Communications Specialist

State of Mississippi - MS – MDCPS- Technical Communications and Creative Specialist - Pathways_Tech Communications/Creative Services Specialist-167035-(onsite)

Duration: until 10/31/2027

Work Hours: 40 hours / week (8am-5pm)

Work Location: 750 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39202

Closing Date: 10/19/2026 at 2:00

Skills Required:

 Bachelor’s degree or higher in related field (such as Information Services, English, Communications, etc.)

 Effective communication, organizational, and time management skills. 7+ years

 Strong writing, editing, and visual communication skills; adaptive style for different platforms and audiences. 7+years

 Proficiency in process optimization and internal documentation. 7 years

 Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team. 7 years

 Professional experience in graphic design, digital media, or communications. 5-7 years

 Tools: Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Excel, Word), Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign), Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Workfront, Google Workspace, Smartsheet, Confluence, Lucidchart, SAP Business Network. 5-7 years

Skills Preferred:

 Experience working with information systems, cloud technologies, data analysis, or technology implementation projects. 5-7 years

 Knowledge of User Experience (UX) design. 5-7 years

 Experience with accessibility standards (WCAG). 5-7 years

 Experience with communications related to child welfare

Position Description:

The Technical Communications and Creative Services Specialist is a cross-functional role supporting both the agency’s Communications Department and the MIS Division with its comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) and related applications and functions. The position combines strategic communications, graphic design, digital media production, technical writing, project coordination, and documentation management to support agency communications initiatives and technology implementation efforts. In support of the Communications Department, the role develops and produces visual and written materials across print and digital channels, including publications, presentations, informational materials, and digital communications. The role also contributes to communications planning, creative development, brand consistency, and the delivery of clear, accessible materials that advance agency priorities and engage internal and external audiences.

In support of CCWIS and related agency projects, the role is responsible for developing, maintaining, and coordinating technical and project documentation required for system implementation, operational support, federal funding approval, and ongoing compliance with regulations and guidance issued by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Children’s Bureau. The role also translates complex systems, processes, and organizational priorities into clear documentation, visual communications, training materials, and other project deliverables while supporting documentation governance and information management. This role will work closely with the MIS Development Team focusing on UX and UI design to ensure applications are intuitive, easy to navigate and create a visually appealing experience for end users.

This role will collaborate with Communications staff, project managers, business analysts, system architects, technical developers, quality assurance teams, external vendors, and other stakeholders to deliver effective communications andproject outcomes aligned with agency priorities, brand guidelines, project requirements, and applicable federal regulations.

Responsibilities:

Project Management and Collaboration

 Assist the Project Management Office (PMO) and agency divisions with tasks and documentation for new and

ongoing projects.

 Partner with staff, editors, writers, IT, and external vendors to manage projects from concept through delivery.

 Lead cross-functional meetings to discuss projects, tasks, and process documentation.

 Internal and external agency communications, both written and verbal.

 Assist in developing and executing strategic communications plans that integrate both digital and offline tactics.

 Coordinate timelines, resources, and workflows to ensure high-quality, on-time deliverables.

 Develop dashboards and monitoring tools for users to track project and/or task progress.

Digital Communications and Design:

 Concept, design, and produce print and digital collateral – such as infographics, presentations, whitepapers, eBooks, etc. – while adhering to industry and agency brand standards

 Manage and create engaging content for websites, social media platforms, and other digital assets

 Support campaigns that align with organizational objectives, monitor trends, analyze performance, and track metrics

 Contribute fresh ideas and creative approaches that enhance audience engagement and organizational visibility.

 Ensure digital communications and design deliverables meet accessibility standards, including WCAG guidelines, to support inclusive access across digital platforms and materials.

Technical Writing:

 Develop and maintain implementation and operational documentation to include deployment guides, system configuration documentation, operational procedures, and other project documentation.

 Maintain end-user documentation and training materials including user guides, training manuals, job aids, online help content, and knowledge base documentation to support system implementation and ongoing operation.

 Review agency applications and websites using user feedback and project metrics to recommend improvements to content quality and user experience.

Information Governance and File Management:

 Create and maintain agency document repositories (e.g., SharePoint, Smartsheet) and ensure the documentation is updated as operational processes, tasks, requirements and system functionality evolve.

Includes initial setup, organization, version numbering, file indexing, and staff training or assistance.

 Initiate and manage a statewide Document Scanning project to digitize paper documents located in each county office and the state office working with a Vendor selected through a bidding process. Includes establishing document naming and numbering conventions to ensure the documents will be unique, traceable, and easy to retrieve by the staff in a digital library. Conduct periodic reviews to audit the naming and numbering conventions to ensure they are supporting the agency process workflows and audit requirements.

 Maintain documentation standards, templates, version control processes, and documentation governance procedures to ensure consistency and traceability across all project documentation.

CCWIS and Federal Compliance Support:

 Coordinate, prepare and maintain federally required documentation for a CCWIS system to ensure compliance with regulations and guidance issued by the ACF and the Children’s Bureau.

 Work with the Project Management Office (PMO) and the Finance Division to prepare the required federal information and incorporate it into the required templates. This includes the Advanced Planning Documents (APDs) and updates, and the Operational APDs (OAPDs), supporting narratives, and related documentation required to obtain and maintain federal approval and funding for the CCWIS system. Support responses to federal review comments, documentation requests, and audit inquiries from ACF, the Children’s Bureau, or other oversight bodies.

 Document system architecture, modular design, functionality, and technical implementation methods to demonstrate compliance with CCWIS regulations (45 CFR 1355 and 1356) and federal system certification expectations

Skill Matrix:

Skill	Required / Desired	Experience	Years of Experience	Comments
Bachelor’s degree or higher in related field (such as Information Services, English, Communications, etc.)	Required
Effective communication, organizational, and time management skills. 7+ years	Required	7
Strong writing, editing, and visual communication skills; adaptive style for different platforms and audiences. 7+years	Required	7
Proficiency in process optimization and internal documentation. 7 years	Required	7
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team. 7 years	Required	7
Professional experience in graphic design, digital media, or communications. 5-7 years	Required	5
Tools: Microsoft Office Suite (PowerPoint, Excel, Word), Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign), Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Workfront, Google Workspace, Smartsheet, Confluence, Lucidchart, SAP Business Network. 5-7 years	Required	5
Experience working with information systems, cloud technologies, data analysis, or technology implementation projects. 5-7 years	Preferred	5
Knowledge of User Experience (UX) design. 5-7 years	Preferred	5
Experience with accessibility standards (WCAG). 5-7 years	Preferred	5
Experience with communications related to child welfare