officials, community leaders, individuals, businesses and community groups.
• Work collaboratively in a dynamic team environment, as well as independently utilizing best practices for public information, including the quick and accurate dissemination of information to populations and partner agencies.
• Be comfortable showing discretion and diplomacy with a wide variety of community members.
• Support the development, production and distribution of essential information, content and updates regarding complex projects.
• Work with supervision to implement strategies to engage all communities, especially underserved and marginalized people, using a variety of tools and methods including workshops, public meetings, market research, public information and advertising campaigns, visuals and more.
• Provide proofing and quality control processes of communications materials.
• Work closely with the creative team, equity team, media team and public affairs team to support streamlined and responsive messaging.
• Support the translation of content and materials into multiple languages by internal staff or subcontractors.
• Support a project team in all communications and outreach efforts. This may include, but not be limited to, attending public events, creating and organizing public meeting documentation and materials, coordinating with technical teams, implementing social media plans, communicating with community stakeholders and supporting the management of an outreach contractor.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Communications, Urban Planning, Journalism, Public Affairs, Planning, Government Relations or related field.
• A minimum of four (4) years of experience in communications and/or outreach with infrastructure, transportation or other complex projects.
• Superior command of the English language, with excellent written/oral communication and proofing skills.
• Experience with writing for multiple audiences and presenting technical concepts in a clear and concise structure.
• Experience with scheduling and meeting internal/external deliverable deadlines with multiple groups and internal/external client contacts.
• Experience with project coordination and client communications/relations.
• Comfortable with controversial public opinions and fluctuations in project priorities and adaptability to a changing environment with various deadlines.
• Outstanding interpersonal communication skills and the ability to deal effectively with all levels within an organization and on a project level.
• Excellent organizational skills and experience coordinating with staff and subcontractors.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel) and Adobe Acrobat.
• Experience overseeing subcontractors and accompanying supporting tasks, including task orders, scope development and management, as well as monitoring contract deliverables, deadlines and budgets.
• Training/certificates in meeting facilitation, public relations and/or public involvement (examples: Public Relations Society of America, International Association of Public Participation).
• Spanish language proficiency preferred.

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