Executive Director Sr Strategic Communications

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AUSTIN ISD JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PAY GRADE: CAD 6 DUTY DAYS: 226 FLSA STATUS: EXEMPT DATE REVISED: 10/08/2026 HC FUNDING SOURCE: THIS POSITION IS PARTIALLY OR FULLY FUNDED THROUGH LOCAL AND/OR GRANT SOURCES. CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT IN GRANT-FUNDED POSITIONS IS CONTINGENT UPON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS A Master's degree in communications, public affairs, business, or a related field from an accredited college is required. Five (5) years of progressively responsible successful administrative experience is required, preferably in a large urban K-12 school district or public relations, political or public entity. Experience in partnership and resource development with corporate/institutional giving, major gifts, and fundraising experience is preferred. Incumbent must have advanced knowledge of Google Workspace. Three (3) years of supervisory experience is required. A valid Texas driver's license is required. SKILL REQUIREMENTS This position requires the following:

Demonstrated

knowledge

of

planning

and

program

development

with

considerable

knowledge

of

educational

policy making at the federal, state, and local levels; and must have experience developing strategic plans.

Demonstrated

ability

to

develop

strategic

messages

and

deliver

them

effectively

to

a

wide

variety

of

audiences.

Demonstrated

ability

to

build

positive,

supportive,

and

collaborative

relationships

with

internal

leadership

teams

and strategic publics.

Demonstrated

ability

to

apply

the

principles

and

best

practices

of

effective

public

relations,

media

management, journalism, television broadcasting, and use of social media tools.

Proficient

in

partnerships

and

fund

development,

donor

cultivation

and

stewardship.

Knowledge

and

understanding

of

the

Texas

Public

Education

System,

current

educational

issues,

and

District

policies

and achievements.

Demonstrated

ability

to

provide

effective

leadership

and

management

necessary

for

the

team/department

to

achieve stated goals and objectives.

Knowledge

and

understanding

of

and

experience

with

the

broader

multicultural

community

and

effective

multicultural outreach.

Demonstrated

ability

to

conduct

public

opinion

and

communication

research,

analyze

data

and

make

recommendations to inform adjustments.

This

position

must

be

able

to

read,

write,

and

speak/communicate

in

English

in

order

to

receive

and

to

provide work-related information in a timely manner to other employees, supervisors, principals, school personnel, volunteers and where appropriate, visitors and students. JOB PURPOSE AND RESPONSIBILITY The incumbent will serve as the leader for overall strategic communications and has the responsibility, with input from the Superintendent's Leadership Team, for developing, implementing and monitoring the Strategic Communications Plan to assure a unified voice for messages and communication methods in support of District goals. This position is responsible for the ongoing development and leadership working to plan for growth and innovation, leverage existing resources, and bring significant new external support and resources to the school district to support initiatives deemed crucial to the progress of the district. The Executive Director Sr assists with the development of the District's strategic plan and leads the district in creating a communicative, coherent and strategic infrastructure to bring in the highest possible yield of both public and

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AUSTIN ISD JOB DESCRIPTION

private partnerships that cultivate individual major donors, plan, and executes special events, supports the development of service provider and school-business partnerships, and supports District leadership in exploring and expanding new revenue source. This position is responsible for the successful work of the Austin Ed Fund, AISD's nonprofit education foundation. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Develop

and

oversee

an

effective

strategic

communication

system

between

the

District

and

the

community.

Develop

and

oversee

an

effective

strategic

communication

system

between

the

District

and

its

various

publics,

internal and external.

Oversee

the

preparation

of

news

releases

to

local

media

and

ensure

all

media

requests

receive

a

timely

and

courteous response thereby creating a positive working relationship with all media sources.

Provide

proactive

public

relations

counsel

for

District

leadership,

ensuring

potential

public

relations

concerns/issues

are identified and addressed.

Perform

a

critical

role

in

implementing

the

Austin

ISD

Crisis

Communications

Plan

by

ensuring

that

target

audiences

are reached through appropriate venues, gathering, and sharing facts, and appropriately addressing media inquiries pertaining to the crisis.

Establish

and

oversee

a

system

to

regularly

collect

and

publish

stories

to

showcase

programs,

partnerships,

schools, student, and staff achievements through diverse and appropriate media outlets.

Forecast

community

and

partner

interest

in

District

issues,

develops,

and

delivers

key

messages

to

support

District interests.

Assure

the

District

website

and

TV

programming,

video

and

social

media

are

used

in

innovative

ways

to

keep

the community informed.

Provide

leadership

in

the

preparation

of

publications

to

keep

citizens

informed,

such

as

the

Annual

Report

and

budget documents.

Attend

all

meetings

of

the

Superintendent's

Executive

Leadership

Team

and

Senior

Staff

as

appropriate.

Lead

the

staff

to

maximize

the

District's

partnerships

and

external

resources..

Serve

on

the

leadership

team

of

the

Austin

Ed

Fund,

working

closely

with

the

Chair

and

Board

to

support

the

strategic work of the foundation and alignment with AISD strategic priorities.

Communicate

a

strategic

vision

for

the

development

and

management

of

externally

funded

initiatives

for

the

District, including a plan to regularly communicate to internal and external stakeholders and recognize external partners.

Develop

strategic

fundraising

plans

with

timelines

and

potential

sources

for

external

funding.

Oversee

the

long-term

relationships

with

corporate,

foundation,

internal

and

external

stakeholders

(e.g.,

Austin Community Foundation, major donors, parents, community organizations, businesses, and governmental agencies) to maximize community support priorities aligned with AISD's strategic priorities.

Develop

strategic

communication

avenues

reports

to

provide

updates

on

partnerships

external

funding;

creating

a website with resources for campuses and ongoing news for supporters and potential support; and making presentations to district partners, business foundations, and foundations..

Oversee

district

policy

and

practice

related

to

funding

initiatives.

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AUSTIN ISD JOB DESCRIPTION

Oversee

and

direct

the

budget

for

the

department.

Support

meaningful

professional

development

opportunities

for

all

members

of

the

departmental

staff

and

participate

in professional development to stay up to date in the field.

Assign

duties

to

staff,

monitors

work

and

provides

feedback

to

assure

quality

accomplishment

of

objectives

and

conducts formative and summative assessments for each direct report.

Provide

an

exceptional

customer

experience

for

all

AISD

stakeholders

with

intentional

and

professional practices

that promote a culture of respect. OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED Performs other related duties as assigned; however, all employees are expected to comply with lawful directives in rare situations driven by need where a team effort is required. PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. This position may involve rare exposure to blood or body fluids. Regular attendance is required for this position. Tools/Equipment Used: Standard office equipment including personal computer and peripherals Posture : Prolonged sitting; occasional bending/stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting Motion: Repetitive hand motions, frequent keyboarding and use of mouse; occasional reaching Lifting: Occasional light lifting and carrying (less than 15-44 pounds) Environment : Standard office or school setting; may work prolonged or irregular hours; extensive districtwide and statewide travel Mental Demands : Maintain emotional control under stress; prioritize work to meet deadlines, have a calm demeanor, and work cooperatively with others PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS This position reports directly to the appropriate supervisor of the department. Work is guided by established policies and discussed with the Superintendent and Senior Leadership Team as needed. The Superintendent will evaluate the work and overall impact on the School District and the Austin Community. Incumbent will have regular contact with other administrators in the Austin ISD. The Austin Independent School District provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.. I have read & acknowledged the job description above. Employee Signature:

Date: