Communications Coordinator

PURPOSE:

The Communications Coordinator tells the story of Eden Prairie Schools across its many communication channels in order to strengthen connections between the district and its broader community of families, staff, alumni and partners. This position supports coordination and execution of all communication, marketing, engagement, and outreach efforts across the broader Marketing and Communications department.

PRIMARY CUSTOMERS:

• Internal: Enrollment and Outreach team, Marketing and Communications team, Superintendent, Cabinet leadership, school leaders, district staff 
• External: Families, students, community, vendors and district partners

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Storytelling and content creation.

Develop compelling and informative content that showcases the students, staff, partners and alumni of Eden Prairie Schools. This includes writing engaging articles, press releases, emails, and short-form content for the district’s print publications, digital newsletters, website and social media channels, as well as capturing photos and videos of events across the district. Collaborate with teachers, staff, and students to share their success stories and contributions, and create and maintain a content calendar to ensure a consistent flow of stories and updates across multiple platforms. Coordinate the translation of a variety of communications into the district’s most-spoken non-English languages. When possible, support and empower others in authentically sharing their own stories.

Digital communication support.

Collaborate in maintaining the district's social media accounts, including by posting updates, responding to comments, and fostering positive engagement within the community. Update and optimize website content, ensuring it is up-to-date, user-friendly, and reflective of the district's writing style, branding and values. Coordinate the distribution of important messages using email, text, and automated call systems.

Marketing and communications strategy.

Develop and implement comprehensive marketing and communications plans that align with the district's goals and objectives, including to increase enrollment, community engagement, and broad-based support. In all efforts, prioritize equitable communication. Monitor and report on the performance of communication channels and strategies, adjusting as needed to maximize reach and impact. Provide project-management support for strategic plans and initiatives across the department.

Communications support for school and district staff.

Serve as a point of contact for school and district staff members with questions about communication efforts. Deliver exceptional customer service while offering guidance, expertise, and tools to enhance communication initiatives. Ensure cohesive messaging and communication practices across the district by encouraging best practices, maintaining a deep understanding of the district’s communication tools and staying abreast of industry trends and emerging communication technologies

Other duties as assigned.

Education/Certification:

• A bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, Public Relations, Journalism, English, Creative Writing or a related field and 2 years of experience preferred.
•  3-5 years of experience required for those without a degree.

Experience:

• Writing clearly and effectively for a variety of purposes, audiences and channels 
• Editing and proofreading the writing of others 
• Creating and/or executing strategic marketing and communications plans 
• Reaching diverse audiences through personalized and equitable communication 
• Capturing photos and videos to support communications needs 
• Building relationships with and supporting key stakeholders and department leaders 
• Providing exceptional customer service and training others in effective customer service strategies in a fast-paced and sometimes challenging environment 
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams 
• Coordinating and managing multiple large-scale projects simultaneously

Qualifications:

• Effective when working with people with diverse backgrounds and identities 
• Excellent grammar, spelling, punctuation and proofreading skills 
• Exceptional writing and editing skills; ability to create engaging, clear and error-free content for use across platforms in a timely fashion 
• Understanding of basic web design principles and user experience best practices
• Understanding of fundamental photography and videography principles; photo and video editing capabilities preferred 
• Evidence of dependability, accuracy, attention to detail, critical thinking, meeting deadlines, and project management and problem-solving skills 
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills necessary to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of students, staff, families, and external partners 
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, manage sensitive and confidential issues, and/or refer issues to appropriate authority 
• Commitment to being a collaborative team player and working cross-departmentally to achieve common goals