Government and Public Relations Manager

Eagle River Water & Sanitation District (ERWSD) provides sustainable and high-quality water treatment services to the Vail Valley. We are looking for an experienced Government and Public Relations Manager to lead a team that develops and delivers ERWSD’s public communications, community outreach, and emergency communication plans. This role will be part of ERWSD’s management team and responsible for supporting and shaping the organization’s strategic vision. This is a great opportunity for someone that wants to shape the conversation of water in the west.

As the Government and Public Relations Manager, you will serve as ERWSD’s Public Information Officer. You will lead public outreach and community engagement initiatives, oversee branding, media relations, and content strategy across digital and print channels, and play a critical role in emergency response communications. You’ll also provide guidance to leadership on board and government relations matters. If you are an experienced leader in communications, public relations, or public outreach, we look forward to meeting you!

What You’ll Do

• Serve as the primary strategic communications advisor to the CEO/General Manager and Executive Leadership Team, providing counsel on organizational messaging, positioning, communication strategy, emerging issues, and public response.
• Develop and lead ERWSD’s communications strategy, ensuring communication supports the District’s strategic priorities and maintains a consistent organizational voice, tone, message, and brand.
• Serve as a lead writer and editor for executive and high-visibility communications, including CEO/GM messaging, Board communications, talking points, presentations, public statements, press releases, newsletters, reports, web content, social media, and other strategic materials.
• Anticipate communication needs and proactively advise executive leadership on how significant organizational decisions, projects, financial matters, operational changes, and emerging issues should be communicated internally and externally.
• Translate complex technical, operational, financial, regulatory, and policy information into clear, accessible, audience-focused communications without losing accuracy or context.
• Support the development, administration, and execution of the District’s grant program, including identifying funding opportunities, coordinating applications, tracking requirements and deadlines, supporting grant reporting and compliance, and collaborating with departments to align grant funding with organizational priorities.
• Develop strategic messaging and communication plans for major District initiatives, including water conservation, rates and financial matters, capital projects, service impacts, regulations, organizational initiatives, and other issues affecting customers and the community.
• Lead ERWSD’s digital and social media strategy, including content strategy, storytelling, campaigns, audience engagement, channel management, and performance measurement.
• Serve as ERWSD’s Public Information Officer and primary media spokesperson, managing media inquiries, interviews, press relationships, public information, and crisis communications.
• Lead emergency and crisis communications, including participation in emergency response activities and all-hours communication support when significant incidents occur.
• Lead public outreach and community engagement, including public presentations, stakeholder engagement, community meetings, open houses, facility tours, and special events.
• Oversee ERWSD’s brand and establish quality standards for written, visual, digital, and public-facing communications.
• Support the CEO/General Manager and Board of Directors through coordinated Board communications, presentation development, key messages, public-facing materials, and clear communication of organizational priorities and decisions.
• Oversee and continuously improve Board meeting and communication processes, including coordination of Board materials, presentation standards, communication deadlines, and consistency across departments.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with municipalities, elected officials, governmental partners, community organizations, media representatives, and other key stakeholders.
• Partner with Directors, managers, subject-matter experts, and project teams to identify communication needs early and develop coordinated communication strategies.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Government and Public Relations department and team while establishing clear priorities, quality standards, accountability, and professional development.
• Monitor media coverage, community sentiment, engagement data, and emerging issues to identify communication risks and opportunities and advise leadership accordingly.