Communications Coordinator

Company Overview

Tennesseans for Student Success is a statewide network of teachers, parents, community leaders, and volunteers dedicated to supporting, championing, and fighting for Tennessee’s students and their futures. We are committed to building on Tennessee’s historic gains in education and work every day to make sure today’s students are more prepared and have even more opportunities for success than those who graduated before them. Our organization’s efforts, including legislative advocacy, grassroots organizing, and engagement and issue advance to support high-quality public education systems across Tennessee.

Position Overview

The Communications Coordinator is an adaptable and impact-oriented communicator who will work closely with the Communications Director to advance the organization’s policy and communications objectives. You will play a valuable role in implementing the organization’s social media strategies and external communication, assisting with media relations. You will also write education news articles for the organization’s non-profit news outlet, the Tennessee Firefly, and assist with the production of its online content.

Responsibilities

The Communications Coordinator will have the following primary responsibilities:

Content Creation (80%)

• Serve as a reporter for the Tennessee Firefly, producing and editing news stories about key issues impacting the state.
• Produce creative and informative videos and digital content that informs the public about important issues impacting Tennessee’s students.
• Assist in the production of the Tennessee Firefly’s podcast.

Other (20%)

• Create and manage a social media strategy distinct for each of the organization’s profiles and platforms, including Tennesseans for Student Success and the Tennessee Firefly.
• Assist with website maintenance—ensure that new and consistent information (articles links, stories, and events) is posted regularly.
• Collaborate with the Communications Director to improve communications about the organization, its staff, and its priorities.
• Assist in the management of marketing campaigns and event planning and promotion.
• Collaborate with the Communications Director and Senior Staff to respond to media inquiries and assist with story pitches to media across the state.
• Support the adherence and promotion of the organization’s brand identity.
• Improve and expand the organizations content strategies and execution.

Competencies

You are a proactive and persistent problem solver. You hold yourself personally responsible for results and are patiently persistent as you follow up and follow through. You find ways to get the information you need to meet your goal. You get the job done and are allergic to excuses. You do not wait to be told what to do. You’re adept at laying out a project plan that reflects the organization’s expectations as well as the team’s skills and then driving the team toward successful implementation, ensuring that key deadlines are met along the way, and navigating unexpected challenges or changes in the environment. You think of the needs of other team members and their projects, constantly anticipating and problem-solving in advance of deadlines.

You are a “details” person. Your inbox and hard drive are well-organized, and you can find documents in just a few seconds. You also thrive on organizing others, and creating and implementing systems to ensure every moment is well spent. You make sure things don't fall through the cracks. You would be embarrassed to go into a meeting unprepared. You think five steps ahead, anticipating legislator, staff, partner, or stakeholder needs.

You are familiar with the world of politics and political strategy. You have experience working in politics, policy, and advocacy, such as communications, legislative and policy advising, or campaigns. You can synthesize qualitative and quantitative data quickly to formulate insights and draw conclusions about the political dynamics of any given context. You can articulate concrete recommendations for how to organize and deploy resources to achieve policy and political goals. You understand the significance of relationships and events independent of prevailing attitudes, or your own biases.

You are an excellent communicator. You use clear and concise language without being overly verbose or talkative, your writing is concrete and actionable. You’re comfortable writing proposals and memos and building presentations from scratch. Others have said that your writing is concrete and actionable. You use examples to back up your claims. You understand the context in which you are communicating, and respond professionally and effectively, tailoring your message depending on the audience. You are skilled in communicating with a wide range of critical stakeholders and are comfortable drafting anything from a proposal to a PowerPoint presentation. You also know how to present data graphically, in a logical and visually appealing way, that allows those not as familiar with the data to understand the story behind the numbers.

You are innovative and have an entrepreneurial spirit. You understand that the only constant in life is change and you are able to adjust quickly to changing priorities or a new direction entirely. You are skilled at taking pieces of the original plan and molding them to the new one, remaining organized even in the face of change. You rise to the challenge of dealing with the unfamiliar, effectively coping and staying calm and composed. You find early-stage efforts invigorating and respond to challenges in a positive and proactive way. You are resourceful, have a creative approach to problem-solving, and believe in the continuous improvement of processes. You are excited to come in near the ground level and build something whose impact (if successful) will last well beyond your lifetime.

REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher, preferably in communications, marketing, public relations, or a related field.

Experience: Three years of communication experience, including some experience in a newsroom (television, newspaper, radio, or digital).

Skills: Experience with Emma, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and Audition is a plus.

Physical: Ability to stand or sit for prolonged periods.

Job Type: Full Time, Salaried

Travel: 15 to 20%

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

To apply, please send a cover letter and PDF of your resume via email to brooke@tnsuccess.org.

1.        Cover letter and PDF of your resume.

2.        Samples of each of the following:

•      Social Media Posts

•      Written News Story or Long Form Writing

•      Produced Digital Content or a Drafted Communications Plan