The Strategic Content Coordination (Press and Media) Specialist reports to the Public Diplomacy Officer and manages online public engagement across digital platforms, including social media and mobile channels. The incumbent leads the selection, creation, and distribution of strategic content in both digital and traditional formats for key audiences. The role includes developing policies, procedures, and guidelines for the use of emerging digital technologies, as well as coordinating Public Diplomacy strategic planning, audience research, and program evaluation. The Specialist provides on-the-job training for Mission staff involved in online engagement and establishes communication protocols for crisis situations.  

The incumbent also monitors press and media coverage on issues relevant to the United States and advising Mission leadership on strategies to promote accurate and balanced reporting. The role requires building and maintaining effective relationships with press and media professionals in digital spaces. 

Analytical skills: Strong ability to identify target audiences, understand their sensitivities, choose effective content, delivery methods that support U.S. policy. Able to track emerging influencers, shifts in information consumption, and the impact of new formats and platforms. Capable of analyzing communication trends to forecast SCC staffing and budget needs, and of assessing attitudes of media outlets and information consumers across key policy areas.  

Communication/Interpersonal skills: Able to lead Mission discussions on engagement priorities, strategic content, and dissemination, build consensus, and recommend actions. Requires excellent customer service, interpersonal, cross cultural communication skills. Able to engage media and government contacts, host online conversations, tailor messages to diverse audiences, and communicate effectively in formal and informal settings. Strong writing, public speaking skills are essential, including the ability to brief U.S. officers and draft English and Russian-language products. Must have excellent customer relations, interpersonal, cross-cultural communication skills. Must be able to identify influential voices in both traditional and digital information outlets and engage them to positive effect. 

Management Skills: Strong project and team management skills, including developing policies/procedures for evolving communication technologies and management of grants projects. Able to manage budgets, schedules, production of time-sensitive content. Capable of supervising staff, contractors, organizing training on digital tools, crisis communication, coordinating events such as press conferences and workshops.  

Technical skills: Proficient with social media, digital platforms, graphic design, photo-editing tools, basic photo/video production. Strong numerical skills for audience analysis, media metrics, budget projections. Knowledge of digital platform management, analytics tools, standard software (MS Office). Basic familiarity with TV/radio production to support press, broadcast logistics. Should candidate be selected for an interview, he/she may be requested to submit a portfolio of past work.

Start date: The candidate must be able to start within four weeks of receiving authorization and required clearances, or the application may be closed.

All applicants under consideration will be required to pass medical and security certifications.

Option One (to be combined with Prior Work Experience – Option One): University degreein communications, journalism, political science, economics, business, marketing, or other relevant field. 

Option Two (to be combined with Prior Work Experience – Option Two): Twoyearsof university studies incommunications, journalism, political science, economics, business, marketing, or other relevant field.

You will be evaluated against the qualifications and requirements in this vacancy announcement. 

You may be asked to complete a pre-employment language or skills test or provide a portfolio of past work.

You must complete the application form and provide the required documents. Your application must address all the position qualifications and requirements including education, experience, language, and any knowledge/skills/abilities listed. If you fail to submit a complete application, then your application may be disqualified for this position.

Prior Work Experience:  

Option One (to be combined with University Degree – Option One):

Minimum of three years’ work experience that includes multilingual, multicultural or multinational commercial or communications workplace with market research and analysis and project management as significant components of the job; or experience at a media outlet, think tank, university, NGO, international organization, foreign embassy, or government office. Applicants should demonstrate prior responsibility for public relations, public affairs, journalism, communications, marketing, managing public relations, outreach events, press conferences, and/or other media interactions using multi-faceted (multilingual, multimedia) digital and traditional formats as significant parts of previous work experience. 

Minimum of five years’ work experience that includes multilingual, multicultural or multinational commercial or communications workplace with market research and analysis and project management as significant components of the job; or experience at a media outlet, think tank, university, NGO, international organization, foreign embassy, or government office. Applicants should demonstrate prior responsibility for public relations, public affairs, journalism, communications, marketing, managing public relations, outreach events, press conferences, and/or other media interactions using multi-faceted (multilingual, multimedia) digital and traditional formats as significant parts of previous work experience. 

English language Level 4 (Fluent) is required. 

Level 3 (Good working knowledge) Speaking Latvian is required.

Level 4 (Fluent) Speaking/Reading/Writing Russian is required. 

and Other Info

Click the “Apply to This Vacancy” button at the top of the page to begin your application. 

Please address all relevant experience, education, language skills (including English), and job related skills or requirements in your application.

You may edit your application any time before the vacancy closing date. If you fail to submit a complete application by the vacancy closing date of this vacancy, then your application may be disqualified for this position.

The HR Office will contact successful applicants. For more information on applying for jobs or employment with us, please visit the U.S. Mission website: https://lv.usembassy.gov/jobs/

Thank you for your application and your interest in working with us.