Director of Strategic Communications and Technology, Annenberg Institute
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, seeks a Director of Strategic Communications and Technology who will provide leadership in the design, implementation, and evaluation of a strategic communications vision and plan that broadens the Institute’s capacity to inform key public debate around national and local education reform.
The Director will expand the reach of the Institute’s internal and external communications and improve its strategic effectiveness while overseeing a vigorous and productive communications and technology department that now comprises eight full-time staff and a large volume of high-quality print and electronic products. The Director will create and promote an institutional image and messaging strategy for national, local, and trade media to position the Institute, its vision, it leaders, and its products in the fields of education and public policy. The Director will work closely with the Institute’s Executive Director, Leadership Team, and staff to support these goals and to ensure that communications and knowledge sharing are built into all Institute work.
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform is a national policy-research and reform-support organization that focuses on improving conditions and outcomes in urban schools, especially those serving disadvantaged children. The Institute pursues its work through partnerships with school districts and school reform networks and in collaboration with national and local organizations skilled in educational research, community organizing, policy, and effective practices. Rather than providing a specific reform design or model to be implemented, the Institute’s approach is to offer an array of tools and strategies to help districts and communities strengthen their local capacity to provide and sustain high-quality education for all students.
For more information about the Annenberg Institute, please visit our Web site at http://www.annenberginstitute.org. For instructions on how to apply for the position, please visit http://www.annenberginstitute.org/About/positions.php. Applications should be submitted by July 11, 2008.
Responsibilities:
• Create and implement a strategic communications and technology plan to develop and promote the Institute’s ideas and products, increase their visibility and impact on public debate about national and local education reform, and represent the Institute’s wide and diverse range of projects to a broad national audience of opinion leaders and policy-makers
• Develop and cultivate a national network of relationships with reporters, editors, producers, opinion leaders, policy-makers, and other influential stakeholders in national education policy
• Direct, evaluate, provide strategic direction to, and manage the budget for a comprehensive communications and publications program, including a high volume of print, Web, and video publications
• Supervise the work of a minimum of eight professional communications and technology staff with specialized skills who deal with complex topics
• Seek new opportunities for outreach in diverse media and public relations venues, including new, non-traditional media and events
• Develop and oversee the Institute’s national convenings and other learning opportunities in collaboration with the Institute’s Leadership Team
• Identify and track emerging issues in the education world
• Oversee the Institute’s internal communications
• As a member of the leadership team, serve as the Institute’s lead advisor on messaging and overall communication
Qualifications:
• Master’s degree and at least seven years of combined experience in communications and education or related fields OR bachelor’s degree and at least ten years of combined experience
• Broad and in-depth leadership experience in strategic communications planning and managing complex communications programs, including print, broadcast, and electronic media targeted at a national, regional, and local audience
• Extensive contacts with national, regional, and local media representatives and opinion leaders
• At least five years’ experience supervising the work activities and career development of a team of reporting full-time staff
• Extensive knowledge of K–12 education – local, regional, and national – and of the national, regional, and local media outlets that provide influential coverage of K–12 education
• Ability to communicate well using a variety of channels, including online, face-to-face, video, and print and maintain a high level of professionalism and comfort in the world of education policy-makers, education reformers, community activists, administrators, media representatives, elected officials, and a wide range of other stakeholders with different policy priorities
• A positive, proactive approach to solving challenges by working with teams, as well as independently, and ability to respond quickly to a rapidly changing, dynamic environment
• Ability to work in a collegial fashion that promotes excellent relationships with a diverse group of colleagues within the Institute and a diverse range of partners in the field
• Strong organizational and proven project management skills and attention to detail
Note: This position will be located in Providence, Rhode Island or possibly in New York, NY.
Job Posting: Director Of Strategic Communication