Communications Director (PCN: 25-1833)

About the Department

ATTENTION ALL ALASKA RESIDENTS!

Shape the Voice of Transportation in Alaska
The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities connects communities across one of the most complex and visible transportation systems in the country.
As the Director of Communications, you will lead how DOT&PF communicates critical issues, builds public trust, and tells the story of transportation in Alaska. This leadership role operates at the intersection of executive decision-making, policy, media relations, and public engagement.

What You Will Be Doing
As the Department’s Communications Director, you will lead enterprise-wide communications strategy and execution for DOT&PF. This position serves as the department’s Public Information Officer and primary spokesperson, ensuring DOT&PF is a trusted, responsive, and authoritative source of information for the public, media, elected officials, stakeholders, and employees.

This role requires both strategic leadership and hands-on execution. You will advise the Commissioner and executive leadership on messaging, public perception, emerging issues, and communications risk, while also leading real-time media response, public messaging, crisis communications, and stakeholder engagement. You will manage high-visibility initiatives, sensitive issues, and fast-moving communications needs across a large, decentralized department.

A key part of this position is helping ensure department communications are clear, consistent, accurate, and timely across divisions, regions, and major program areas. You will coordinate closely with internal teams, partner agencies, media, legislators, communities, industry representatives, and the public to support department priorities and strengthen public understanding of DOT&PF’s work.

During legislative session, this position works closely with the department’s Legislative Liaison to support communications related to legislative priorities, inquiries, testimony, briefing materials, and public-facing messaging. The position also helps track and respond to issues with legislative, political, public, or media impact.

In this role, you will also lead and support the department’s communications team, strengthen internal communication and employee engagement, and improve the tools, processes, and strategies used to communicate with the public and within the department.

Our organization, mission, and culture:
The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities operates one of the most geographically complex and visible transportation systems in the country. DOT&PF is responsible for 237 airports, 10 ferries serving 35 communities, more than 5,600 miles of highways, and over 700 public facilities statewide.

Our work connects Alaskans to communities, jobs, health care, schools, goods, emergency services, and opportunities across vast, remote, and challenging environments. As a department, we are focused on strengthening service delivery, improving coordination, modernizing how infrastructure is managed, and supporting safe, reliable transportation across Alaska.

The Director of Communications plays a key role in helping tell that story. This position supports clear, consistent, and timely communication across the department while helping the public, stakeholders, employees, and decision-makers understand DOT&PF’s mission, priorities, challenges, and impact statewide.

The benefits of joining our team:
Working for Alaska DOT&PF means serving a mission with statewide visibility and real public impact. Our work connects communities, supports economic development, provides access to essential services, and keeps Alaskans informed about one of the most complex transportation systems in the country.

This role offers the opportunity to lead communications at the highest levels of the department, advise executive leadership, shape public messaging, and guide how DOT&PF communicates with Alaskans, the media, elected officials, stakeholders, and employees.

In this position, you will be part of a leadership team working through complex, high-profile issues that affect communities across Alaska. You will have the opportunity to strengthen public trust, modernize communication strategies, support employee engagement, and help tell the story of DOT&PF’s mission and impact statewide.

We are looking for a communications leader who is motivated by public service, sound judgment, fast-moving issues, and the opportunity to help guide how Alaska understands and engages with its transportation system.

If you are ready to lead meaningful communication work that supports Alaska’s communities, infrastructure, and future, we encourage you to apply.

The working environment you can expect:

This position may be based in any Alaska DOT&PF regional office, with flexibility in duty station depending on the selected candidate. The role supports a statewide department and requires regular coordination with executive leadership, divisions, regions, communications staff, partner agencies, media, elected officials, and stakeholders.
 

The work environment is dynamic, fast-moving, and highly visible. Priorities may shift quickly based on breaking issues, media inquiries, legislative activity, politically sensitive topics, emergency events, and department needs. This position requires the ability to respond in real time, provide sound communication guidance, and support clear, accurate messaging under pressure.
 

You will work closely with leadership and decision-makers while coordinating across state and federal agencies, regional teams, and external partners. The role includes a combination of office-based leadership, virtual coordination, public engagement, crisis and emergency communication support, and occasional travel throughout Alaska for meetings, project-related events, or department representation.

 DOT&PF supports a 24/7 transportation system, and while day-to-day work is structured, responsiveness during critical incidents, high-profile issues, and statewide priorities is essential. Success in this role requires confidence, judgment, discretion, and the ability to lead communication efforts in complex and sensitive situations.

Who we are looking for:
We are seeking a strategic, decisive, and experienced communicator who can lead in complex, fast-moving, and high-visibility environments. The ideal candidate will bring strong judgment, executive presence, and the ability to communicate clearly under pressure.

This position requires a leader who can advise senior executives, manage sensitive issues, support crisis and emergency communications, and develop messaging that builds trust with the public, media, elected officials, employees, and stakeholders. The successful candidate will be comfortable working across a large organization, aligning communication efforts across divisions and regions, and helping leadership navigate issues with public, political, or media impact.

Ideal candidates will have experience in executive-level communications, public affairs, media relations, crisis communication, stakeholder engagement, and team leadership. Experience working in government, policy, transportation, infrastructure, or another public-facing organization is highly desirable.

We are looking for someone who demonstrates strong strategic communication, sound judgment, accountability, leadership, and the ability to build trust across diverse audiences.

To view the general description and example of duties for positions please go to the following link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Alaska/classspecs

Position Duties

Positions in this job class are in the partially exempt service in accordance with AS 39.25.120(c)(6).

Background and credentials specific to the requirements of individual positions will receive primary consideration on a position-by-position basis.

Minimum Qualifications

***PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY***

COVER LETTER:

Cover Letter Requirement

Applicants are requested to submit a professionally written cover letter, no more than one page in length, that highlights their communication leadership experience and interest in this role.

Your cover letter should address:

• Your experience managing high-profile, sensitive, or crisis communications.
• How you advise executive leadership in complex, fast-moving, or politically sensitive situations.
• Your approach to building public trust, strengthening internal alignment, and communicating with diverse audiences.
• Why this role, DOT&PF’s mission, and Alaska’s transportation system interest you.

The cover letter will be used to help assess your written communication skills, judgment, leadership approach, and alignment with the needs of this position.

EDUCATION 

To verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competencies, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required with each application. (Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts). Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview; if not, transcripts will be required before employment.
 
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.
  
WORK EXPERIENCE

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported, and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.

NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Other Qualifications

For specific information about this position, please contact the hiring manager at the following: 
  
Name: Jody Thomas

 Phone: (907) 322-4141
Email: [email protected]

Benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an orientation video from Division of Retirement and Benefits. (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)

Insurance Benefits

• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
  • The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State:   See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
    • AVTEC
    • Confidential
    • Correctional Officers
    • Marine Engineers
    • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
    • Supervisory
    • Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
    • Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
  • The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts.  Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
    • General Government
    • Labor, Trades and Crafts
    • Public Safety Employees Association
    • Masters, Mates & Pilots
• Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

• Group-based insurance premiums for
  • Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
  • Long-term and short-term disability
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
  • Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
  • Supplemental Survivor Benefits
• Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note:  The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve (12) paid holidays a year

Supplemental Questions

Required Question

Agency Information

EmployerState of AlaskaAddress PO Box 110201

Juneau, Alaska, 99811 Phone(800) 587-0430 (Statewide toll-free number)
(907) 465-4095 (Juneau and out-of-state callers)Website http://workplace.alaska.gov/