Communications Coordinator at District of Columbia Public Schools in Washington, DC

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Our public school students need your expertise, passion and leadership.

We are looking for highly motivated and skilled talent to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). We seek individuals who are passionate about transforming the DC school system and making a significant difference in the lives of public school students, parents, principals, teachers, and central office employees.

DCPS serves 45,000 students in the nation’s capital through the efforts of approximately 4,000 educators in 123 schools. As part of a comprehensive reform effort to become the preeminent urban school system in America, DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid, most satisfied, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central office staff whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and significant achievement gains for DCPS students.

Position Overview

DCPS Office of Special Education aspires to be the district of choice for students with disabilities. We are committed to serving our students with disabilities:

• By providing high quality instruction and services;
• As close to home as possible; and
• In the timely and consistent manner they deserve.

The Communication Coordinator is responsible for planning, developing, implementing and managing communications strategies, projects and programs for the Office of Special Education. This role will be crucial in the creation of relevant, engaging and useful communications for parents and other key stakeholders.

The Communications Coordinator reports to the Senior Director, Strategy & Performance.

Educational Requirements

Bachelor's degree

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years work experience required.
• Master’s degree and specific experience in project management strongly preferred.
• Communications and/or public relations experience required.
• Strong writing, editing, and planning skills.
• Ability to create documents or content quickly and communicate effectively under pressure.
• Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus.
• Self-starter who can seek out opportunities.
• Detail oriented with the ability to understand the big picture.

Personal Qualities of Top Candidates

• Commitment to Equity: Passionate about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, receives an excellent education.
• Leadership: Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite obstacles and challenging situations.
• Focus on Data-Driven Results: Relentlessly pursues the improvement of central office performance and school leadership, instruction, and operations, and is driven by a desire to produce quantifiable student achievement gains.
• Innovative Problem-Solving: Approaches work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving; takes initiative to explore issues and find potential innovative solutions.
• Adaptability: Excels in constantly changing environments and adapts flexibly in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic transformation effort; comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations.
• Teamwork: Increases the effectiveness of surrounding teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others; sensitive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others
• Dependability: Does whatever it takes to consistently deliver with high quality under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed workplans, and balancing of multiple priorities.
• Communication and Customer Service Skills: Communicates clearly and compellingly with diverse stakeholders in both oral and written forms; anticipates and responds to customer needs in a high-quality and courteous manner.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements effective and innovative communications for external and internal audiences
• Coordinates, expands, edits and updates Special Education content on the website, ensuring clear, relevant, timely communication with parents and other external stakeholders
• Helps create relevant, compelling messaging for the Office of Special Education
• Develops, plans and executes events for the Office of Special Education and stakeholders
• Works with leadership to manage and respond to news media
• Coordinates or implements several small or medium-sized projects, or components of a larger project
• Determines nature of obstacles and best DCPS staff to resolve, tracks and follows up until issue is resolved
• Schedules and coordinates program-related meetings, conferences, appointments and logistics
• Coordinates and follows up on logistics of staffing and funding projects, working with HR, budget, and procurement
• Builds relationships and liaises with various internal departments to drive collaboration and project success
• Tracks and reports progress of projects through use of various computer programs and tools
• Interacts with and responds effectively to urgent requests from multiple internal and external DCPS stakeholders
• Supports and carries out the Chancellor’s mission to transform DC Public Schools and close the achievement gap
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Notice of Criminal Background Check. In accordance with the Criminal Background Checks for the Protection of Children Act of 2004, this position has been designated and identified as one which requires a criminal background check and/or traffic record check. If you are tentatively selected for the position, a criminal background check and/or traffic record check (for positions which require the operation of a motor vehicle) will be conducted. A final offer of employment is contingent upon the receipt of a satisfactory criminal background check and/or traffic record check.

Notice of Non-Discrimination. In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, District of Columbia Official Code Section 2-1401.01 et seq. (Act), the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) does not discriminate (including employment therein and admission thereto) on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, source of income, status as a victim of an interfamily offense, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, which is prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited. Discrimination in violation of the aforementioned laws will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action. 

Title IX regulation requires schools to implement specific and continuing steps to protect students and others against discrimination on the basis of sex.  Students, parents and/or guardians with inquiries regarding Title IX non-discrimination policies related to students and student activities shall contact:

Title IX CoordinatorOffice of Youth Engagement
District of Columbia Public Schools
1200 First St, NE, 8^th Floor Washington, DC  20002
Washington, DC  20002
(202) 442-5099

or

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-1100

Telephone: 1-800-421-3481
FAX: 202-245-6840; TDD: 877-521-2172
Email: OCR@ed.gov

Inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies of DCPS will be handled as follows:

Employees with inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies related to employment and employees or who wish to file a discrimination complaint should contact:Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist
Office of Labor Management & Employee Relations
District of Columbia Public Schools
1200 First St, NE, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-5424

Students, parents and/or guardians with inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies related to students and student activities, including Section 504, should contact:

Director of Targeted Student Support
Office of Youth Engagement
District of Columbia Public Schools
1200 First St, NE, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-5099