SUMMARY:
The Director/Assistant Director of Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations is primarily responsible for building and communicating a unified brand for the District that highlights its positive accomplishments and its public perception. This position will support the District’s strategic plan through increasing public awareness of issues, trends, and resources with regard to the District as well as raise public and employee awareness of events, programs, services and goals of the District. Additionally, the person in this position will provide leadership in advising and making recommendations of appropriate communication strategies to the Superintendent.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Communication and Public Relations
- Serves as adviser to the Superintendent on matters of communication and identifies, in consultation with the Superintendent projects that require ongoing communication oversight.
- Serves as information liaison between the school system and the public; the school system and agents of mass media.
- Designs layouts for school system publications, forms, and other printed and electronic materials district-wide.
- Responsible for the creation and dissemination of news and feature releases and accompanying photographs for print media including but not limited to, D33 News Bites, D33Board Briefs, the Link and newsletters.
- Prepares press materials as needed for distribution to reporters covering Board meetings and public hearings.
- Utilizes effective strategies that steer a positive perception of the District with increasing awareness among potential decision makers, employees, investors, families, and students.
- Maintains a cohesive brand that represents the District’s values and mission while shaping the perceptions of the District in the minds of its stakeholders and community at large.
- Creates digital content (videos, photography, images and graphics) for promoting and highlighting school events, students/staff recognitions, holiday/national recognitions for the website and social media.
- Attends and captures school-related events/activities through photography/videography for website/newsletter/social media publications. These events may occur on weekends and/or evenings.
- Provides standards and guidelines for consistent and appropriate use of video, photography and branding.
- Manages strategies for one-way and two-way communication.
- Continuously develops and updates the District’s Crisis Communication Plan.
- Develops and manages a district merchandise store.
- Makes suggestions and recommendations to the Superintendent concerning the public relations impact of certain developments or proposed actions.
- Develops, produces, disseminates, and evaluates surveys.
- Maintains and disseminates calendar of in-district activities.
- Sets annual objectives and budget plans for the role.
- Coordinates and facilitates employee recognition and appreciation programs.
- Keeps abreast of professional practices in the field of school public relations and makes appropriate recommendations to the Superintendent.
- Serves as a member of the Administrative Cabinet and Administrative Council.
- Performs other duties as may be assigned by the Superintendent of Schools or designee.
Website/Social Media
- Strategically manages the District’s overall social media presence to engage with the community on social media platforms, reinforce the District’s positive reputation, showcase District success stories, protect staff and student privacy, and moderate comments and posts.
- Proactively seeks stories in order to create and curate content that promotes a positive image of the District.
- Maintains the district website and other electronic school system publications district-wide, including but not limited to writing, editing, design layout, and frequently updating.
- Provides leadership, guidance, and support in collaboration with various departments, administration, and staff members to execute necessary video, photo, graphic design, publications, and electronic and printed material requests.
Community Relations
- Assists school district advisory and volunteer organizations with their information distribution and publicity needs.
- Communicates District programs, instructional goals, and objectives to the greater community within the context of the Board of Education’s mission and strategic planning.
- Actively seeks input about the District and schools from the community through surveys, focus groups, community forums, and other methods.
- Serves as a liaison between the District and parent/community groups such as PTOs and Citizens Advisory Council and to facilitate support for activities related to the district’s goals.
- Works alongside the Assistant Director of Partnerships to support in establishing partnerships with other public entities that serve the District’s community (village, park district, library, high school, etc), and coordinates communication efforts with those community partners.
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, QUALIFICATIONS PROFILE:
- Any combination of education and experience providing the required skill and knowledge for successful performance would be qualifying. Typical qualification would be equivalent to: Bachelor’s degree in communication, public relations, marketing, or a related degree. Previous experience in community relations, communication, marketing, or public relations.
- Available to work some evenings and weekends.
- Highly skilled relationship builder with exceptional interpersonal skills.
- Knowledge of community resources.
- Outstanding oral and written communication skills.
- Knowledge of journalism, public relations and marketing.
- Knowledge of social media platforms and their appropriate use for marketing and branding.
- Thorough knowledge of digital publishing (visual graphics, high quality videos, flyers, etc), word processing, Google Suite, and related computer skills.
- Working knowledge of computerized research techniques including the Internet and other on-line research tools.
- Bilingual Preferred.
- Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable.
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES:
- Ability to work independently, stay on-task, multi-task, and take responsibility to complete assigned projects in a timely and efficient manner.
- Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work.
- Ability to maintain the confidentiality of information.
- Ability to communicate effectively with parents, students, teachers, administration, and community members.
- Ability to maintain emotional control under stress.
- Ability to independently apply analytical, problem-solving, and creative-thinking skills with respect to communication issues.
- Ability to use e-mail and office equipment effectively.
- Ability to multitask.
- Ability to take initiative in this role.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENT:
Travel between schools and in the community is required.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Works in a standard office and school building environment.
Administrator Benefits:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance options (Board paid 70% PPO and 80% HMO)
- Free life insurance equal to base salary
- Retirement plan options
- Board Paid TRS
- Paid Time Off
