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Public Relations Education Specialist- Arcadia, Wisconsin

We have an exciting opportunity for a strategic and passionate Public Relations Education Specialist to join our dynamic team! The Public Relations Education Specialist will be responsible for growing the brand of Ashley Furniture Industries through establishing partnerships and collaborating with educators and students across K-12 schools, technical colleges, and universities. This position oversees the planning, coordination, and communication of Ashley's Education Foundation initiatives, both internally and externally.

The specialist is responsible for building and maintaining a favorable corporate image for Ashley and all Ashley Companies, while fostering positive and valuable relationships with employees, communities, business partners, government officials, media representatives, and the general public.

This position is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive STEM education initiatives, organizing hands-on learning events, and collaborating with educational institutions to enhance curriculum development. The role includes working closely with schools to identify and support technology and equipment needs, creating project-based learning opportunities, and developing programs that prepare students for future workforce demands in technology, manufacturing, and innovation.

Working within allocated budgets, the specialist will help shape and protect the company's public image while designing impactful promotional campaigns and educational initiatives.

The Public Relations Education Specialist must effectively interface with all internal stakeholders (including every major department in the company) and external contacts (educational institutions, government entities, media outlets, businesses, community organizations, and consumers). This individual will represent Ashley Companies and the Public Relations Department with the highest level of professionalism while maintaining strict confidentiality standards.

What Will You Do?

• Educational Program Development: Lead the development, planning, and execution of comprehensive STEM education programs that include VEX Robotics and FIRST Robotics, SkillsUSA, advanced manufacturing workshops, and interactive demonstrations. Support the education community through hands-on STEM learning and project-based learning experiences. Use research to recommend emerging educational technologies that can enhance overall program effectiveness.

• Strategic Partnership Management : Establish and maintain strategic relationships with key stakeholders including K-12 school districts, technical colleges, universities, educational technology providers, industry experts, government officials, and community leaders. Foster collaborative partnerships to ensure program support, implementation success, and sustainable community impact

• Career Pathway Implementation : Support strategic planning and communication for career pathway initiatives aligned with Industry 4.0 and advanced manufacturing learning, including the Ashley Careers Program, Ashley's Education Advancement Program, and work-based learning opportunities such as internships and apprenticeships.

• Program Performance Management and Documentation: Develop and maintain comprehensive program documentation, standard operating procedures, and best practices for all educational initiatives. Lead continuous improvement efforts through program evaluation, feedback collection, and innovation in delivery methods. Ensure consistency and quality across program implementation, event management, resource allocation, and partner engagement.

• Strategic Communications and Media Relations : Execute multi-channel communication strategies by supporting the creation of educational content across social media, video, presentations, and press releases. Develop and maintain communication plans including assessment protocols, and stakeholder communication. Promote educational initiatives, program successes, and community impact stories while maintaining consistent brand messaging.

• Financial Management and Resource Allocation : Oversee educational program budgets through comprehensive tracking of expenses, resource allocation, and return on investment analysis. Prepare budget proposals, identify funding opportunities, coordinate grant applications, and ensure fiscal responsibility across all educational initiatives.

• Performance Metrics and Impact Assessment : Monitor and report on educational metrics including student engagement rates, program effectiveness, learning outcomes, community impact measures, and return on investment to support program success and sustainability.

• Educational Event Coordination : Coordinate and execute educational events including Manufacturing Month events/tours, career day events, STEM fairs, exhibitions, technology demonstrations, industry expert presentations, and community information sessions.

• Strategic Alignment and Standards Compliance : Support educational initiatives that align with company core values, strategic objectives, industry needs, community expectations, and educational standards while maintaining program integrity.

• Professional Development and Industry Knowledge : Stay current on educational trends, STEM developments, industry innovations, teaching methodologies, and technology advancements through continuous professional development and industry engagement.

What Do You Need?

• Bachelor Degree in Public Relations, Education, Marketing or related field or equivalent work experience
• 2 years’ experience in Public Relations, Education, Corporate Communications or Marketing related position
• Ability to motivate, teach and supervise youth while maintaining a safe environment
• Strong communication skills, including active listening and reading comprehension to accurately assess situations, and effective speaking and written skills to get messages across that have the desired effect
• Ability to use social perceptiveness, persuasion, critical thinking, and negotiation to competently solve complex problems.
• Ability to generate multiple ideas about a topic and to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to approach them
• Ability to order information, understand the implications of new information, and apply both inductive and deductive reasoning to reach sound judgments and decisions.
• Effective time management and organization skills including the ability to manage one’s time on multiple projects simultaneously and the time of others when necessary, and monitoring and coordinating efforts to make needed adjustments.
• Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods.
• Knowledge of financial management to effectively use resources, determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for those expenditures.
• Ability to display empathy, understanding and patience with employees and external customers through a strong orientation to service.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment.
• Ability to respond professionally in situations with difficult employee, business, customer, media, government or community member issue or inquiry
• Proficient computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Office Suite and the Internet

Who Are We?

• We offer competitive pay and excellent benefits.
• We are a multi-billion-dollar company and the largest manufacturer of furniture in the world and offer one of the industry’s broadest product assortments at over 20,000 storefronts in 123 countries.
• Growth-Focused is one of our core values, and we are dedicated to helping you grow with us through training, mentoring, and coaching as well as investing in the latest design tools, production equipment and new technologies.
• Environmental efforts are a priority as we continually seek to recycle, reuse and replenish every day.
• Millions of dollars are contributed annually to local and national charities as we seek to improve the lives of people around the world.

We are an equal opportunity employer and provide a drug-free working environment. While Ashley appreciates the interest of all candidates only those meeting specific position requirements may be contacted. Principals Only.