Director of Communications - Washington, United States - Ofc. of State Superintendent

Ofc. of State Superintendent

Verified Company

Washington, United States

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Mark Lane

beBee recruiter

Description

As the state education agency for the District of Columbia, the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is sustaining, accelerating, and deepening the progress being made for DC's 97,000+ students.

We work in partnership with 470+ early childhood facilities, 200+ schools, 60+ local education agencies (including DC Public Schools and public charter organizations), and countless community-based organizations.

In pursuit of our mission to remove barriers and create pathways for District residents to receive a great education, we set statewide policies, provide our education partners with resources and support and exercise accountability for all public education in DC.

Duties and Responsibilities
The Director of Communications will focus on the key responsibilities of: Strategic Communications, Leadership, and Media and Public Relations.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

Developing and overseeing the execution of a proactive, creative, and comprehensive communications strategy incorporating press, marketing, and digital media for the agency, in conjunction with key stakeholders such as OSSE's leadership team and the Mayor's communications team; Advising program teams to understand the work of the agency and ensure programmatic outcomes and policies are communicated effectively to key stakeholders; Ensuring the Superintendent can communicate a clear mission and vision and make strong progress towards its realization by providing agency-wide leadership; Serving on the agency's leadership team and providing communications consultation and expertise for all components and phases of agency work.

Additional duties include:

Leading media and public relations efforts including developing a strong working relationship with the press, providing strategic advice and guidance for OSSE executives, preparing key OSSE representatives for media and public interactions, and ensuring timely and effective responses to media inquiries; Overseeing development of public remarks for OSSE leadership including key talking points and responses in anticipation of media questioning and inquiries; and Leading clear and timely crisis communications, both internally and externally, in partnership with the Chief of Staff and Superintendent.

Qualifications and Education

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a relevant bachelor's degree (Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing or other related field) and at least ten (10) years of progressive experience in communications, with at least one year being equivalent to the lower grade level in the District of Columbia government services; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

_Specialized Experience_:

Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

Knowledge of DC government and regional media is highly desired.

Must have outstanding verbal and written communication skills; excellent problem-solving, planning, and strategic thinking skills; and exceptional attention to detail with ability to prioritize under tight deadlines.

Licenses and Certifications
None

Working Conditions/Environment
Work is normally performed in an office environment.

Other Significant Factors

Tour of Duty:
Monday - Friday; Varies

Duration of Appointment:
This is a Management Supervisory Service (MSS), "At-Will" Appointment.

All positions and appointments in the Management Supervisory Service serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and may be terminated at any time with or without cause.

Promotion Potential:
No known promotional potential

Plan, Series, Grade:

MS

Collective Bargaining Unit (Non-Union):This position is not covered under a collecting bargaining agreement.

Emergency Designation:

This position has been designated as
emergency and acceptance of this offer confirms you agree to adhere to the policies in sections 1271 and 1274 of DPM Chapter 12, regarding Emergency employees.

As an emergency employee, you will be required to either report to work, stay at work, or telework (if directed to do so) during a declared emergency or during a period of non-emergency where your duties have been deemed as critical District government functions/operations.

You may be required to perform other duties outside of your position description during a period of a declared emergency (such as manual labor, shelter services, etc.).

Residency Preference:

Applicants claiming "Residency Preference" will be required to maintain residency in the District of Columbia for a minimum of seven (7) years.

Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of employment.