Position Summary: The Chief Communications Officer develops, leads and directs the strategic vision for communications, marketing, and media relations for the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS). This strategy must 1) Inform: effectively disseminate critical information to families and stakeholders, 2) Celebrate: proactively create messaging and share and shape the goals, milestones, successes and innovations of the nation’s largest school system, and 3) Engage with a wide range of stakeholders through mainstream, community and ethnic media. The position requires strategic vision, excellent writing skills, previous experience in communications within a government agency, Community Based Organizations (CBO) or Fortune 500 corporation, digital strategy development, team management skills, and experience with long-term planning and execution of media strategies across multiple platforms. The Chief Communications Officer must be able to rapidly respond to simultaneous requests, manage multiple projects, and work with a range of stakeholders, both internally and externally, in a fast-paced and complex environment. Performs related work.
Reports to: Chancellor
Direct Reports: Deputy Chief Communications Officer, Executive Director of Communications and Media Relations, and Senior Advisor.
Key Relationships: Chancellor’s Office, City Hall Communications Team, Deputy Chancellors and Senior Cabinet members.
Responsibilities
- Develops the comprehensive and proactive communications, press and marketing strategy for the NYCPS and works closely with the Chancellor and senior leaders to ensure message alignment across all verticals.
- Serves as a top-level advisor to the Chancellor, and other senior leaders for all communications work; makes recommendations and presentations as needed.
- Serves as a chief liaison to the City Hall communications team and works closely with other City agency comms leaders and external stakeholders.
- Leads and set priorities for and with the Office of Communications including developing and delivering short-term and long-term communication plans and supporting necessary work.
- Drives all aspects of crisis communications and rapid response to breaking news or inquiries for NYCPS central, field, and district offices, as well as schools.
- Develops and implements a digital communications strategy to disseminate accurate information expeditiously to families, press, and other stakeholders and makes strategic recommendations for the expansion of new digital platforms.
- Develops and implements proactive communications strategies for the agency, ensuring that strong positive messaging is conveyed externally to all stakeholders.
- Oversees writing and research assignments, such as speeches, meeting remarks, and op-eds for placement in publications, in a high-pressure, deadline driven environment.
- Develops and drives the agency’s internal and external strategic marketing and branding plan.
- Provides the Chancellor and Senior Leadership with an analysis of performance on communication planning and underperforming campaigns.
- Develops or advises on the strategy and execution of internal communications, including internal weekly written communications to the organization, and the development of appropriate content for other NYCPS communications.
- Prepares and briefs leadership for interviews, events, meetings as needed; vets public-facing information shared with external stakeholders, informing press teams as necessary.
- Stays apprised and informed about relevant stories in local and national media related to NYCPS’s initiatives.
- Manages external communications coming out of the press office, including developing external and internal materials related to media stories, initiatives, and events.
- Represents the NYCPS at various interagency meetings and public forums as needed.
- Fosters an inclusive environment where leadership is value-aligned by defining, modeling and providing a core value compass to help communication approaches.
- Supervises all contracts related to communications initiatives, including the development of reports and presentations, materials needed for public awareness campaigns on paid media budgets.
- Measures progress and results for communications and marketing campaigns; reports results to senior leaders in order to inform decision-making for future campaigns.
- Assigns high-priority special projects to individual staff members as needed.
Qualification Requirements:
Minimum
- A Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and ten (10) years of professionally responsible experience in public relations, journalism, advertising, or in other closely related fields; or
- A satisfactory equivalent.
Preferred
- A commitment to improving public education and ensuring all students have access to a high-quality school.
- Management experience within a government agency or large, complex organization in a public relations and communications capacity.
- A familiarity with education issues and NYCPS system.
- Experience managing large teams.
- A commitment to equity in communications, so that all families have equal access to information and communications tools.
- A can-do attitude, willingness to work as a team and good sense of humor.
- Ability to work with a variety of situations and people; demonstrated ability to lead teams of people to meet project goals and deadlines, particularly in an environment of uncertainty or ambiguity.
- Understanding of current communication trends as it relates to web technologies and applications, including social networking and media tools.
- Experience creating and managing social media (X, Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
Salary: $239,000 - $262,900
(Internal candidates who are selected for this position and who currently hold comparable or less senior positions within the DOE will not earn less than their current salary.)
Please include a resume and cover letter with your application.
NOTE: The filling of all positions is subject to budget availability and/or grant funding.
* New York City Residency is NOT Required *
We encourage all applicants from the New York City tri-state area to apply. |
DOE Non- Discrimination Policy
The Department of Education of the City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's actual or perceived sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or pregnancy. For more information, please refer to the DOE Non-Discrimination Policy.
REQUESTING AN ACCOMMODATION - APPLICANTS
Any prospective employee (applicant) who is a qualified individual with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation to assist in the application process. If an applicant for employment believes that they have a qualifying disability and are in need of a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application process on an equal basis as applicants who do not have a disability, they should request an accommodation with their interview team or contact ODA by emailing ODA@schools.nyc.gov. The determination of the accommodation request will be communicated to the applicant in writing.
https://infohub.nyced.org/docs/default-source/doe-employees-only/personnel-memorandum-6-2024-2025---accommodations.pdf |
