Fire Public Information Officer in Ventura, California, United States

Job Information

Ventura County Fire Public Information Officer in Ventura, California

Fire Public Information Officer

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Fire Public Information Officer

Salary

$98,306.11 - $159,993.20 Annually

Location

Thousand Oaks and may be required to travel throughout Ventura County, CA

Job Type

Full-Time Regular

Job Number

0453FPD-26AA (JW)

Department

Fire Protection District

Opening Date

04/20/2026

Closing Date

5/4/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

Description
Benefits
Questions

Description

WHAT WE OFFER

The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package that includes:

General salary increases of 3.5%, effective December 20, 2026, and 3.5% effective December 19, 2027.
Educational Incentive for completion of: 2.5% for an associate's degree, 3.5% for a bachelor's degree, or 5% for a graduate degree.
Annual Leave Redemption: The option to cash out up to 100 hours of total 208 hours of Annual Leave accrued per year after taking 80 hours of annual leave in the preceding twelve months. A candidate selected for this position will earn 208 hours per year increasing to 288 hours after 5 years of service.
Deferred Compensation: Section 457 Plan and/or 401(k) Shared Savings Plan with up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions.
Health Plans: You are afforded a flexible credit allowance of up to $26,626.86 annually for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans.
Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses.
Pension Plan: Participation in the County's defined benefit plan which has reciprocity with CalPERS.
Bilingual Incentive: Proficiency levels by exam are $.69 per hour (Level I), $1.00 per hour (Level II), or $1.32 per hour (Level III).
Holidays: 13 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.

THE AGENCY

The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) provides fire protection and emergency response services across most of Ventura County, serving unincorporated areas and the cities of Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Port Hueneme, Ojai, Fillmore, and Santa Paula. In total, the department operates 33 fire stations, seven support facilities, and its headquarters in Thousand Oaks.

Our mission is to anticipate and respond to the dynamic public safety needs of a diverse community of about 840,000 people. This includes fire prevention, public education, emergency response, and effective communication. Covering 848 square miles, our facilities play a vital role in supporting the daily operations of more than 500 sworn and civilian personnel who protect lives and property throughout the county.

THE POSITION

Under the administrative supervision of the Deputy Fire Chief, the Fire Public Information Officer oversees the activities of the Fire Public Relations Office. A primary responsibility will be managing Fire District Volunteer programs ensuring sufficient community involvement to create successful outcomes. The incumbent will also be responsible for both emergency incidents and routine public information matters, conducting community educational programs, participating in public relations training for internal staff, and promoting safety campaigns of the Ventura County Fire Protection District. The audiences of these efforts will be internal employees, departments and agencies, external media, governmental entities, assisting private agencies, and the public.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will have considerable knowledge of public information methods, media relations and marketing techniques and possess skills in developing public information and educational materials and programs, advanced written and oral communications, and a strong knowledge of communication technology platforms and social media. Experience in a public safety or governmental organization is highly desirable.

PAYROLL TITLES AND APPROXIMATE SALARIES:

Agency Public Information Officer II: $3,781.00 - $5,293.40 Biweekly

Agency Public Information Officer III: $4,395.41 - $6,153.58 Biweekly

Fire Public Information Officer ( Agency Public Information Officer II/III) is represented by the Management Resolution and is not eligible for overtime compensation.

NOTE: If appointed at the lower level, incumbent may be promoted to the higher level without further exam upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with the business needs of the department.

The eligible list established from this recruitment will be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term), Intermittent and Extra Help vacancies . There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy in the Ventura County Fire Department.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

OPENING DATE: Monday, April 20, 2026

CLOSING DATE: Monday, May 4, 2026 at 5:00pm

Examples Of Duties

Typical duties may include, but are not necessarily limited to:

Manage, plan, organize, coordinate, and supervise the operations, programs, and staff of the Fire Public Relations Office, including prioritizing work, overseeing deliverables, and ensuring alignment with Fire District communication objectives.
Serve as a liaison and spokesperson for the Fire District by coordinating with the public, media outlets, government agencies, and partner organizations to disseminate accurate information regarding emergency incidents, safety initiatives, and Fire District operations.
Develop, prepare, and distribute public information materials including press releases, media statements, website content, talking points for Fire Chief Officers, and other written communications to inform the public and stakeholders.
Design, implement, and evaluate public relations campaigns and community outreach initiatives promoting fire prevention, safety education, recruitment awareness, and Fire District services through events, festivals, and digital platforms.
Manage and oversee Fire District Volunteer Programs including smoke alarm installations, wildfire preparedness outreach, car seat safety programs, water safety initiatives, and other community risk reduction activities to ensure program effectiveness and participation.
Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with governmental agencies, community organizations, nonprofit partners, and other stakeholders to support Fire District programs, community engagement, and public safety initiatives.
Plan, develop, and deliver community education programs and provide public relations and media training for Fire District personnel and staff from partner agencies.
Develop policies, procedures, and operational recommendations for the Fire Public Relations Office and advise Fire District leadership on communication strategies and program priorities.
Analyze, develop, and monitor the Fire Public Relations Office budget, including forecasting program costs, tracking expenditures, and preparing budget reports in coordination with Fire District management.
Compile, analyze, and interpret narrative and statistical data related to public outreach programs, communication effectiveness, and volunteer initiatives; prepare reports and recommend program improvements.
Performs other related duties as assigned.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE

