Marketing and Communications Director of Communications
Job Description
ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
The Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders (“School Leaders”) is a nonprofit organization that develops, engages, and retains principals and system leaders who transform schools, dramatically improve student outcomes, and drive systemic change to prepare all Philadelphia students for college, career, and life.
Our fundamental belief is that Philadelphia’s principals and school system leaders change students’ lives. Through an investment in results-driven leadership development experiences, the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders empowers individuals to drive student outcomes and advance equity in Philadelphia’s district, charter, and faith-based schools.
Our flagship experience, the Neubauer Fellowship in Educational Leadership, provides proven principals with the resources and guidance to sharpen their leadership capacities. The Fellowship is a transformative two-year experience that develops critical leadership skills needed to elevate school performance and student outcomes in their schools and across the city. Fellows receive best-in-class professional development and build relationships with a network of outstanding peers who share strategies and problem-solve with one another.
As Neubauer Fellowship alumni are promoted, they join Leaders of Leaders, designed to provide the tools needed to effectively supervise and develop principals, improve principal practice, and increase student outcomes. Fellowship alumni also serve as coaches to promising principals in our Performance Partners experience, where high-potential principals deepen the instructional skills necessary to coach teachers, resulting in improved teacher practice and student outcomes.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Director of Communications is responsible for the strategic development and execution of School Leaders’ comprehensive communications plan. This position is both strategist and storyteller. The Director will focus on effective communication with key internal and external stakeholders while creating efficient and engaging ways to streamline and share the organization’s message. The Director will partner with the full School Leaders’ team to ensure consistent messages, identify and share case studies and promising practices, and convey impact. The Director will work closely with – and directly report to – the Executive Director to elevate School Leaders’ profile in the Philadelphia region as well as nationally while also supporting its development needs as a non-profit.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director of Communication’s responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:
Communication Strategy
- Establish and drive a cohesive multichannel communications strategy for School Leaders
- Manage organization voice and brand standards, ensuring adherence to these and other communications protocols
- Develop and manage annual communications/content calendar
- Track effectiveness of communications activities and use data to inform strategy
Consistent, Compelling Narrative
- Craft and deliver a compelling, inspiring narrative about School Leaders’ work, mission, and results, rooted in data and impact
- Create clear, consistent, compelling messages as the foundation for all communications
- Combine data with storytelling to highlight successes and communicate impact
- Develop effective collateral that clearly conveys who we are, what we do, why it is important, and results
- Create organizational overview, program materials, annual report, and impact briefs
- Redesign organizational website, including updated photography and videography
- Build a content bank to highlight case studies, promising practices, and successes
Stakeholder Engagement
- Prepare, manage, and coordinate participant, partner, board, and funder communications, including press releases, e-newsletters, annual report, and more
- Create consistent and efficient processes for ongoing communications with key stakeholders
- Develop and coordinate communications touchpoints to cultivate/maintain relationships and optimize stakeholder experience, understanding, and engagement
- Engage program participants in an authentic process that encourages them to be active ambassadors for School Leaders
Public Relations
- Elevate the organization’s profile and work by coordinating thought leadership among senior executives
- Establish and maintain relationships with relevant local, regional, and national press to secure impactful media opportunities
- Serve as the primary press contact for School Leaders
- Create and implement a social media strategy to increase digital presence, viewership, and engagement
Project Management
- Identify and coordinate with outside communications professionals on any needed joint efforts
- Partner with the full School Leaders’ team to identify and share anecdotes, case studies, and impact
- Prepare and manage annual communications budget and timelines
Additionally, the Director of Communication will fulfill any other responsibilities as needed or assigned by the Executive Director.
QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following competencies and attributes:
- Passionately believe that all students can achieve at high levels
- Communicate effectively in both written and verbal communication
- Tailor message for audience, context, and mode of communication
- Demonstrate excellent, detail-oriented proof reading and editing skills
- Combine data and storytelling
- Build positive relationships and effectively collaborate with diverse stakeholders
- Maintain a service orientation
- Exhibit a strong focus on goals and results – including a track record of meeting or exceeding goals – and hold self personally accountable
- Demonstrate ability to successfully plan, organize, and lead complex initiatives
- Demonstrate excellent project management and execution – work efficiently, maintain attention to detail, manage timelines, and is able to multi-task, adapt, and balance requests from many stakeholders
- Develop and improve organizational processes
- Exhibit proactive and forward thinking with an ability to be nimble and responsive
- Demonstrate proven interest in implementing innovative technologies, processes, and ideas
- Maintain a positive attitude, flexibility, and humor
The ideal candidate will have the following experience:
- A minimum of 5-7 years of communications experience
- Experience:
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- Managing multiple stakeholder groups and crafting nuanced messaging for each
- Creating communications cadence/sequencing for organizations
- Undergraduate degree in communications, journalism, English, or related field
- Outstanding written, verbal, and editing skills including a comprehensive knowledge of AP Style
- Awareness of – and proficiency with – communications technologies, including social media platforms
- Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Office and Google-based applications
- Familiarity with Philadelphia and both its media and civic landscape
- Relationships in education and/or the nonprofit environment is a plus
COMPENSATION
The Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent health care for employees, generous paid time off, supportive work and family benefits, professional development opportunities, and more. Compensation is competitive and based on experience.
The Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
For more information about School Leaders, please visit our website at phillyschoolleaders.org.
