Director of Communications

The Beachwood City School District has an opening for a Director of Communications.

The District is seeking a communications professional who possesses excellent writing skills in order to clearly and purposefully convey the mission, values, and vision of the Beachwood Schools to stakeholders.

Start date: April 1, 2025

Apply by March 9, 2025

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Director of Communications

Reports to:   Superintendent

Employment Status: Supervisor Contract Position

Position Summary 

• Assist the Superintendent and/or designee in all matters of informational and promotional communications for the Beachwood City School District Board of Education

Required Education, Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, community/public relations, journalism preferred
• Graduate work and five (5) years of related work experience in one or more of these fields preferred.
• Familiarity with local, regional and national leadership
• Excellent writing skills
• Strong interpersonal/human relations skills
• Meet all health requirements mandated by law
• Satisfactory completion of the BCII and FBI background check
• Possession of a valid motor vehicle license

Job Responsibilities & Duties

• Maintain close contact with the Superintendent, Board of Education and the District’s administration and staff to promote the District’s activities and initiatives
• Embrace, affirm and convey the mission and vision of the Beachwood City School District Board of Education in all communications
• Create and implement a comprehensive communications plan designed to promote the District to strategic target audiences
• Supervise, create, coordinate and manage the preparation of all school district communications and publications
• Coordinate with the Superintendent and other school staff to ensure that all marketing communications have a consistent tone and presentation to reach intended audiences
• Compose content for, edit and manage the production of a full range of material to support the District’s activities and initiatives through (but not limited to):
• print and electronic newsletters 
• District’s website and social media accounts
• reports
• action alerts
• event flyers
• annual reports
• regularly scheduled District publications
• news releases
• Promote positive media coverage, inside and outside of the school district and community
• Coordinate, review, proofread, and edit the District’s internal communications
• Ensure timely, concise accounts of student/staff successes and other news
• Assist the Board of Education and the Superintendent in the identification of priority audiences and communication vehicles for the District’s communications
• Develop a menu of communication vehicles for targeted effective message delivery – broad or narrow as needed – emphasizing particular promotion of school events and student accomplishments to specific groups (residents, parents, alumni, etc)
• Monitor external communications, print and electronic, that are relevant to the District
• Project a consistent identifiable brand/image of the Beachwood City School District that is recognizable, attractive, clear and precise
• Serve as a resource to the news media, as well as student publications, including The Beachcomber and student yearbooks
• Assure consistent, high-quality and appropriate delivery of the District’s communications
• Solicit communication-related needs from school support organizations
• Gather and incorporate input from school personnel and community leaders (City, business, religious)
• Represent and incorporate input from students, staff, residents, and alumni (including recent graduates and their extended families)
• Design, develop, and conduct interviews and/or surveys for District stakeholders
• Actively participate in the District’s management team to ensure that effective communications strategies are incorporated into all appropriate elements of the District’s promotion of its activities/initiatives
• Review current Beachwood City School District publications and make recommendations to improve communications strategies
• Attend school activities and community events on a routine basis, some of which occur in the evenings or on weekends. Travel may be required
• Other duties as assigned by the Superintendent and/or designee

Required Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Exceptional ability to write with clarity and purpose.
• Knowledge of various technologies to assist in presenting District information
• Website
• Social Media
• Email software for various stakeholder lists
• Knowledge of roles of stakeholders in community
• Ability to gather/analyze information/data from all buildings as opportunities for positive coverage for the District
• Ability to navigate comfortably the social requirements of a wide array of public meetings, social events, and district/community functions
• Ability to handle a variety of project assignments simultaneously
• Ability to work under deadline pressure and extra hours if needed on assignments
• Ability to problem-solve, organize effectively, and react productively to interruptions and changing conditions
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Willingness to be available and accessible for staff consultation
• Skill in interacting with staff, students, parents and the general public with sensitivity, tact and diplomacy
• Ability to promote positive public relations
• Ability to respond to routine questions and requests in an appropriate and timely manner
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing
• Ability to create and comprehensive reports and present them to various stakeholders
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends
• Demonstrated skill to effectively handle a variety of project assignments simultaneously
• Ability to work under deadline pressure and extra hours if needed on assignments
• Strong interpersonal/human relations skills

Personal Conduct Requirements

• The employee shall exercise honesty and integrity in his/her relationships with the Board of Education and the administration.
• The employee shall promote a positive image of the District through exemplary personal conduct.
• The employee shall report misconduct or violations of policy or procedure following established Board policy.
• The employee shall actively support the efforts of the Board of Education and the Superintendent in the pursuit of District goals and interests.
• The employee shall not disrupt District operations or undermine the positions of the Board of Education and administration.
• The employee shall demonstrate the ability to interact in a positive manner with staff, students and the public and promote a positive image of the district through exemplary personal conduct including but not limited to:

• The ability to communicate ideas clearly and effectively both orally and in writing, with tact, diplomacy and excellent grammar
• The demonstration of effective listening skills
• Remaining free of any alcohol or controlled substance abuse in the workplace throughout his/her employment in the Beachwood City School District

Physical Demands

• Ability to hear and speak, read and write, sit and/or stand for extended periods of time, use hands to operate a computer and other equipment, kneel, bend at the waist, reach overhead – above the shoulders and horizontally, to retrieve and store files and supplies, ability to lift, carry, push and pull items up to a maximum of fifty (50) pounds.

Free Speech

• While the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment protects speech relating to matters of public importance made by public employees as citizens, the First Amendment does not protect employee speech made pursuant to their official duties. Employees may be subject to discipline for speech pursuant to the official duties outlined in their Job Description and any applicable licensure code of conduct

This job description is subject to change and in no manner states or implies that these are the only duties and responsibilities to be performed by the incumbent The incumbent will be required to follow the instructions and perform the duties required by the incumbent’s supervisor, appointing authority.

Salary : $79,000 - $115,000