Director

Charter schools are tuition-free public schools that are open to all students. Entrepreneurial, innovative, and effective - charter schools get results because they are highly responsive to students' needs.

- Proactively work to enhance public opinion and support of charters in the Bay Area region and dispel inaccurate myths about the charter public school movement. - Plan, develop and execute a comprehensive communications program to support the Bay Area Regional Advocacy Team on policy and advocacy, parent and community engagement and member communications. - Develop and execute a strategic communications and media outreach plan that focuses on key regions of the Bay Area, including Oakland, West Contra Costa, Richmond and San Jose (other regions may also be identified). - Write op-ed articles; organize editorial board meetings; coordinate interviews; and respond with letters to the editor as appropriate. Maintain a list of charter leaders, teachers, and parents who will speak to media and conduct communications efforts. - Strengthen CCSA's ability to regionally generate and track "just in time" or "strategic" media wins including creating messaging and materials that allow CCSA to proactively and reactively respond to issues and priorities that are school-based, regional-based or movement-wide based. - Maintain extensive media database and maintain/build strong relationships with the media regionally. - Coordinate, write and distribute timely information to key stakeholders (parents, charter leaders and teachers, member schools, CCSA board members, community leaders, policy leaders, etc.) regarding priorities, programs, events, and other efforts via multiple methods (e.g., website, electronic newsletters, etc.). - Maintain a list of charter leaders and representatives who will speak to media and conduct communications efforts. - Develop collateral for the website; create or update fact sheets; prepare talking points and other communications materials. - Provide support for the regional paid advertising, video and social media programs campaigns. - Reach out to Spanish-language media. - Track and report ongoing media metrics for grant reporting purposes. - Engage the broader Bay Area charter school community and empower charter schools, parents and supporters to tell their own stories in ways that build support for charter schools and the movement's advocacy priorities. - Identify regional success stories for proactive media outreach. - Create collateral and training materials and provide opportunities for charter speakers at community events (speaker's bureaus, brown bag lunches, etc.). - Support implementation of CCSA's Truth about Charters Campaign. - Provide general communications and media relations support to Bay Area member schools. - Support existing member schools in positive and proactive media outreach (i.e. national rankings, etc.). - Provide guidance/advice during crisis. - Share best practices with charter schools in the Bay Area region. - Provide communications support for key advocacy priorities in the region, such as special education, facilities, legal, and accountability. - Increase stakeholders' and the general public's awareness of the positive impact charter school growth has in Bay Area communities. - Share regional new schools information with media and stakeholders. - Increase public awareness and support for the principle that high levels of academic accountability are an essential part of a healthy charter school movement by supporting the implementation of communications plans for key accountability and data reports. - Support the Association's advocacy efforts to deny renewal to charter schools missing CCSA's minimum academic performance expectations thru effective media outreach and activities and in particular assist with the Public Call for Non-Renewal (PCNR) process and release. - Work collaboratively with the Bay Area Regional Advocacy staff, including parent organizers, to achieve identified objectives. - Plan, prepare and execute strategic communications to proactively provide essential information to Association members. - Identify and support effective methods for communicating with members. Ensure accurate and timely dissemination of information. - Coordinate, write and distribute, in collaboration with other Association teams, information for members regarding the organization's priorities, programs, and events via multiple methods. - Write, edit and/or review as necessary: Weekly Member Digest (weekly); Capitol Update (weekly); CCSA Families (monthly); and Community Newsletters (quarterly) and others as appropriate. - Prepare as needed and attend annual CCSA events including Advocacy Day, CCSA's California Charter Schools Conference. - Provide support during national events including National School Choice Week and National Charter Schools Week. - Support other communications efforts as appropriate. - Support the Association's overall communications objectives. - Increase public awareness and support of charter public schools including: the positive impact charter school growth has on communities across CA; funding inequities between charter public schools and traditional public schools; facilities challenges charter schools face; the need to maintain charter school flexibility and autonomy; and that high levels of academic accountability are an essential part of a healthy charter school movement. - Provide communications and media relations training to employees and members. - Respond to correspondence or develop remarks for Association for public events. - Perform research, compile data and write reports and speeches for the CEO and others. - Facilitate cooperative relationships with educational, public sector, and community organizations as well as other opinion leaders to project a positive image of the charter movement and CCSA. - Consult with and advise Association staff on the most effective means of informing the public and the staff on matters of particular interest and sensitivity. - Support the achievement of 80% of members responding to annual member survey indicate that they are very satisfied or satisfied with communications. - Represent the Association at meetings and host important visitors. - Visit charter school sites to identify stories to share through a variety of communications means. - Perform related duties as assigned by the Director, Media Relations and Public Affairs or designee.

Required Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, public relations, marketing or related field. - Five-plus years experience in public relations, communications or journalism work. - Bilingual (Spanish). - Lives in Bay Area. Preferred Capabilities - Public relations accreditation with the PRSA Universal Accreditation Board is preferred. - Experience using contact databases like Salesforce, as well as Microsoft Excel. Ability to learn and transition to new technology quickly and easily. Knowledge of: - Familiarity with the education reform landscape in general and charter schools in particular. - News Media. - Public speaking techniques. - Advanced techniques in communications as well as web, video and social networking strategies. - Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary. Ability to: - Communicate effectively both orally and in writing. - Present information regarding Association priorities/initiatives in a proactive, complete and media-sensitive way in multiple formats (e.g., print, online, video, etc.) - Plan and organize work. - Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action. - Balance working as a team member with independent work with minimal supervision. - Multi-task and complete work with multiple interruptions. - Maintain records and prepare reports. - Analyze data, including media coverage analytics and to make data driven recommendations and decisions. - Establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with others. - Meet schedules and time lines. - Use patience, tact, and courtesy with others. - Prepare and deliver oral presentations. - Read, interpret, apply and explain rules, regulations, policies and procedures. - Value risk taking and innovation. - Maintain confidentiality of Association information. - Train others in communications and media relations strategies. - Operate a computer and appropriate software. Learn and transition to new technology quickly and easily.