Media Relations Coordinator

Summary: Under the general direction of the Director of Communications and Media Relations, or designee, the Media Relations Coordinator serves as the primary Communications Department liaison for the Frisco Police Department (FPD), acting as a resource for the police department, community stakeholders, and the public. This position supports all FPD media relations functions to ensure and facilitate consistent, accurate, and timely sharing of information. The Coordinator assists in developing and implementing communication strategies, managing social and digital media channels, preparing and distributing media releases, coordinates responses to media inquiries, organizes press conferences and public events, and monitors media coverage to support transparency and strengthen public trust.

The intent of this position description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbent(s) in this position. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties in this description and incumbent(s) may be required to perform position-related tasks other than those specifically listed in this description.

Essential Job Functions:

• Builds and maintains strong working relationships with local, regional, and national media outlets.
• Serves as a media liaison by fielding requests, coordinating interviews, sharing approved information, and facilitating media access during events and incidents.
• Develops, writes, edits, and distributes media releases, statements, alerts, fact sheets, and other public information materials and plans, implements and supports communication and media strategies in collaboration with department leaders and Department PIO team.
• Provides expertise and assistance in managing the department's social media and digital platforms, including content creation, scheduling, monitoring, engagement, and analytics.
• Produces multimedia content, including photos, short-form videos, and graphics for social media, public safety messaging, and community outreach.
• Helps plans and coordinates press conferences, media staging for incidents, community outreach events, and other public-facing activities.
• Monitors media coverage related to the department and public safety issues; assess accuracy and tone; and prepare summaries and recommendations for leadership.
• Creates and updates content for the department website, brochures, and other community materials.
• Provides communication support to command staff, including talking points, event preparation, messaging, and public statements.
• Ensures all communications comply with applicable laws, regulations, and department policies, including public records and privacy requirements.

Other Important Duties:

• May be required to work outside regular working hours, including nights and weekends as needed.
• Travels to attend meetings, conferences, and training.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Regular and consistent attendance in the workplace for the assigned work hours is essential.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of principles and practices of public relations, media relations, crisis communication, and public information.
• Knowledge of communication strategy development, message framing, and audience engagement.
• Knowledge of news media operations, newsroom expectations, and industry terminology.
• Knowledge of standards for writing and editing media releases, statements, and public information.
• Knowledge of social media platforms, best practices for content creation, engagement, and analytics.
• Knowledge of digital communication tools, including basic graphic design, short-form video production, and multimedia content development.
• Knowledge of website content management, basic HTML, and digital accessibility standards.
• Knowledge of public records laws, privacy requirements, and policies related to information release within a law enforcement environment.
• Skill in strong writing, editing, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Skill in communicating clearly and professionally with the public, media, and community.
• Skill in writing and editing accurate, timely, and compelling content for media releases, social media, websites, and public statements.
• Skill in making clear and confident oral presentations to various audiences.
• Skill in managing social media accounts, monitoring activity, responding appropriately, and analyzing performance metrics.
• Skill in producing visual content, such as graphics, photos, and short-form video, for public safety messaging and community outreach.
• Skill in planning and coordinating press conferences, media staging, and public-facing events.
• Ability to present a professional demeanor and handle sensitive or confidential information responsibly.
• Ability to provide accurate information under tight deadlines and during fast moving or high-pressure situations, including managing multiple tasks, especially during breaking news or critical incidents.
• Ability to present information clearly, both verbally and in writing, to diverse audiences.
• Ability to identify and respond to community concerns, media inquiries, and issues affecting department reputation and transparency.
• Ability to support command staff with talking points, event preparation, and message development.
• Ability to maintain accurate records, track media coverage, and prepare reports and recommendations.
• Ability to interact with the public and media tactfully, professionally, and with sound judgment.

Education, Experience, and Certifications/Licenses:

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Multimedia, Media Studies, or related field and a minimum of three (3) years of experience in mass communications, public relations, journalism, media relations, digital media, or similar work, ideally in government, public safety or a public-sector environment, or equivalent combination of education and experience that support the ability to perform the essential functions and/or skills of the job.
• Experience with social media platforms, digital content creation, photography, video and basic multimedia production.
• Comfortability interacting with media, community members, city staff, and diverse audiences.
• Must possess a valid driver's license, if not a current State of Texas license, must obtain a State of Texas Driver's license within 30 days of employment.

Environmental Factors and Conditions:

• Work is typically performed in an office environment.
• Will occasionally work in the field during police incidents, community events, press conferences, or emergency situations.