Director of Media Relations and Executive Communications

INTRODUCTION: CONTEXT AND MISSION

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) serves approximately 37,000 students in 100+ schools. Over the past several years, the Greater Cleveland community has united behind the collective goal of ensuring every child in Cleveland attends a high-quality school, and every neighborhood has a multitude of great schools from which families can choose. The Cleveland Plan defines CMSD’s approach to the reinvention of public education and holds our community accountable for the success of Cleveland’s schoolchildren. The Cleveland Plan is supported by Ohio House Bill 525, which provides much-needed flexibility and autonomy for the district and its schools. Our schools have autonomy over human and financial resources in exchange for accountability for performance. The principal has primary responsibility and accountability for establishing his or her school as a high-quality, high-expectations academic center with a focus on personalized instruction, professional support for teachers, and school-wide practices that lead to measurable results.

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has developed standards of excellence that the district applies to all parts of the organization, including schools, principals, school leadership teams, networks, and the central office. Alignment between the Standards of Excellence (SoE) and the district’s Theory of Action helps ensure that principals can focus on scholar achievement and that central office support is timely and effective.

Our Vision for Learning in a Post-Pandemic World:

In our pursuit of a more fair, just, and good system of education, we want each of our learners, both each of our scholars and each of their educators, to be individually and collectively presented with academically / intellectually complex tasks that are worthy of their productive struggle and allow them authentic opportunities to demonstrate their work and their learning of academic content and transferable skills in a joyful and adventurous environment.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Location: Administration or As Assigned

Reports to: Communications Officer

FLSA Status: Exempt

Salary Band: 15

Compensation: $73,440.00 - $102,816.00

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) marketing and communications department (under the External Affairs Division) seeks a results-driven communication professional with a proven track record in leading, creating, and executing media relations strategies and executive messaging. The Director of Media Relations and Executive Communications is responsible for managing CMSD’s public image and messaging while overseeing media interactions, crafting communication strategies, and ensuring consistent and effective communication from top executives. Key responsibilities include developing media relations plans, handling press inquiries, coordinating interviews, preparing press releases, and creating speeches and other executive communications. The director works to enhance the organization's visibility and reputation, managing crisis communications when necessary and collaborating with other departments to align messaging with organizational goals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will:

Media Relations:

• Develop and implement media relations strategies to enhance the organization’s public image
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, and other media professionals
• Coordinate and manage media interviews, press conferences, and media events
• Monitor media coverage and provide regular reports to senior management

Executive Communications:

• Draft speeches, statements, and messages for senior executives
• Prepare executive presentations and talking points for public appearances and internal meetings
• Ensure consistency and alignment of executive communications with the organization’s strategic objectives

Content Creation and Management:

• Write and distribute press releases, media advisories, and other communication materials
• Develop content for the organization’s website, social media channels, and internal communications platforms
• Oversee and manage the production of multimedia content, such as videos and infographics

Crisis Communications:

• Support the development and execution of crisis communication plans to manage and mitigate risks
• Serve as a spokesperson during crises, providing accurate and timely information to the media and the public
• Coordinate with legal and compliance teams to ensure appropriate messaging

Strategic Planning:

• Collaborate with Communications Officer and senior leadership teams to develop communication strategies that support organizational goals
• Conduct market research and media analysis to inform communication plans
• Identify opportunities for proactive media engagement and thought leadership

Internal Communications:

• Develop internal communication strategies to keep employees informed and engaged
• Create and distribute internal newsletters, memos, and other communications
• Support managing internal events, such as town hall meetings and employee forums

Media Training:

• Provide media training and coaching to executives and other District spokespersons prior to interviews
• Develop and conduct workshops on effective communication and media interaction

Metrics and Evaluation:

• Establish metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of communication strategies and media coverage
• Prepare reports and presentations on communication outcomes and media impact
• Continuously improve communication practices based on feedback and performance data

Leadership and Management:

• Work closely with direct reports leading media and content strategy while providing feedback for growth and development
• Foster a collaborative environment within the communications team and across departments
• Perform other duties as assigned that fall under the scope of communications and marketing needs supporting the department and the District. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree is required, and seven years of experience in media relations, public relations, broadcast journalism, or strategic communications
• Proven experience in crisis communication strategy and developing comprehensive media relations plans based on an organization’s goals and priorities
• Must have a strong grasp of earned, owned, and paid media concepts
• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, as well as an ability to translate sometimes complex concepts into accessible written materials
• Experience with external relationship-building
• Attention to detail and ability to coordinate multiple projects and deadlines in collaboration with others
• Experience leading and empowering teams

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The characteristics listed below are representative of the work environment typically encountered by an individual while performing the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties. 

• Expected moving, walking, and standing consistent with an office environment and light physical effort in sedentary to light work and may involve some manipulation of lightweight items (5-10 pounds)
• May involve extended periods at a keyboard or workstation
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms
• The employee is frequently required to talk and/or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to a normal office environment.
• Local travel may be required for training/meetings and events.

NOTE: The above-stated duties are intended to outline those functions typically performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This description of duties is not intended to be all-inclusive or to limit the discretionary authority of management to assign other tasks of similar nature or level of responsibility. 

EEO STATEMENT

We believe that equity and inclusion at CMSD is an essential call to action, a catalyst to ensure value and appreciation among all our employees so we may be fair and welcoming now and in the future. CMSD provides equal opportunities for employment, retention, and advancement of all personnel by administering all terms and conditions of employment regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, sex, disability or genetic information, age, citizenship status, military status, sexual orientation or expression, socio-economic status, title, other dimensions of identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The District’s Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, and Sexual Harassment and the District’s Title IX grievance procedures, including information on how to report or file a complaint of discrimination, how to report or file a formal complaint of sexual harassment, and how the District will respond, may be accessed on the District’s Civil Rights Notices webpage, available at ClevelandMetroSchools.org/domain/105.

The District’s Title IX Coordinator / Director of Equal Employment Opportunity may be reached at:

1111 Superior Avenue East, Suite 1800

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

(216)-838-0070

TitleIX_EEO@ClevelandMetroSchools.org