Director of Media Relations at Atlanta Public Schools | Atlanta, GA | $110K/yr – $160K/yr

Atlanta Public Schools

Director of Media Relations

Atlanta, GA (On-site)

$110K/yr – $160K/yrDirector/Executive8+ years expFull time

Posted 5 weeks ago

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Job Summary

Own media relations for a large urban K 12 district, coordinating crisis communication, executive messaging, and spokesperson duties while shaping stories that spotlight students and programs.

Media leadership: primary contact, interview coordination, and narrative control across district priorities.
Story development: identify pitches around student achievement, innovation, and partnerships to drive earned media.
Strategic counsel: advise senior leaders on messaging, reputation management, and crisis response across divisions.

Job Description

Responsibilities

Serves as the district's primary media contact and official spokesperson, managing media inquires and coordinating interviews on behalf of Atlanta Public Schools
Develops and executes comprehensive media relations strategies that advance district priorities and elevate awareness of APS students, staff, schools, and programs
Builds and maintains strategic relationships with local, regional, and national media to expand earned media opportunities and strengthen district visibility
Identifies, develops, and pitches compelling stories that showcase student achievement, academic excellence, innovation, workforce development, athletics, fine arts, and community partnerships
Advises the Superintendent, Board of Education, Chief Communications Officer, and senior leadership on media engagement, messaging, reputation management, and issues response
Develops and reviews key messages, talking points, press releases, media statements, executive communications, briefing materials, and thought leadership content
Designs and delivers media preparedness and spokesperson training for district leadership and designated representatives
Leads media communications during emergencies, crises, and sensitive issues to ensure timely, accurate, coordinated, and transparent messaging
Monitors media coverage, public sentiment, and emerging issues; provides strategic counsel and recommends response approaches as appropriate
Oversees the district's online newsroom and evaluates earned media performance through reporting and analysis of reach, engagement, and impact

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, marketing, or journalism required.
Valid driver's license and availability of private transportation, or the ability to attend off-site events.
5 years of progressive experience in media relations, public relations, journalism, communications, or public affairs
8 years of experience preferred
Experience serving as a spokesperson or advising executive leadership preferred
Experience in K-12 education or public sector preferred

Preferred

8 years of experience preferred
Experience serving as a spokesperson or advising executive leadership preferred
Experience in K-12 education or public sector preferred

Atlanta Public Schools

Atlanta Public Schools is committed to raising the bar for our nearly 50,000 students across 87 schools. The District is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 58 traditional schools, 18 charter schools, 6 partner schools, 2 citywide single-gender academies and 3 alternative programs. To learn more about Atlanta Public Schools, follow us on social media – Twitter (@apsupdate), Facebook (Atlanta Public Schools), and Instagram (apsupdate) – or visit us online at www.atlantapublicschools.us.Our mission is to ensure that with a caring culture of trust and collaboration, every student will graduate ready for college and career. Our vision is one of a high-performing school district where students love to learn, educators inspire, families engage and the community trusts the system.Our schools provide a vibrant, high-performing learning environment with excellent teachers, the latest technology and innovative learning environments that exceed geographic, racial or economic boundaries. Our standards and expectations are high. We are committed to seeing all students graduate from Atlanta Public Schools ready for success in college and lprovides greater access to a more equitable distribution of resources and multiple layers of support.APS has adopted Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS), which outline high expectationsfor what students should know in the 21st century and make the district part of the nation-wide initiative tostandardize instruction.Our schools provide a vibrant, high-performing learning environment with excellent teachers, the latest technology and innovative learning environments that exceed geographic, racial or economic boundaries. Our standards and expecatations are high. We are committed to seeing all students graduate from Atlanta Public Schools ready for success in college and life, and prepared to be contributing and productive citizens of our city, state, nation and world. We know strong schools build a strong Atlanta!

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

6.5K employees

www.atlantapublicschools.us