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Vice President, Strategic Communications

Description

Position Available: Vice President, Strategic Communications
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Category: Full-time, salaried, at-will employee
Location: Tallahassee, FL or Virtual

JOB SUMMARY
The Vice President for Strategic Communications oversees the development and implementation of external communications strategies for one of the nation’s foremost education policy organizations. The Vice President serves as a key member of the leadership team and is responsible for guiding the organization’s communications strategy, driving our message at the national level and within states, telling our impact story, and shaping our narrative. The Vice President supervises a National Director of Communications and serves as a boundaryless leader and partner, establishing the strategic vision and collaborating with the organization’s policy, advocacy and operations programs to achieve the organization’s communications, engagement and storytelling goals and objectives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Leads the development of a strategic communications program, which includes forecasting, planning, implementation, message development and measuring results to advance ExcelinEd’s mission and policy agenda.
• Creates an annual strategic communications plan and provides strategic and tactical communications direction for key initiatives; assesses existing communication channels, tactics and messaging and identifies areas of opportunity.
• Organizes the ExcelinEd story and advances the organization’s reputation and impact as a national and state-level thought leader in education policy and education transformation.
• Shapes the organization’s external narrative and engages the organization’s leaders, including the board chair, board of directors and executive team, in key initiatives and objectives.
• Identifies strategic communication opportunities and challenges and proactively develops strategies to maximize results.
• Provides strategic communications advice to state leaders and advocates of student-centered education policy.
• Builds strong relationships with leadership to define and package impactful messaging that positively expresses the organization’s policies and purpose.
• Oversees traditional and digital media strategies. Develops and oversees social media strategy and content to drive engagement.
• Interacts with members of the press, policymakers, ExcelinEd supporters and the public. Acts as ExcelinEd’s spokesperson on issues of national interest.
• Represents ExcelinEd at state and national events; develops and maintains relationships with key communicators in partner organizations.

ABOUT
Being a part of ExcelinEd means joining a high-performing and motivated team of education advocates with a shared belief that every child deserves a quality education. Team members are committed to our core values of service, integrity, collaboration, expertise and making a difference. Our organization sets big, hairy audacious goals and works tirelessly to support states in transforming education through student-centered policies that increase student learning, advance equity and ready students for college plus careers.

Qualifications

PREFERRED SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS

• Extensive knowledge of the principles and techniques of strategic and crisis communications, issue management, campaigns, media and public relations, new media, and marketing.
• Fluency across social media channels.
• Agile leader and creative problem solver with excellent judgement, who can shift between strategic and tactical thinking.
• Broad knowledge and understanding of state and federal policymaking and political environments.
• Superior writing skills and proven ability to translate complicated concepts into clear, compelling language for multiple audiences.
• Proven success in partnering and influencing across teams to drive results in matrixed environments, as a boundaryless leader and collaborator.
• Ability to thrive with ambiguity, drive change, manage relationships and handle complex work assignments.
• Highly self-motivated with the ability to execute with speed, accuracy and efficiency.
• Ability to forecast communications opportunities and challenges and contribute to developing long range goals and meeting strategic objectives.

REQUIREMENTS
Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in communications, journalism, political science or other relevant area of study with 10+ years of professional experience. Experience should include working with elected or appointed officials and at the executive level to develop and direct strategic communications, on-the-record media relations, executing earned media campaigns, writing speeches, opinion editorials, press releases and marketing materials.

How to Apply

TO APPLY
Submit resume and cover letter via email to carrie@excelined.org. You will be contacted if selected for further consideration.

Job Originally Posted on: Wednesday, March 17, 2021