ACT
Director, Strategic Communications
ACT, Iowa City, Iowa, United States, 52245
Director, Strategic Communications
Job Locations
US-Remote Position | US-IA-Iowa City
Job ID
2024-2515
# of Openings
1
Category
Marketing & Communications
Travel
No Travel Required
Overview
At ACT Your Work Makes a DifferenceEducation has power - a power that changes lives forever. It creates opportunities that lift up individuals, their families, and sparks societal change that echoes through generations to come. From our grassroots we have fought the good fight for equity in education, and we remain devoted to helping anyone who struggles to access that power. This is what matters to us and we must do better -- we've never been more sure of our purpose.ACT Education Corp. team members are part of an organization dedicated to an important mission: Helping people achieve education and workplace success. Advancing the mission internally, by helping team members achieve education and workplace success of their own, is core to our values. ACT values a diverse workplace and is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable environment in which every team member has an opportunity to grow.We want our team members to have the well-being and confidence they need to do their best work, in an environment where both they and the company thrive. To support this, our total rewards include company paid life insurance, medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) with company contributions, paid holidays, paid time off, and so much more. You can find a comprehensive list of our benefits here.The
Director of Strategic Communications
will be a key participate in the development of ACT's external communications strategy. They will be responsible for implementing the external communications plan that will advance ACT's enterprise strategy, priority initiatives, brand identity and equity, and business outcomes, with a focus on increasing the visibility of programs across key stakeholder audiences.This leader will implement the external communications strategy through creation and implementation of speeches, research positioning, and communications activities that promote, enhance, amplify, and protect the organization's brand reputation.The finalist will be hired at the salary and level commensurate with their qualifications. We anticipate offering a market competitive annual salary in the range of $125,000 to $140,0000. ACT manages salaries within the range based on relevant factors including, skills, experience, and internal equity. The position is incentive eligible.Location: This is a remote positionA Day in the Life:Implementation of Strategic Communications PlanImplement the comprehensive external communications plan to advance ACT's strategy, brand identity and equity
Increase the visibility of programs across key stakeholder audiencesCreate and be responsible for public relations collateral that will allow ACT leadership to cultivate and enhance meaningful relationships with targeted, high-level external audiences, including national media; local, state, and federal policymakers; educators; and influential policy and advocacy organizations.Identify communications challenges and emerging issues faced by the organization and propose recommendations for addressing them.Position the organization and its brand to better serve learners, educators, schools, higher education institutions, policymakers, and other stakeholders in education equity, research, policy, learning, navigation, and measurement:
Create and be responsible for ACT's integrated communications materials, products, and services, including: print publications; web content (blogs, webinars, etc.); public relations collateral; social media.Work closely with individuals across the business to develop messaging and enforce message discipline, including by preparing talking points, speeches, presentations, and other supporting materials that will promote, enhance, amplify, and protect the organization's brand reputation.Work collaboratively with individuals and cross-functional teams in support of building and leveraging ACT's positions on education equity, policy, research, and thought leadership, and to ensure alignment with external communications plan.
