Assistant Director Communications

Bargaining Unit: Exempt
Work Year: 12 months
WorkDay: 8 hours per day
FTE: Full time, 1.0 FTE
Salary: $112,000- $115,000 DOE

Job Summary
The Assistant Director of Communications is responsible for developing and executing internal and external communication strategies that accurately align with the mission of the Anchorage School District (ASD). This position creates, produces, distributes, and manages content to ensure all ASD employees, students, families, partners, stakeholders, and surrounding ASD communities are effectively informed. The assistant director reports directly to the chief of Communications, Publications, and External Affairs. The position has a retirement association with the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS).

Job Requirements

1. A bachelor’s degree in web design, web development, communications, public relations, marketing, or journalism and/or a minimum of seven years experience in web design, web development, public relations, marketing, corporate communications, government communications, public affairs, or journalism.
2. Samples of experience and other materials related to professional work experience, to be provided at time of interview.
3. Experience working in a team environment.

Essential Job Functions

1. Manages ASD’s intranet platforms, external website platforms, and social media platforms to include supporting applications and programs.
2. Manages media relations and ASD spokesperson roles and responsibilities.
3. Manages crisis communications for schools and coordinates with community partners.
4. Assists the superintendent and Anchorage School Board president with messaging support.
5. Provides performance analysis of digital content distribution on a regular basis.
6. Develops and implements digital content calendars.
7. Builds productive relationships and communicates effectively with all ASD employees, students, families, partners, stakeholders, and surrounding ASD communities.
8. Communicates and promotes strategic ASD initiatives, programs, plans, projects, accomplishments, and events.
9. Produces monthly newsletters.
10. Coordinates monthly message planning meeting with senior leadership.  
11. Provides digital technical assistance to employees. 
12. Creates new intuitive user experiences through applications and interfaces. 
13. Creatively solves technical, logical, and analytical problems.
14. Provides counsel to the chief of Communications, Publications, and External Affairs on districtwide communication strategies.
15. Supervises employees.
16. Works selflessly as a member of a cohesive team.
17. Works under a deadline and provides deliverables in a timely manner.

Physical /Mental Demands
The physical demands of this job require frequent standing, walking, sitting, speaking and hearing. Specific visual abilities are also required. The employee is regularly required to reach with his/her hands and arms and occasionally lift items weighing less than 40 lbs. Additionally, the employee must be able to understand vague and implicit instructions, be able to readily recall facts and details, handle conflict and make effective decisions under pressure. The employee must have the ability to effectively manage the stress of working with students, parents, and other employees representing diverse cultures, personalities, and work styles in a dynamic work environment.

The Anchorage School District is committed to providing reasonable accommodations, according to applicable state and federal laws, to all individuals with a qualified physical or mental disability.

Work Environment
Work is performed in a professional environment with a wide variety of individuals having differing functions, personalities and abilities, including working with diverse groups of people in a variety of different settings.

While performing the duties of this job the employee may be regularly exposed to a video display. The employee may be exposed to outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Additional Job Information
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job related duties as requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

Anchorage School District (ASD) employees must possess the ability to read and write in English. This also includes the ability to communicate in English with school staff, co-workers, and the public; as well as have the ability to comprehend and carry out oral and written directions and understand and follow English instructions and written documents.

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a satisfactory criminal background check. For certificated positions, this is in addition to the background check conducted through the certification process with the Alaska State Department of Education and Early Development (DEED).

This position may be required to work in ASD facilities on the military installations (JBER). Please visit the government REAL ID website for additional information.

The Anchorage School District is an equal employment opportunity employer.