Managing Director of Communications

At Success Academy, we are redefining what’s possible in public education. Our schools rank in the top 1% in math and top 2% in English Language Arts among all New York State schools, while serving children with an overall poverty rate of 70%. Success Academy Charter Schools are dedicated to academic excellence, character development, and extracurricular achievement with college graduation as an end goal.

We are seeking a highly motivated, savvy Managing Director of Communications to join our deadline-driven Public Affairs team. S/he should have the ability to hit the ground running at a fast-paced entrepreneurial education reform organization seeking to eliminate the achievement gap in New York City.

• Develop and implement effective media and public relations strategies for the organization, ensuring that strong positive messaging is conveyed internally as well as externally; Serve as formal spokesperson and media liaison for Success Academy Charter Schools;
• Manage growing communications team to produce strong content and disciplined messaging; respond to daily media requests;
• Compose press releases, advisories, speeches, op-eds, talking points and related presentations and information;
• Pitch variety of stories to advance SACS mission to national, city, and local media outlets;
• Remain abreast of current legislative and non-legislative issues about which SACS may receive inquiries;
• Become proficient at all aspects of Success Academy school design and mission, as well as issues around education reform;
• Stay abreast of progress of projects, high-level initiatives, and emerging issues across the schools and pro-actively help to adjust strategies based on changes in direction, priorities, and resources;
• Manage effective external relationships with reporters, bloggers, television bookers and producers, columnists, editorial staff and communications staff for allied organizations to ensure maximum positive coverage for SACS;
• Develop strong internal relationships with school staff, curriculum experts, department heads, parents, etc. to produce/pitch relevant stories;
• Work a flexible schedule including long hours, nights and weekends.

Knowledge and Skills

• Proven experience writing and editing op-eds, press releases, speeches, and/or related communications materials.
• Strong analytical and organization skills, ability to meet deadlines, resourceful and attentive to detail and accuracy.
• Creative, strategic thinker with political awareness and ability to develop and execute effective communication plans.
• Comfortable and entrepreneurial in discovering and using new technology to serve communications needs.
• Excellent judgment, especially in difficult and fast-moving environments.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of and experience working in New York City media.
• Confidence in communicating across a wide variety of platforms, including digital, written, and in-person presentations.
• Competent with Google docs, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Trello, Slack.

Qualifications:

• Our ideal Managing Director of Communications has 5 to 7 years of experience in any of a variety of communications positions or related role
• Prior experience as an on-the-record / on-camera spokesperson in a highly charged media environment is preferred.
• A commitment to improving public education and ensuring all students have access to a high quality school, a can-do attitude, high standard for excellence, sophisticated writing style, and good sense of humor are critical.
• S/he must be flexible and comfortable in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment.