Public Relations Specialist

OUC - The Reliable One, is presently seeking a Public Relations Specialist to join the Marketing & New Products division. At OUC, we don't just work - we're building a bright future of innovation and transformation for future generations.

We are seeking a proactive, perceptive, and resourceful Public Relations professional with strong interpersonal and project management skills by planning and executing stakeholder engagement, relationship management, and communication strategies that advance OUC's business priorities and strengthen its reputation. You will deliver clear, consistent, and timely communications to external stakeholders on infrastructure impacts, customer and community concerns, and complex energy and environmental issues. This position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on community relations and corporate messaging in a fast-paced, high-visibility environment.

In this role, you will support OUC's community engagement efforts by implementing stakeholder engagement plans, developing targeted communications, and creating audience-specific messaging across multiple platforms. You will assist with communications for high-profile infrastructure and utility projects, ensuring stakeholders are informed before, during, and after project activity. You will coordinate stakeholder meetings and outreach efforts, maintain tracking tools, analyze feedback and media coverage, and ensure messaging is clear, consistent, and aligned across channels. Additionally, you will contribute to strategic communications on energy equity, environmental initiatives, and the evolving energy transition, helping to shape public understanding and build trust around critical initiatives.

OUC is an industry leader and the second largest municipal utility in Florida committed to innovation, sustainability, and our community, OUC's mission is to provide exceptional value to our customers and community by delivering sustainable and reliable services and solutions.

Join a team of visionary change agents, strategists, and community ambassadors who understand the vital role of diverse experiences in powering creativity and industry transformation. At OUC, each position contributes to the success and achievement of our goals. Click here to learn more about what we do.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, English, or a related field (such as Business, Marketing, or Government Affairs)
• At least three (3) years of experience in stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, public relations, or public outreach
• Strong project coordination and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, including confidence in public speaking and stakeholder-facing settings
• Experience developing and implementing stakeholder communication and public outreach strategies, including audience segmentation
• A strong customer-service mindset with the ability to listen, interpret concerns, and address misinformation effectively
• Comfort working with data, spreadsheets, dashboards, and analytics to inform communication strategies
• Familiarity with CRM or stakeholder management systems (Salesforce experience preferred), with the ability and willingness to learn new tools
• Ability to collaborate across teams, demonstrate initiative, and adapt in environments with evolving processes
• Flexibility to attend occasional after-hours or weekend meetings and community events
• Bonus: experience working with utilities, infrastructure, government, NGOs, or environmental or sustainability-focused organizations; bilingual skills are a plus

OUC offers a very competitive compensation and benefits package. Our Total Rewards package includes, to cite a few:

• Competitive compensation
• Low-cost medical, dental, and vision benefits and paid life insurance premiums with no probationary period.
• OUC's Hybrid Retirement Program includes a fully-funded cash balance account, defined contribution with employer matching along with a health reimbursement account
• Generous paid vacation, holidays, and sick time
• Paid parental leave
• Educational Assistance Program, to include tuition reimbursement, paid memberships in professional associations, paid conference and training opportunities
• Wellness incentives and free access to all on-site OUC fitness facilities
• Access to family-oriented recreational areas
• Paid Conference and Training Opportunities
• Hybrid work schedule

Click here to view our Benefits Summary.

Salary Range: $65,506 - $81,884 annually - commensurate with experience

Location: "The Greenest Building in Downtown"- Reliable Plaza, 100 W. Anderson Street, Orlando, FL 32801

Please see below a complete Job description for this position.

Job Purpose:

Assists in the coordination and implementation of effective stakeholder engagement, relationships management, and communication strategies to advance OUC's business priorities and reputation with external stakeholder groups. Liaises and coordinates with OUC owners of external stakeholder relationships and assists in developing, and coordinating communication, public outreach and stakeholder engagement plans and messaging.

Primary Functions:

• Support coordination for implementation of OUC's community engagement roadmap.
• Develop communications to ensure positive representation of OUC
• Develop talking points, FAQs, fact sheets, presentations, scripts, and responses to comments/inquiries.
• Maintain positive working relationships with industry contacts and other agencies.
• Participate in the development and implementation of stakeholder communication plans to increase positive, proactive image and brand awareness.
• Identify stakeholders and interest level in OUC related topics and concerns.
• Create and maintain databases, schedule and participate in meetings, and coordinate stakeholder and public meetings.
• Ensure consistent internal and external messaging related to OUC issues and projects targeted towards external stakeholders for a wide range of platforms, including but not limited to webpages, newsletters, presentations, print collateral, and stakeholder publications.
• Review branding and messaging strategies and tactics to ensure quality, clarity, conciseness and consistency across OUC channels of communication (online, email, voice recordings, presentations, etc.).
• Create messaging for various communication channels and audiences.
• Assist in developing statements for crisis situations
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders on initiatives and coordinate communications and outreach with external stakeholders.
• Conduct research to develop stakeholder data/profiles.
• Coordinate and participate in stakeholder and public meetings to discuss issues of interest to stakeholders (and their constituents) and seek collaborative solutions
• Track stakeholder inquiries/requests and resolution and assist in drafting responses.
• Analyze media coverage and social media chatter (occurrences, volume and sentiment) related to OUC projects and key issues.
• Assist in preparing subject-matter experts for events and public-speaking opportunities with key external stakeholders including, presentation guidance, etc.
• Assist in coordinating joint initiatives and events such as press conferences, groundbreakings, and storm or disaster responses.
• Assist in coordinating and participate in public relations and community events, and programs and initiatives.
• Provide administrative support as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Technical Requirements:

• Working knowledge of all, but not limited to, the following:
• Public relations fundamentals;
• Project coordination;
• Community and organizational engagement models, principles, and methodologies;
• Stakeholder engagement and relationships management;
• Public relations and outreach;
• Brand reputation and awareness;
• Communications and writing;
• Communication channels;
• Content creation.
• Familiarity with all, but not limited to, the following:
• Applicable software programs;
• Related industry, organizational and departmental policies, practices and procedures; legal guidelines, ordinances and laws;
• Ability to:
• Manage multiple priorities;
• Demonstrate effective communication skills, verbal, written, and interpersonally.
• Network and develop relationships with key external stakeholders and internal subject matter experts.
• Write excellent communication documents including outreach/communications plans and contribute to developing community benefits plans.
• Analyze/interpret media coverage.
• Exhibit strong initiative, work under pressure, and meet deadlines as required.
• Work in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions and decimals, rates, ratios, and percentages;
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite (Power Point, Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) and standard office equipment (telephone, computer, copier, etc.).

Education/ Certification/Years of Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Public Relations or a related field of study from an accredited college or university;
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, or public relations.

Working Conditions:

This job is absent of disagreeable working conditions. This job is performed in an office work environment.

Physical Requirements:

This job requires constant typing, reading, writing, speaking, and hearing. This job may also require very frequent sitting, frequent walking, and occasional bending/ stooping and lifting up to ten (10) lbs.; additionally this job may also require occasionally driving a company vehicle.

OUC-The Reliable One is an Equal Opportunity Employer who is committed through responsible management policies to recruit, hire, promote, train, transfer, compensate, and administer all other personnel actions without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information and any other factor prohibited under applicable federal, state, and local civil rights laws, rules, and regulations.

EOE M/F/Vets/Disabled