Vice President of Communications (Los Angeles, CA)

REPORTS TO: Chief External Officer
SUPERVISES: Communications & Community Relations Team, comprised of two Managers and one Associate
LOCATION: The Partnership team works in a hybrid capacity. This position will be based in Los Angeles, and will be a combination of working remotely, in our Downtown LA office, and at Partnership schools.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
Launched in 2007, the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools’ mission is to transform schools to revolutionize school systems, empowering all students with a high-quality education. The Partnership is a non-profit, in-district partner to LA Unified, not a charter network. As an independent nonprofit organization, the Partnership serves 13,550 students across 20 LA Unified schools in Boyle Heights, South Los Angeles, and Watts. The Partnership works within the LA Unified School District context, which includes honoring all collective bargaining agreements for its teachers and school staff. To learn more about the Partnership, our mission, and how we approach our goals, please visit our website.

POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Partnership is seeking a Vice President (VP) of Communications to lead our existing branding and communications work, while building and executing on a strategy to deepen our presence and relationships in the schools and communities that we serve. Reporting to the Chief External Officer (CXO), the VP will provide strategic direction for an integrated communications and community relations vision, ultimately driving communications strategy, message development, marketing, and media relations. This role will oversee two managers, and will be responsible for driving role clarity and strong collaboration within the communications and community relations team. The ideal candidate for this role will bring deep experience in communications, a demonstrated passion for uplifting the voices of communities, and a track record of building new teams and strategies. This is a full-time, year-round position. 

The Partnership is committed to continuously building an anti-racist culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in classrooms and in our home office. The VP of Communications will be someone who is committed to implementing these values in creative ways when executing day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Communications Strategy & Leadership (40%)

• Lead the development and implementation of the external and internal communications strategy
• Raise the visibility of the Partnership, its mission, influence, and accomplishments through brand awareness activities, including positive media and social media activities, webinars, panels and convenings, and digital communications
• Identify strategic opportunities for media coverage of Partnership key issues and serve as the main liaison for media relations and for pitching stories with media
• Build cross-functional relationships within the organization to maximize reach and impact, including support with message development, communications strategies, branding, and marketing programs to promote the Partnership’s operating model and impact by leveraging reports, convenings, recommendations, and more for target audiences.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with LAUSD communications teams, media representatives, including Spanish-language media
• Collaborate with partners to lead joint campaigns with the goal of increasing mutual public affairs activities with key stakeholders

Community Relations Strategy & Leadership (30%)

• Collaborate across teams to develop a thoughtful and integrated approach to community relations
• Develop structures and identify opportunities for deepening relationships, communication flows, and coordination among our organization’s model areas and across our school communities
• Develop and support the execution of community relations events and campaigns

Team & Organizational Leadership (15%)

• Manage and support the Communications & Community Relations team, ensuring role clarity, strong working relationships, and high levels of team function
• Guide the development of the team, and offer capacity-building and training opportunities for Partnership staff and key stakeholders on branding, communications, and community relations
• Model Partnership competencies for direct reports and team members
• Work with the executive leadership team, teachers, administrators, parents, and students to write, edit, and place op-eds
• Place Partnership team members in influential philanthropic and education sector conferences, convenings, and events, both nationally and locally

Ad Hoc Communications Work (15%)

• Work in coordination with LA Unified (and other primary partners) to address urgent school-site situations that involve media attention, as well as crisis communications activities for the Partnership
• Serve as a key spokesperson for the organization
• Identify and develop a group of media ambassadors to support media, communications, and public relations activities in our home office and schools
• Write and distribute media pitches, press releases, and media advisories, and place media stories in the general and education sector press

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience, and a proven track-record in media relations, public affairs, issue management, communications, and/or mission-driven marketing, resulting in raised visibility and influence of an organization(s)
• A master’s degree from an accredited university or 10 years of direct communications experience
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with local and national media outlets, and successfully pitch stories for placement in publications
• Experience with successfully building and managing teams
• Superb oral and written communications skills for multiple audiences
• A combination of creative and strategic thinking with a standard for high-quality execution
• Ability to prioritize and work under multiple deadlines
• Strong team player and active collaborator
• Strong computer and technical skills, including being proficient in Google Suite and various popular social media platforms
• Working knowledge and/or a willingness to learn Adobe Creative Suite, Sprout Social, WordPress, and Constant Contact
• A deep belief in the power of our communities, the Partnership’s mission, approach, and core values
• A commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all team members
• The ability to travel between school sites
• Spanish language fluency, both spoken and written, in order to build relationships with Spanish media and stakeholders, preferred
• Extensive media contacts and relationships in Los Angeles (English and/or Spanish language), and education beat in LA and/or national outlets, preferred
• Working understanding of K-12 public education sector, preferred

ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCIES
All Partnership team members are expected to learn, grow, and model the following organizational competencies:

• Anti-racism: Acknowledges and actively seeks to disrupt the systemic racism that exists within educational systems and society which oppress the students and communities we serve
• Root Cause Analysis: Proactively makes time to examine the underlying causes of challenges, and identifies and addresses their root causes
• Long-Term Thinking: Focuses on long-term strategies and goals as the key to realizing the Partnership’s mission of empowering all students with a high-quality education
• Teaming & Collaboration: Builds and contributes to a strong team culture that promotes a sense of belonging for all team members
• Psychological Safety: Feels freedom to express oneself openly and honestly, and to be one’s authentic self
• Learning & Growth: Continually seeks to learn, grow, and improve in order to best serve our students and communities

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
The starting salary range for the VP of Communications position is $126,372-$136,545. Starting salaries are dependent on experience, skills, market rates, and pay equity among current staff members. The Partnership also offers a robust benefits package including employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents; a 403(b) retirement program with employee match and vesting; parental and sabbatical leaves; a professional development allowance; and generous paid time off.

The Partnership’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion extends to our compensation practices. Our goal is to ensure that pay is fair for all staff members who hold many intersectional identities – new and tenured alike. When we set salaries for new team members, we consider market rates, pay equity among staff in similar roles across the organization, skills and experiences required for the role, and organizational budget. Because of all of these factors, the majority of new team members do not begin at the top of the salary range provided.

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT
Partnership for LA Schools is a contractor with Los Angeles Unified School District and has implemented a Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccine Policy. All new employees are required to be fully vaccinated a week before their start date unless they are approved for an accommodation due to a medical reason or because of a sincerely held religious belief. 

TO APPLY
Please prepare your resume and a cover letter tailored to this position. You will submit your documents using our online application system here.

For technical assistance, assistance for applying with a disability, or questions, please email Melanie Liu, Senior Manager of Home Office Talent & Org Culture, at melanie.liu@partnershipla.org.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to – and actively pursues – diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. The Partnership prohibits discrimination based on race (including traits historically associated with race such as hairstyle), creed, color, religion, registered domestic partner status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, age, military and veteran status, medical condition, genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy or childbirth, physical disability or mental disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance or regulation. The Partnership also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of these characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer, wages, benefits, termination, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.

Department: Revolutionize School Systems
This is a management position
This is a full time position