Communications Manager

Illinois needs an advocate to ensure policy makers and families receive accurate facts about charter public schools and understand their valuable contributions to Illinois communities. INCS is that advocate and the Communications Manager is a key leader in this effort. You will develop and execute a communications strategy that tells the transformational impact of charter public schools and be empowered to build out a communications and digital marketing strategy to achieve that goal. This person should have enthusiasm in the belief that charter schools have the power to transform public education and the lives of students. This individual will act as a leader in supporting communications efforts across multiple channels and stakeholder groups.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Media Relations Strategy

• Drive proactive media strategy to push INCS brand as a trusted, credible source of public education policy issues. 
• Support, train, and develop talking points for spokespeople for the organization in the media, at press conferences, CPS Board of Education meetings, and other public forums. 
• Ensure that INCS’s messaging is consistent with overall brand and mission and is understood by a variety of stakeholders.

Digital Marketing Strategy

• Lead strategy and content development across organization’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts. 
• Create and maintain a strategic e-mail program for several school district, state, and local legislative and electoral campaigns. 
• Manage and craft content for multiple online campaigns simultaneously. 
• Monitor and seek improvements on email results based on Key Performance Indicators as well as use multivariate (A/B) testing for performance improvement. 
• Use SMS tools, including blast text and peer-to-peer text to communicate with and activate voters, allies, and activists. 
• Create regular reports on SMS and email program performance results based on in-platform analytics and/or in-house data systems. 
• Work closely with data team to effectively identify, segment, and target lists, as well as creative effective and meaningful analytics program. 
• Research, write, and edit dynamic and effective online mobilization communications and campaigns with email, text messaging, video, and other online communication tools. 
• Work closely with teams across the organization on the identification and execution of email and SMS components to our political, issue, organizing and legislative programs. 
• Track and analyze campaign metrics. 
• Research and recommend emerging digital media technologies and channels. 
• Train charter school partners on online organizing, communications, SMS, email best practices and tools.

Charter School Network Support and Communications

• Provide unified messaging and strategy to charter operator communications staff on high-priority advocacy issues or news stories to ensure the charter community is prepared and aligned on responses to the media and other stakeholders. 
• Develop and collaborate on electoral strategies and identify advocacy tactics that complement message development. 
• Write compelling and relevant content for use across multiple communications platforms, including press, social media, fact sheets, blogs, etc. 
• Lead meetings with a coalition of communications professionals to develop sector-wide messaging, strategy, and outreach. 
• Manage INCS and INCS Action brands across all communication channels. 
• Oversee strategic use of all communication channels (e.g., website, email, social media, direct mail). 
• Manage vendor relationships owned by communications team (e.g., website developer, graphic designer). 
• Set strategies and priorities in line with the organization’s strategic plan and annual goals, monitor progress toward goals, and correct course based on data and reflection. 
• Advise Leadership Team on media, publication, digital and marketing opportunities across the organization. 
• Create strategies to help the internal Government Affairs team communicate with a variety of external audiences: political campaigns, races, and elected leaders.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

First and foremost, candidates must believe that every child, regardless of socioeconomic factors or their academic starting point, has the potential to succeed in school, career, and life. In addition, candidates should have an awareness of how public education systems have historically and disproportionately disadvantaged certain communities and must believe that charter schools have the power to transform public education and the lives of students.

Ideal candidates will possess the following characteristics:

Required:

• Undergraduate Degree; Master’s Degree a plus 
• 5+ years of experience with communications, PR, and marketing strategy 
• Skilled social media strategist to build brand and awareness and ability to develop and execute digital campaigns with engaging content. 
• Digital Marketing Strategy and Analytics 
• Public speaking and data interpretation (website, email, social media metrics) skills. 
• Understanding of charter schools and city, state, district politics Political/Cultural Navigation 
• Ability to navigate complex and sensitive political environments, including dealing with vocal opposition that is often not fact-based. 
• Ability to work independently and through challenges to deliver high-quality work and clear SMART goals. 
• Experience working with a variety of stakeholders, developing partner relationships, and supporting schools with their communications needs. 
• Confident, mature outlook and presence, sense of humor, relentless optimism, a spirit of problem-solving, and calm under pressure. 
• A strong desire to build a culture of high-quality, timely, and relevant communications across the organization. 
• Strong writing skills with high proficiency working with Microsoft Office tools to create documents and presentations.

Preferred:

• Graphic design 
• Videography/photography 
• Firm experience or prior experience in education reform 
• Media editing skills with a demonstrated track record of success using multiple media channels. 
• Website development 
• Newsletter development (content, Mailchimp design, and building lists) 
• Sales, business development, or related experience 
• Two to five years of project management experience 
• Education or non-profit sectors is preferred but not required.