Prepare talking points, speeches, presentations, and other supporting material as neededOversee the day-to-day activities of the communications function including budgeting, planning and staff developmentTeam Development/ManagementLead the communications team that supports the development and execution of the communications strategy.Attract, retain, and enable the career development of top talent by promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.Support team members' individual goal development and achievement, communicate expectations, coach and provide feedback, and advocate for and recognize individuals through consistent conversations.Oversee day-to-day activities of the communications function including budgeting, planning, and staff development.Role Progression:Within 1 month
you will have a high level understanding of ACT's products and customers and will be getting to know the team and the work they do, and starting to develop relationships with individual across the organization, as well as vendors in this space.Within 3 months
you will be leading the team and have a solid understanding of the work they do and what ACT does. You will start to draft the strategic communications plan with defined metrics, KPI's, deliverables and timelines.Within 6 months
the strategic communications plan will be actionable and you will start to drive it with support from the team and others, using the metrics and KPI's to measure progress and refine as needed. You will have a clear picture of how the various communication channels are being used and the topics that are coming across then. The team will see you as a supportive leader who challenges them to excel at the work they do.About You:At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in a communications leadership role with a focus on strategic communication functionsDemonstrated record of pro-actively building relationships with top tier reporters and editors, and in successfully positioning subject matter with the media to achieve high-impact placementsDemonstrated experience and leadership in managing a comprehensive strategic communications program to advance an organization's mission and goalsExperience in planning, writing, editing, and production of newsletters, press releases, annual reports, marketing literature, and other print publications and directoriesExperience in building, mentoring, empowering, and coaching a team of communications specialistsInnovative thinker, with a track record for translating strategic thinking into action plans and outcomesExcellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution skillsAbility to have proactive and thoughtfully communications with individuals inside and outside the organizationDevelops ideas that are creative; embraces and promotes diverse perspectives; uses data to analyze options and form opinionsAbility to manage change and navigate, with a positive attitude, an environment experiencing change at a fast pace.A customer-centric focus and service oriented with a strong sense of urgency and persistence while working through a complex matrix organization to ensure success for the customer, organization, and team membersSkills and knowledge required for success in this position attained through experience and education (Bachelor's Degree in Communications or related field of study), or a combination of bothPreferred Qualifications:Education industry experienceExperience with hands-on role in external communications efforts at an organization going through significant transformation
About ACT
When ACT was founded in 1959, it disrupted the assessment industry with a new approach to helping students better understand their readiness so they could take steps to improve it. By leveraging our expertise and authority in assessment and research, we will again disrupt the industry-helping more people learn, better measure their progress, and improve their navigation through life's transitions.More than ever before, ACT is fulfilling its mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. We're doing it by pushing the boundaries of learning innovation through the work of our people, who we call team members because we're all in this together.We know transformation does not come without challenge. That's why ACT invests in a variety of experiences for team members to strengthen their connections, explore ideas, learn from customers, and celebrate success.Learn more about working at ACT at act.org!Need help finding the right job?
We can recommend jobs specifically for you!Click here to get started.
Job Locations
US-Remote Position | US-IA-Iowa City
Job ID
2024-2515
# of Openings
1
Category
Marketing & Communications
Travel
No Travel Required
Overview
At ACT Your Work Makes a DifferenceEducation has power - a power that changes lives forever. It creates opportunities that lift up individuals, their families, and sparks societal change that echoes through generations to come. From our grassroots we have fought the good fight for equity in education, and we remain devoted to helping anyone who struggles to access that power. This is what matters to us and we must do better -- we've never been more sure of our purpose.ACT Education Corp. team members are part of an organization dedicated to an important mission: Helping people achieve education and workplace success. Advancing the mission internally, by helping team members achieve education and workplace success of their own, is core to our values. ACT values a diverse workplace and is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable environment in which every team member has an opportunity to grow.We want our team members to have the well-being and confidence they need to do their best work, in an environment where both they and the company thrive. To support this, our total rewards include company paid life insurance, medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) with company contributions, paid holidays, paid time off, and so much more. You can find a comprehensive list of our benefits here.The
Director of Strategic Communications
will be a key participate in the development of ACT's external communications strategy. They will be responsible for implementing the external communications plan that will advance ACT's enterprise strategy, priority initiatives, brand identity and equity, and business outcomes, with a focus on increasing the visibility of programs across key stakeholder audiences.This leader will implement the external communications strategy through creation and implementation of speeches, research positioning, and communications activities that promote, enhance, amplify, and protect the organization's brand reputation.The finalist will be hired at the salary and level commensurate with their qualifications. We anticipate offering a market competitive annual salary in the range of $125,000 to $140,0000. ACT manages salaries within the range based on relevant factors including, skills, experience, and internal equity. The position is incentive eligible.Location: This is a remote positionA Day in the Life:Implementation of Strategic Communications PlanImplement the comprehensive external communications plan to advance ACT's strategy, brand identity and equity
Increase the visibility of programs across key stakeholder audiencesCreate and be responsible for public relations collateral that will allow ACT leadership to cultivate and enhance meaningful relationships with targeted, high-level external audiences, including national media; local, state, and federal policymakers; educators; and influential policy and advocacy organizations.Identify communications challenges and emerging issues faced by the organization and propose recommendations for addressing them.Position the organization and its brand to better serve learners, educators, schools, higher education institutions, policymakers, and other stakeholders in education equity, research, policy, learning, navigation, and measurement:
Create and be responsible for ACT's integrated communications materials, products, and services, including: print publications; web content (blogs, webinars, etc.); public relations collateral; social media.Work closely with individuals across the business to develop messaging and enforce message discipline, including by preparing talking points, speeches, presentations, and other supporting materials that will promote, enhance, amplify, and protect the organization's brand reputation.Work collaboratively with individuals and cross-functional teams in support of building and leveraging ACT's positions on education equity, policy, research, and thought leadership, and to ensure alignment with external communications plan.
