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Communications Director

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Job Description

POSITION: Communications Director

REPORTS TO: Managing Director of Communications and Marketing

POSITION TYPE: 12-month

START DATE: Immediate opening

COMPENSATION: $68,000 - $89,000

EVERY OPPORTUNITY STARTS WITH A YES

Great schools begin with great people who believe every day is an opportunity to make a difference. At YES Prep, you have an opportunity to join a family of diverse educators who are leveling the playing field by providing opportunities for a high-quality, college-forward curriculum while also ensuring our students feel supported through their academic journey and empowered to lead choice-filled lives. YES Prep is more than a family of public charter schools, it's the future of public education-it's an opportunity to say, "Yes, you can!

Our campuses are advancing educational equity. Some quick stats about us:
  • 17,000 Students
  • 1,800 Team Members
  • 19 Secondary Campuses
  • 6 Elementary Campuses
  • 91% Students Who Qualify for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
  • 94% Hispanic & African American Students
  • 90% Students Who Are Accepted to a 4-Year University
  • 88% First-Generation College Students
  • Top 100 High Schools in the Nation, U.S. News & World Report

We serve the students of Houston, Texas, the 4th largest city across the United States. There are over 20 public-school districts and other great public charter school options, like KIPP Texas-Houston and IDEA Public Schools, within Houston's city limits serving our increasing population. We are a rapidly growing organization, committed to creating life-changing opportunities for over 23,000 students by 2025.

THE OPPORTUNITY

YES Prep needs a dynamic Director of Communications with a diverse set of experiences, to make our mission a reality. As a YES Prep employee, you will achieve jaw-dropping results, create pathways to opportunity for our students, build transformative relationships, and eliminate educational inequities to advance social justice .

As the Director of Communications you will support thedevelopment ofand driveexecution of internal and external strategic communications plan to engage YES Prep's target audiences , so that current and prospective members of the YES Prep community feel a strong sense of connection to the organization and its mission .

THE ROLE

When you join the YES Prep team, some of the exciting work and responsibilities will include :

  • Collaborating with the Managing Director of Communications and Marketing and Senior and Executive leadership to align communicationsstrategies with organizational priorities, goals and objectivessuch as meeting annual student enrollment targets, recruiting teachers and leaders, positioning YES Prep as a leader in the education space, as well as other district prioritie s and core lines of business ;
  • Leading a high-performing team to execute thecommunicationsstrategic plan with excellence and timeliness and to manage and enhance all aspects of the YES Prep internal and external brand and image through print and digital content, comms channels and campaigns ;
  • Overseeing the development and execution of online contentincludingweb content andsocial media strategy for YES Prep including analyzing analytics and identifying trends to build community online and positive online engagement with the YES Prep brand ;
  • Modernizing the YES Prep communication infrastructure by continually assessing efficacy of existing communications platforms, systems, and methods, by introducing necessary tools, rules, trends and supports, and by collaborating with internal departments and external vendors;
  • Maximizing positive exposure for YES Prep by amplifying its expertise and impac t serving as contact for media queries, building and managing relationships with local and national journalists, furnishing information about YES Prep and assisting reporters with stories as requested, administering a comprehensive public relations plan , and expertly planning for and leading crisis communications. Serving as the senior editor of system-wide office publications such as YES Prep Branding Guidelines, Writing Style Guide, System-wide family and staff communications, Annual Report, internal and external newsletter, and other major publications as needed.
  • Develops communications and media best practices resources and trainings for YES Prep staff ;

THE PERSON

We seek staff with diverse backgrounds, talents, interests, and ideas to meet the needs of our growing body of students. Certain traits consistently shine through for our most successful employees: passion for the mission, drive for results, care for students, resilience, and humility.

THE MUST HAVES
  • Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Public Relations, or other related field from an accredited four-year educational institution
  • Experience with in educational landscape ( preferably district and /or charter)
  • Specialization in one of the Communication disciplines (PR, Media, Writing, etc.)
  • Experience with crisis communication strategies
  • 5 + years of professional experience with progressive management and leadership responsibilities
  • Expert skills in writing and editing for a variety of audiences via numerous marketing platforms
  • Proven ability to successfully implement comprehensive marketing strateg ies to drive internal and external engagement
  • Evidence of producing high-quality work products on tight deadlines and little direction
  • Ability to toggle between 50,000-ft. perspective and the nitty gritty
  • Great personality with a sense of humor who can lead and follow

