Chicago Public Schools (CPS), America’s third largest school system, is seeking an exemplary, accomplished, energetic leader and communicator to serve as the district’s CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER.  Reporting to the CEO, the Chief Communications Officer leads CPS’s communications for external and internal audiences, including development and execution of a multi-faceted communications and public relations strategy to advance CPS’s mission and vision goals.

The individual leads a fully staffed Office of Communications that is accountable for providing frequent, clear, efficient, and effective communications about CPS to multiple stakeholders with an array of traditional, social, and emerging media. The Office promotes the district’s vision, mission, activities, and priorities, as well as aids schools by promoting their work and assisting in crisis situations, through a full range of tools, channels, and strategies designed to engage key internal and external stakeholders.

Essential duties include, but are not limited to:

• Developing and executing a strategic communications plan that provides proactive, digital, and reactive communications efforts to support and help deliver on CPS’s strategic plan.
• Overseeing and managing press, digital, internal and external communications teams.
• Overseeing and prioritizing communications activities to both external and internal audiences in support of key CPS priorities.
• Directing development of materials aligned with the organization's priorities and agenda, including  Board of Education priorities, press releases, fact sheets, reports, website content, social media content, and all other communications as directed by the CEO and Board.
• Providing strategic counsel on communications issues to senior leadership, Board of Education, and subject matter experts.
• Managing media relations; including working with media for the purpose of informing the public of an organization's mission, policies and practices in a positive, consistent and credible manner; coordinating directly with persons responsible for producing the news and features in the mass media; building the critical and necessary organizational relationships with members of the press and media

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a dynamic district that has set ambitious goals to ensure that every child – in every school and every neighborhood – has access to a world-class learning experience from birth, resulting in graduation from high school, college and career-ready. Today CPS offers an environment that allows growth, encourages innovation, supports teamwork and fosters the belief that all students, given a positive experience, can learn. To this end, CPS has launched key strategic initiatives to achieve our ambitious five-year vision of an equitable, inclusive, supportive, and responsive district that provides a rigorous, high-quality education for every child, in every neighborhood. These initiatives are transforming our schools and lifting our students to new heights. Interested candidates can learn more about these at:  https://www.cps.edu/strategic-initiatives/

Candidates wishing to apply need to submit the following to HYA’s President, Glenn “Max” McGee, via email to maxmcgee@hyasearch.com with CPS CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER in the subject line:

1. A cover letter explaining why the candidate is the perfect fit for this position and excited about the opportunity.
2. A full resume
3. Three letters of reference
4. A brief portfolio of work products or links to them that include examples of effective:

• Outreach to external stakeholders
• Internal staff communications
• Annual reports or similar materials that highlight the organization’s progress in fulfilling its mission and achieving its totals
• Crisis communications
• Examples of print, radio, and/or television media management
• Social media communications

Applications are due by 6:00 p.m. October 8, 2021.

https://hyasearch.com/job/chief-communications-officer-chicago-il/