Prepare talking points, speeches, presentations, and other supporting material as neededOversee the day-to-day activities of the communications function including budgeting, planning and staff developmentTeam Development/ManagementLead the communications team that supports the development and execution of the communications strategy.Attract, retain, and enable the career development of top talent by promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.Support team members' individual goal development and achievement, communicate expectations, coach and provide feedback, and advocate for and recognize individuals through consistent conversations.Oversee day-to-day activities of the communications function including budgeting, planning, and staff development.Role Progression:Within 1 month
you will have a high level understanding of ACT's products and customers and will be getting to know the team and the work they do, and starting to develop relationships with individual across the organization, as well as vendors in this space.Within 3 months
you will be leading the team and have a solid understanding of the work they do and what ACT does. You will start to draft the strategic communications plan with defined metrics, KPI's, deliverables and timelines.Within 6 months
the strategic communications plan will be actionable and you will start to drive it with support from the team and others, using the metrics and KPI's to measure progress and refine as needed. You will have a clear picture of how the various communication channels are being used and the topics that are coming across then. The team will see you as a supportive leader who challenges them to excel at the work they do.About You:At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in a communications leadership role with a focus on strategic communication functionsDemonstrated record of pro-actively building relationships with top tier reporters and editors, and in successfully positioning subject matter with the media to achieve high-impact placementsDemonstrated experience and leadership in managing a comprehensive strategic communications program to advance an organization's mission and goalsExperience in planning, writing, editing, and production of newsletters, press releases, annual reports, marketing literature, and other print publications and directoriesExperience in building, mentoring, empowering, and coaching a team of communications specialistsInnovative thinker, with a track record for translating strategic thinking into action plans and outcomesExcellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution skillsAbility to have proactive and thoughtfully communications with individuals inside and outside the organizationDevelops ideas that are creative; embraces and promotes diverse perspectives; uses data to analyze options and form opinionsAbility to manage change and navigate, with a positive attitude, an environment experiencing change at a fast pace.A customer-centric focus and service oriented with a strong sense of urgency and persistence while working through a complex matrix organization to ensure success for the customer, organization, and team membersSkills and knowledge required for success in this position attained through experience and education (Bachelor's Degree in Communications or related field of study), or a combination of bothPreferred Qualifications:Education industry experienceExperience with hands-on role in external communications efforts at an organization going through significant transformation
About ACT
When ACT was founded in 1959, it disrupted the assessment industry with a new approach to helping students better understand their readiness so they could take steps to improve it. By leveraging our expertise and authority in assessment and research, we will again disrupt the industry-helping more people learn, better measure their progress, and improve their navigation through life's transitions.More than ever before, ACT is fulfilling its mission of helping people achieve education and workplace success. We're doing it by pushing the boundaries of learning innovation through the work of our people, who we call team members because we're all in this together.We know transformation does not come without challenge. That's why ACT invests in a variety of experiences for team members to strengthen their connections, explore ideas, learn from customers, and celebrate success.Learn more about working at ACT at act.org!Need help finding the right job?
We can recommend jobs specifically for you!Click here to get started.