Position: Communications and Public Affairs Director
How to apply:
Required Materials: Please submit your resume, at least 3 references, and a short writing sample that demonstrates skills relevant to this role to [email protected].
- Subject Line: Please make the subject line of your email: “FirstName LastName Communications and Public Affairs Director Application.”
- Salary Range: $100,000 to $120,000/yr (see below for benefits)
- Application Deadline: Applications accepted until filled
About North Carolina Association of Educators: The North Carolina Association of Educations is the state’s largest education advocacy organization for public school employees and represents active, retired, and student members. We are building a movement to defend and transform public education in our state. In the last three years, we've led the largest educator mobilization in state history and mobilized thousands of voters across the state as part of our successful campaign to halt the privatizer-controlled General Assembly’s eight-year legislative assault on our educators, students, and communities. In that same time, several of our locals have fought for and won historic pay increases for custodians and other staff, secured #shotsforsafereturn, and harnessed momentum from those wins to propel themselves into ranking among the fastest-growing National Education Association affiliates in the country.
The position: The North Carolina Association of Educators seeks an experienced strategic, and collaborative communications professional to serve as Communications and Public Affairs Director. The position will report directly to the Associate Executive Director and work closely with NCAE’s executive team to increase NCAE’s brand identity advance the organization’s priorities and increase our overall capacity to communicate. The successful candidate must possess excellent relationship skills and display comfort providing high level advice and counsel to principals be an effective storyteller and strategist and have experience inbuilding, leading and developing a team.
Responsibilities:
- Create a collaborative and transparent culture within the communications team that fosters creativity, individual growth and empowers team members
- Develop an overarching communications plan to help achieve NCAE’s policy, legislative, and organizing goals.
- Direct and drive the overall communication strategy to include paid, earned, and social media content.
- Lead the development and creation of all communications materials including written and digital publications, talking points, press release & advisories. Responsible for design, production, and distribution of mass communications.
- Develop brand standards and maintain brand integrity across all platforms. Create, implement, and measure the success of comprehensive communications and public relations program that will enhance NCAE’s position as the state’s leading voice on public education.
- Manage media relations and develop contacts with members of the media, influencers throughout the state, and partner organizations. Ensure regular communication and contact across North Carolina media markets and the state’s diverse media outlets.
- Serve as on the record spokesperson for NCAE.
- Track analytics and engagement across various platforms and make data driven decisions
- Direct and manage local program, technical assistance, and resource materials to assist locals in communicating their positions for consistency with NCAE brand identity, position, and values.
- Provide strategic advice and counsel to departments on communications and public relations.
- Direct responses to media inquiries.
- Develop protocols for managing communication crises and execute crisis communications plan should crises arise. Manage all internal communications with members
Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree, such as English, fine arts, marketing, communications, etc. Advanced degree in communications, marketing, graphics design or related degree is preferred. Experience: Seven (7) years of experience in public relations, communications, public or client relations. Experience in public education or organized labor preferred. Supervisory Experience: Three (3) years of experience at a management or leadership level.
Skills:
- Excellent speaking, writing, and editing skills
- Ability to act as spokesperson with the press, stakeholders, and members
- Experience in media training and preparation.
- Cultural humility while interacting with community organizations and diverse contractors
- Ability to move effectively within a large complex organization
- Ability to recruit, lead and develop teams
- Demonstrated success in building effective relationships with partners
- Familiarity with social media platforms and social media marketing and graphic design programs and principles
- Experience with search engine marketing, Google Analytics, and Google AdWords
Current and former/retired NCAE members, women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ people are strongly encouraged to apply. Interested applicants committed to a strong public educators’ association who meet many but not all the qualifications are encouraged to apply.
