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Career Opportunity

Media Coordination (Principal Consultant #1299)
1299
Springfield or Chicago
IFSOE
Public Relations
$55,251 - $69,821
$55,251 - $94,029
Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
December 15, 2021
Open Until Filled

In order to safeguard the health and safety of its employees (and those with whom its employees come into contact), the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE or Agency) requires that all of its employees, with certain exceptions, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 15, 2021. View ISBE's COVID-19 Vaccination Policy and the FAQs on this policy.

Reporting to the Director, supports the agency's engagement with media; empowers local school and district leaders communications efforts; promotes informed conversations about improving student outcomes in Illinois; and balances day-to-day media relations with the planning and execution of longer term campaigns. This position is part of a dynamic communications team that works collaboratively across departments at the agency and with stakeholders to support local implementation of state education policies and programs. This position contributes creative thinking and leadership at a pivotal moment for public education in Illinois. The ideal candidate can understand complex topics and distill them into concise and accessible language. The ideal candidate thinks critically about data and policy. The ideal candidate can manage multiple projects at once, meet deadlines, work independently, and collaborate effectively. The ideal candidates excels with both written and verbal communication.​

  • ​​​​Performs fundamental media relations functions, including drafting press releases, working with agency data and program staff to produce responses to inquiries from reporters, drafting talking points and preparing agency leadership to speak to press, and coordinating media interviews and events.
  • Utilizes the agency's mass email communication system to review, coordinate, and disseminate direct email communications to the agency's stakeholders.
  • Advises departments across the agency on how to effectively create newsletters and other mass email communications.
  • Makes recommendations to continuously improve the agency's use of the system and maximize its value.
  • Assists with the production of legislative reports, such as the Budget Book and Strategic Plan Annual Report.
  • Reviews and provides feedback on drafts of agency-issued reports to help ensure consistency with the agency's messaging and key priorities.
  • Works with departments across the agency to help create and disseminate high-quality, on-message, and accessible communications resources, such as one-pagers, FAQs, letters, and videos.
  • Provides back-up support for management of the agency's social media accounts.
  • Prepares daily media clips and provides media reports as needed to the Governor's Office, Board, and senior ISBE staff.
  • Contributes to overall communications campaign planning and tracking of deliverables and impact.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.
  • ​​​Bachelor's Degree. (COPY OF TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED AT TIME OF APPLICATION)
  • ​​​Two years of work experience in public relations or communications.
  • ​​​Excellent writing ability.
  • ​​​Proficiency with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
  • Master's Degree.
  • ​Experience conducting media relations.
  • Experience with mass email communications systems (such as ClickDimensions, Constant Contact, Emma, Mailchimp).​​