The Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE), the nation’s leading source for transformative, evidence-based ideas about public education, is seeking an experienced Director of Strategic Communications to help us launch another 25 years of impact. The Director of Strategic Communications will develop and execute a communications plan to further the goals of CRPE’s new five-year-strategic plan.

With an understanding of the CRPE voice, s/he will lead the development and execution of branding, audience outreach, media relations, and web and social media strategy. With an ear to the ground, this position will council the Director and senior staff on opportunities to leverage CRPE’s work and expand our impact and influence.

CRPE exists to be different, and to challenge all assumptions. We are original thinkers, with a sense of urgency and forthrightness about what is and is not working in public education. Therefore, the Director of Strategic Communications should be a strategic thinker, creative, entrepreneurial, and goal oriented. He/she should enjoy working in a fast-paced, start-up culture, and be highly organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, and adaptable to changing workloads and priorities. This position will report to CRPE Director Robin Lake, and will oversee CRPE’s communications team.

Responsibilities:

• Develop a communications plan in alignment with CRPE’s strategic plan with the goals of increasing CRPE’s impact and national reputation
• Lead the vision and management of the communications team with an eye to efficiency and urgency
• Provide direction and support to CRPE staff to build impact strategies into every project
• Develop and leverage strategic relations with partners and networks to maximize opportunities for engagement, expand reach, and target specific audiences
• Lead dissemination efforts of all CRPE products to maximize reach and impact
• Develop strong media relations and ways to give CRPE experts new exposure, product placement
• Drive efforts to present CRPE research in innovative, compelling, and engaging ways
• Independently identify public policy/news opportunities to leverage CRPE’s work, including blogs, op-eds, etc.
• Oversee the writing, editing, design, and production of CRPE’s products, including all web- and social media-based materials
• Draft media advisories, press releases, and talking points about CRPE’s work

Qualifications:

• 5-10 years of professional experience in the communications and/or public relations field
• A demonstrated track record of successful development and implementation of marketing and communications strategies in the public, private, and/or nonprofit sector
• Proven ability to translate nuanced, balance research and ideas into accessible and engaging formats

Location: Seattle, WA, though remote locations may be considered

“The University of Washington is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. The University is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and covered veterans.”