Director Of Communications And Community Engagement

Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233•Homewood, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Communications and Community Engagement supports the Superintendent in establishing and directing the communications strategy of the district ensuring high engagement with parents, community members and other District 233 stakeholders and enhancing the district's brand awareness. Director develops and executes a well-devised communications program effectively telling the story of H-F District 233 through traditional and social media platforms. The Director is responsible for designing and implementing marketing and communication strategies that cultivate the school district's relationships with our community and the media. The Director will be responsible for representing the school district in matters of public interest as directed by the Superintendent, in alignment with the Board of Education standards.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in media relations, marketing, journalism, communications, or a related field.
Earned Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) credential.
Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills with attention to detail in writing and editing print and digital media.
Ability to collaborate with stakeholders and communicate effectively and clearly through a variety of media.
Ability to effectively communicate around topics related to student instruction, educational policy, school law and school finance.
Ability to follow through on details with minimal supervision, while leading the department's staff or a district team.
Professional experience in marketing or communications.
Demonstrated successful experience with graphic/presentation-based software programs.
Demonstrated successful experience with web design and web site management.
Demonstrated successful experience with leading graphic design, photographic, video, audio and web software creation tools.
Excellent organizational skills to manage workflow, maintain deadlines, and adapt to emergent situations.
Ability to collaborate with stakeholders and communicate effectively and clearly through a variety of media.
Advanced word processing and presentation development skills, familiarity with website content management systems, print and electronic communication formats.
Ability to work independently or to collaborate as a member of a team.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and the public.
Flexibility in schedule to attend meetings outside of the regular workday.
Ability to respond to urgent/emergency communication needs after hours (e.g., school closing, crisis communication).
Ability to handle all information with confidentiality.

Nice To Haves

Graphic design experience preferred but not required.
A preferred three (3) years of experience in communications.

Responsibilities

Supervises all employees of the Communications and Community Engagement Department.
Supervises all employees of the Alumni Relations Department.
Manages the Communications and Community Engagement program budget.
Approves all expenditures charged to the Communications and Community Engagement budget.
Serves as information liaison between the District and the community and as an intermediary between school administrators and the media.
Designs and directs a comprehensive communication program to promote the understanding of the district's core principles, strategic plan, mission, and vision related to media and communications.
Assists the Superintendent in all facets of communications concerning the district.
Maintains open communication lines with all stakeholders and provide and/or coordinate responses with district and school administrators as necessary.
Coordinates with the Superintendent to manage all sensitive or crisis-related public issues.
Provides crisis communications support as needed, including utilization/management of the rapid notification system and other alerts.
Cultivates and maintains relationships with all local media outlets.
Works to build positive relationships with local media.
Serves as liaison between the district and the media.
Arranges interviews and press releases to promote the district's services and efforts.
Strategizes and coordinates district website content and multimedia to support the district's communications plan.
Coordinates the promotion of school news, events, and accomplishments through various media, including local newspaper outlets, publications, websites, and social media.
Manages the District's communication platforms, including the District website and social media platforms.
Manages the internal news gathering process by working collaboratively with all staff members and establishing regular communication with departments within the district.
Collaborates with the Principal and Superintendent to produce ongoing newsletters.
Represents the District at various functions and events.
Develops, implements, manages, and evaluates a communications plan in a manner consistent with the district's strategic direction.
Defines and delivers communication to engage the community and generate support for the district.
Identifies and informs community leaders about district initiatives.
Leads staff and community survey initiatives and analyzes feedback and opinions.
Targets community outreach to actively engage with diverse populations throughout the community.
Targets alumni outreach to actively engage involvement and generate support for the district.
Develops concepts, writes scripts, secures photos and supervises the production of multimedia presentations for special events, marketing or other promotional events.
Provides leadership for digital communication to the community.
Collaborates with the Homewood-Flossmoor High School Parent Association.
Takes and coordinates photos and videos as needed while maintaining a historical archive of media coverage and school district content.
Supports the sharing of information with HF VTV and radio as appropriate.
Attends monthly Board of Education meetings as well as special meetings as requested by the Superintendent.
Attends all Board of Education meetings and prepares written and media-enriched summaries of the meetings for distribution to stakeholders.
Performs additional duties as assigned by the Superintendent and/or their designee.