Job Description
The media and internal relations specialist is responsible for managing media inquiries from news outlets to the school division and identifying, researching and pitching stories that reflect the mission of the division to targeted news outlets, as well as writing media advisories and news releases and supporting internal communications. This role requires responding quickly to reporters, meeting tight deadlines daily, high-quality writing and pitching skills, excellent organizational ability for media tracking and analytics and a can-do attitude. This role involves relationship building internally and externally, with adherence to division protocols to plan logistics and obtain approvals, and proactive coordination with the news media, as well as with schools and departments. Public Relations and/or Journalism/media experience essential. It also requires the ability to proactively support employee communications, plan and manage events, staff interviews and media activities in schools, monitor news coverage and prepare regular reports on media relations for division leadership.
Assignments are received through the executive director of communications, meetings and written requests, affording latitude for independent judgment and action in the performance of duties.
Work is performed under general supervision, and involves considerable knowledge of the school division’s organization, policies, regulations and an ability to exercise tact and sound judgment in working with reporters and with colleagues across all departments and schools.
This position reports to the executive director of communications.
Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism/English/public relations/mass communications or a related field.
Experience: Three or more years of training and experience in public relations, media relations work or journalism preferred. Experience working with journalists/media relations is essential.
- Knowledge and experience with public education, the news media, local government and current events
- Excellent analytical and critical thinking and judgment skills
- Superb verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills
- Good judgment and the ability to act quickly and manage multiple projects at once
- Strong ability to identify news opportunities for ACPS stories, establish relationships with reporters, and pitch story ideas that are timely and interesting to the media and reflect the mission of ACPS
- Research skills and ability to produce creative, innovative stories for use in media pitching, publications and other materials
- Ability to organize and manage small events to recognize employees or share positive news from school division or individual schools for local news outlets
- Comfortable in using software to monitor news coverage and media impressions, track media inquiries and research analytics to report on news coverage
- Experience with employee or internal communications in a school division setting
- Proactive approach to working cross-departmentally to achieve results with communications projects
- Possesses an equity mindset, with the ability to pitch news stories about and for diverse audiences
- Proven track record in producing positive earned news and social media
Essential Functions
- Develop media strategy as part of broader school division communication campaigns and goals, research news opportunities and potential ACPS story ideas for media pitches.
- Work with the communications team and division leaders on media strategy and planning.
- Attend evening School Board meetings in person, which are held approximately twice each month, to work with any reporters present as well as manage media on-site at occasional events or briefings held during the school year.
- Respond quickly to incoming media requests and, working with department leadership, coordinate with department content experts and school leaders according to protocol, to schedule and staff interviews and school visits.
- Draft responses for all media inquiries and liaise with subject matter experts to approve them, and take the lead in ensuring all deadlines are met for media outlets.
- Support the division’s social media assets with posts, storytelling and two-way engagement, and share positive news coverage .
- Maintain and update media lists weekly to ensure news contacts are current and targeted.
- Write messaging and content for news releases, media advisories, op-eds, media relations webpage, and newsletters.
- Help prepare school division spokespeople for media interviews.
- Manage the process to track all incoming media inquiries on a daily basis, monitor news coverage weekly and prepare analytics and quarterly reports on media relations.
- Coordinate logistics and serve as staff liaison for reporter visits, interviews (by phone, virtual and in person) and school division media briefings, in coordination with the chief of school and community relations and executive director of communications.
- Disseminate information to the public and school division staff.
- Collaborate with administrators and other staff members, as appropriate, in publicizing and promoting performances, exhibitions, displays, dedications or special programs sponsored by the schools and open to the public.
- Serve as a writer/editor for media relations materials.
- Generate school news round-up summaries for local news media and highlight positive stories in the internal newsletter.
- Handle specific internal communications functions targeted to staff, such as the VIP employee relations program, including program management, outreach to employees and recognition events and communications.
- Working with communications team colleagues, help determine appropriate communications for target audiences.
- Provide communications support for community meetings and events, and those of the division and School Board meetings as required.
- Assist with emergency/crisis communications as needed.
- Some evening and weekend work required.
- May perform other additional duties or tasks as designated by the supervisor.
Clearances
- Criminal Justice Fingerprint/Background Clearance.
- Tuberculosis Skin Test.
Public Health Compliance
- Proof of COVID vaccination. Exemptions for religious/medical will be reviewed.
- Must follow safety and health protocols.
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