THE NICE TO HAVES
  • Master's Degree in Communications, Integrated Marketing, Public Relations , or other related field from an accredited educational institution
  • Previously established relationships with Houston media networks
  • Membership in professional communications networks
  • Experience with Hootsuite, Mailchimp, Google AdWords, Face b ook Ads, Google A nalytics, social media analytics , and Project Management software
  • Knowledge of web accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.0)
  • B asic web coding
  • Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish

THE PERKS
Compensation- This position is an exempt, salaried position; salary offers commensurate with experience .
• Health and Supplemental Insurance - A $0 monthly medical option that includes $600 towards a Health Savings Account, in addition to a variety of supplemental benefits including Dental, Vision, Disability, Life, etc. Employees must work 20+ hours a week to be eligible for a full spectrum of benefits, and 10 hours a week minimum for medical benefits.
Retirement Plans - Participation in Teacher Retirement System of Texas and a 457b Retirement Plan
Paid Time Off - Employees working 20+ hours a week receive 15 days of Paid Time Off in addition to the system closures during the Academic Calendar .
Paid Leave Programming - I n the event you need to be out due to medical needs (including maternity and paternity leave), YES Prep offers paid leave, paid out at 100%, based on eligibility and tenure.
Professional Development - YES Prep values longevity and performance over time. We invest in developing leaders through high-quality programs, effective coaching, and ongoing professional development .
Award Winning Culture - The strong cultures of our campuses and Home Office are just one of many reasons we were named Houston's Best Place to work in 2018, 2019, and 2021. We won the 2012 Broad Prize for Excellence in Urban Education and were a 2016 finalist as well.

WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO EQUITY & DIVERSITY

YES Prep strives to recruit a diverse team of leaders. We believe there is a transformative academic and social benefit for students when their teachers and leaders reflect a diversity of backgrounds. 97% of staff members agree that the organization provides a welcoming environment given their background and identity according to our latest system survey.

YES Prep is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability, age, marital status, military status, pregnancy, or parenthood.

Company

WHO WE ARE   For over twenty years, YES Prep Public Schools has redefined what is possible in public education. With 14,100 college-bound students across 19 campuses, we are a system of high-performing public charter schools proving that students from underserved communities can achieve at the highest academic levels. Our exceptional results demonstrate that better outcomes are not only possible, but also probable, when school systems build a culture of high expectations, and create effective support systems to ensure that student achievement is at the forefront of every decision made.  

 

MISSION   YES Prep Public Schools will increase the number of students from underserved communities who graduate from college prepared to lead.  

 

VISION   Every child in Houston will have equitable access to a public school that delivers a college-ready education.  

 

OUR CORE VALUES  

Grow Authentic Leaders  

Eliminate Educational Inequity to Advance Social Justice  

Achieve Jaw-Dropping Results  

Build Transformative Relationships  

Create Pathways to Opportunity  

Our focus at YES Prep is to prepare thousands of underserved students in Houston to be college ready, thereby transforming the city’s educational landscape. As such, all YES Prep students are expected to embody and demonstrate the YES Prep core values through their actions, their work, and their relationships. 

 

WHY WE EXIST   Across the nation, only half of all students from low-income communities graduate from high school and only 10% earn a college degree. Over the long term, these statistics damage our economy and prevent the next generation of leaders from emerging. In a country where a child’s zip code often determines their life trajectory, YES Prep provides evidence that different outcomes are possible when students are given access to high-quality educational opportunities. At YES Prep, we believe that every student, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, deserves the opportunity to receive a world-class education.  

 

OUR CHARTER SCHOOL STATUS   Charter schools are public schools intended as champions for education innovation. Charter schools are free from some of the regulations and red tape of traditional public schools. While we are a public school, some of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools do not apply to us. We do not have contracts for teachers, we are not required to provide duty free lunches to our teachers, and we can set our own academic calendar and hours of operation, providing more learning time for our students and subject to the Texas Education Agency. In Texas, charter schools receive state funding, but must raise funds privately to account for resources not funded by the government.  

 

Along with this freedom comes a heightened sense of expectations for our staff and our students. Our mission is only possible if we hold ourselves, each other, and each of our students to the highest standards of performance and behavior.  

 

   

Company info
Telephone
2162883620
Location
5515 South Loop East, Suite B
Houston
Texas
77033
US

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