Extensive experience in communications management in the public sector or similar environment which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. An example of a qualifying education and experience are:

Agency PIO II:

A Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communication, Public Administration, Business, or a related field; and,
Two (2) years of recent, paid, and progressively responsible experience serving as a public information officer in the public sector or similar environment equivalent to that of an Agency Public Information Officer I.

Agency PIO III:
A Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communication, Public Administration, Business, or a related field; and,
Three (3) years of recent, paid, and progressively responsible experience serving as a public information officer in the public sector or similar environment equivalent to that of an Agency Public Information Officer II.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Excellent written communication skills must be demonstrated in the completion of the employment application and supplemental questionnaire.
Contingent upon position, supervisory experience may be required.
Possession of a valid California Class C driver license.

DESIRED
Some experience in emergency information or crisis communications.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Considerable knowledge in:

Media relations, news writing and production, and the operation and needs of the media industry;
Media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform via written, oral, and visual media;
The structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rule of composition, and grammar;
Principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction;
Business software tools;
Business office procedures, practices and protocols;
Budget development including forecasting program costs, tracking expenditures and preparing budget reports.

Working knowledge of:
The Fire Protection District organization, operations, services, policies and procedures;
How to establish community outreach initiatives and emergency information/crisis communications to promote fire prevention, safety education, recruitment awareness and Fire District services;
Printing and print production;
Graphic design;
Photography and Video.

Skills & Abilities to:
Actively listen;
Communicate orally and in writing, make public presentations to the media and other agency representatives on Agency issues and decisions;
Establish and maintain good working relationships with media representatives, community organizations, staff, and volunteers;
Plan, organize and establish goals and objectives;
Exercise sound judgement and decision making;
Supervise, motivate, train, and evaluate the work of others;
Adhere to deadlines and short time constraints;
Produce accurate information using appropriate tools/media;
Compose news releases, articles, brochures and pamphlets;
Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.

Recruitment Process

Your application must be received by the County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5pm on Friday, May 1, 2026.

To apply online, please refer to our website at www.venturacounty.gov/jobs. A paper application can be obtained by calling (805) 654-5129. Our address is: County of Ventura, Human Resources Division, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

LATERAL TRANSFER OPTION: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here (http://vcportal.ventura.org/CEO/HR/docs/Lateral_Transfer.pdf) for additional information.

Note to Applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application; however, it/they may not be substituted in lieu of the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE – qualifying

All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at time of filing. This questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position.

APPLICATION EVALUATION – qualifying

Candidates' applications, resumes, or other required documentation will be evaluated on a comparative basis against pre-established criterion. Those individuals whose materials best indicate possession of the stated requirements, may be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EVALUATION – A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is not a determination or whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered accordingly to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.

NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. If the T&E replaces the oral exam, candidates must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

ORAL EXAMINATION – 100%

A job-related oral examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating examinees' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Examinees must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list. Candidates successfully completing the oral examination may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

NOTE: If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an examination may not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Jeff Weaver by email at Jeff.Weaver@venturacounty.gov.

YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE

MANAGEMENT

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

Benefits website (https://hr.ventura.org/benefits) or you may call (805) 654-2570.
Retirement FAQ's (https://vcportal.ventura.org/CEO/benefits/docs/RETIREMENT%20-%20FAQs.pdf)
Memorandum of Agreement

Union Codes: MB3, MB4, MS, MT, MCC, MU

Describe your work experience in public information, public relations and/or marketing including management and/or supervision of staff. Include:

A. Employers where you obtained the experience B. Examples of related campaigns or programs managed C. Size of teams managed and/or supervised D. Types of staff on teams, technical, clerical, administrative, etc. E. Experience leading to knowledge of Fire District organization, operations, services, policies and procedures F. Experience within a public safety or governmental organization

Employer(s) where you obtained the experience must be included in the previous work experience section to be considered qualifying.