This position is an 8 hours per day and 12 months per year.

Criteria for Initial Step Placement on the Schedule

Initial placement shall be made by Human Resources on Step 1 unless employee has previous "like and kind" experience then, years of experience credit may be considered for placement.

Advancement: All professional and technical employees will move incrementally over one salary schedule step each year. Step advances are only made once a year effective September 1. To be eligible for such step advancement, an employee must have been in the position by January 31 of the previous school year.

BASIC FUNCTION:

Under the direction of the director of Communications and Public Affairs, the communications specialist will work on and manage projects and programs that will facilitate activities and promote communication between the district and its many constituencies.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: plan and prepare content for online platforms and initiatives, coordination of district level events, recognitions, and other communications and community affairs projects as assigned. The communications specialist will also collaborate with other departments and district partners to assist with district programming communication needs.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES:

Incumbent may perform any combination of the essential functions shown below. This position description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, knowledge, or abilities, associated with this classification but is intended to accurately reflect the principal job elements.

• Assists the communications operational lead and director of Communications and Public Affairs in achieving district objectives and carrying out policies established by the board of directors in Successfully Preparing All Students for Their Futures.
• Establishes a climate in the areas of responsibility conducive to appropriate conduct, performance, attitude, job satisfaction, and service orientation.
• Confers with management or development teams to prioritize needs, resolve conflicts, develop project criteria, or choose solutions.
• Responds to public inquiries, using district operational practices and protocols.
• Works effectively with the public in sometimes emotionally charged interactions, answering, answering questions or addressing concerns.
• Leads special projects within the scope of responsibility; assists other departments with project management as assigned.
• Attends district and department meetings, as well as other meetings as assigned.
• Maintains confidentiality in all matters associated with the assignment.
• Completes assignments within established parameters, including: plan and prepare stories for online dissemination; manage web content and web pages; work with web developers to assess and address technical challenges in displaying online content; maintains adequate and careful records as required.
• Creates regular blog posts based on district related events, news, reviews, etc.
• Recommends and manages effective social media strategies supporting district services, programs, news, public alerts and other functions.
• Collaborates internally and externally with others to identify new opportunities to continually improve the social media presence of the district to engage the community.
• Manages web/electronic content and projects including but not limited to school board, superintendent, communications, district news, and specific events.
• Communicates regularly with the public, colleagues, and district staff in a positive and constructive manner.
• Provides assistance to and sharing expertise with other staff, student interns, and volunteers, as needed.
• Maintains adequate and careful records as required by supervisor and/or the district.
• Provides for the care of school property and appropriate use of supplies, equipment, and utilities.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Associate degree in communications or related field.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience the communications field.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in communications or related field.
• Professional certification(s) in the field of communications, public relations, community engagement, project management, social media management, and /or organizational leadership.
• Bilingual (oral and written; academic fluency) in Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Punjabi, or Somali.
• Proven successful experience in an ethnically diverse public-school district. Employment eligibility may include fingerprints, health (TB), and/or other employment clearance.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of:

• Research, best practices and technical aspects of field of communications and community engagement.
• Knowledge and experience in school public relations and communications.
• Project management, technical communication, and developing and maintaining new procedures.
• Computer proficiency with Microsoft Office products.
• Proficiency in writing for and managing various social media platforms.
• Computer proficiency in web-based design.
• Special programs management standards, processes, and procedures.
• Effective facilitation skills for various professional interactions with adults.
• Research methods and report writing techniques.
• Record-keeping techniques.
• District organization, operations, policies, and procedures.
• Educational and business technology programs, procedures and methods, computer equipment, and computer software necessary to perform required duties.
• Oral and written communication skills, including English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, composition, and skills in mathematics.
• Communications protocols and best practices when working with large and diverse audiences in an informed and respectful manner.
• Short and long-term problem-solving strategies.

Ability to:

• Earn trust and credibility with colleagues.
• Effectively work with and co-plan with colleagues.
• Operate technology hardware and software necessary to perform assigned duties/responsibilities.
• Demonstrate multicultural and ethnic understanding and sensitivity and communicate effectively with all cultural groups in the school community.
• Use skills to promote effective customer service.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Write in a clear and concise manner.
• Facilitate and maintain timely, accurate, and efficient record keeping.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise good judgment.
• Construct, implement, and monitor timelines and meet project and report deadlines.
• Create templates and tools to support project management activities.
• Demonstrate initiative and use existing resources to solve problems.
• Analyze and understand new business areas and technologies sufficient to inform facilitation of decision-making.
• Recognize the difference between a technical issue and a human issue.
• Provide creative solutions to technical issues, especially using existing resources.
• Plan, organize, and prioritize work to meet multiple schedules and deadlines, and manage simultaneous tasks, with many interruptions.
• Work independently with appropriate direction and supervision, work under pressure.
• Understand, analyze, and prepare narrative and statistical reports.
• Use effective interpersonal skills to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with school and district personnel, parents, and external partners.

(Allowable Substitutions: Any combination of experience and training which provide the incumbent/applicant with the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform the work, as determined by the district.)