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 Director Application.”
● Salary Range: $90,000 to $115,000/yr. depending on experience
● Application Deadline: Applications accepted until filled
The Position: The North Carolina Association of Educators seeks an experienced strategic, and collaborative communications professional to serve as Communications Director. The position will work closely with NCAE’s officers to increase our overall capacity to communicate, align and amplify our stories to advance the organization’s priorities. 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, excel in a fast-paced campaign environment, and have experience managing, leading and developing a team of staff.
About North Carolina Association of Educators:
The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) is a member-led, democratic union that’s building a movement to defend and transform public education in our state. In the last three years we've led the largest educator walkouts in state history, and mobilized thousands of voters across the state to the polls as part of our successful campaign to halt the privatizer-controlled General Assembly’s decade-long legislative assault on our educators, students, and communities. In that same time, several of our locals have also fought for and won historic pay increases for custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria , and other staff and harnessed the momentum from those wins to propel themselves into ranking among the fastest-growing National Education Association affiliates in the country.
We're on the cusp of restoring North Carolina as a national leader on education policy and are making moves from the Sandhills to the mountains to win the schools our students deserve.
Responsibilities:
- Recruit, hire, manage, and develop communications staff members.
- 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, community/parent engagement, organizing goals and narrative change work.
- 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 releases & 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 a comprehensive communications and public relations strategy and plans that will enhance NCAE’s position as the state’s leading voice on public education.
- Develop and manage media relations with members of the media, influencers throughout the state, and communicators from partner organizations. Ensure regular communication and contact across North Carolina media markets and the state’s diverse media outlets.
- Serve as an on-the-record spokesperson for NCAE.
- Track analytics and engagement across various platforms and make data driven decisions..
- Direct and manage local programs, provide 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 and executing crisis communication crises should crises arise.
- Manage internal communications with members.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required - Qualified applicants will meet the majority of the following:
- Bachelor’s degree, such as English, fine arts, marketing, communications, etc.
- Five (5) years of experience in management or leadership level.
- Seven (7) years of experience in public relations, communications, public or client relations.
- Demonstrated ability through proven results executing a multi-media communications plan
- 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
Preferred:
- Advanced degree in communications, marketing, graphics design or related degree
- Experience in organized labor or campaign environment
- Experience in digital communications and campaign communications
- Experience leading narrative change work with a deep cultural and communications analysis that centers multi-racial equity and solidarity
In particular, we’d be thrilled about a Communications Director who:
- Shares our core commitment and has experience building power through supporting, investing in, training, and coaching member leaders
- Believes that rank and file members are the core of our union and are best positioned to lead our work and is deeply committed to member leadership
- Believes in deep investment in training and professional development for staff
- Is invested in the political project of rebuilding our union and reclaiming our state
- Is committed to equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in their work
- Is creative, solutions-oriented, and excited about designing a unique and innovative program
Benefits:
- 100% employer paid for healthcare coverage for the employee
- 100% employer paid dental and vision coverage for the employee and family
- A cell phone and internet reimbursement
- Mileage reimbursement for work-related travel
- A generous personal leave, sick leave, annual leave policy, and more.
- Relocation costs
NCAE is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected. Current and former/retired NCAE members and applicants committed to a strong public educators’ association who meet the majority, but not all, of the qualifications above are encouraged to apply.
Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process, please call Angela Schell in Human Resources @ 919-755-5541.
