Chief of External Affairs and Communications

Location: Newark, NJ 

ABOUT NEW JERSEY CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION

The New Jersey Children’s Foundation’s (NJCF) mission is to invest in people, programs, and partnerships that will improve public education systems by putting the interests of children first. Our vision is that each and every child will break down the walls of inequity through the creation of high-quality public education systems. NJCF’s overarching goal is to improve outcomes for all Newark students and empower families with information to choose the best options for their children.

POSITION 

The Chief of External Affairs and Communications reports to the Chief Executive Officer and will have both internal and external responsibilities, including significant strategy development and stakeholder relationship management. In this role, you will partner closely with the CEO to realize NJCF’s strategic plan and goals, respond to the needs of Newark’s public schools, and advance the mission of the organization. This is a hybrid position with a significant in-person (e.g., meetings, events) component. Key duties and responsibilities include: 

External Affairs 

• Develop and execute plans to advance Newark government and stakeholder understanding of and receptivity to NJCF’s mission to increase the prevalence of high-quality public schools in Newark.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with diverse Newark community stakeholders including public school leaders, elected officials and policy makers, and a variety of other partners. 

• Represent NJCF externally, alongside the CEO, to elevate the wins in Newark public schools and advocate for our mission and goals.
• Develop NJCF as a non-partisan, objective, and common sense provider of sound education policy information based on data and facts.

Communications

• Strategize and design winning communications and advocacy plans to advance the mission of NJCF and improve academic achievement and outcomes for Newark students.
• Guide and manage all external communications, including press releases, statements, policy briefs, newsletters, and op-eds to ensure clear messaging about organization's work
• Develop branding materials and talking points that effectively convey NJCF’s mission, values, and impact to various stakeholders.
• Lead crisis management and communications. 
• Develop a best in class communications and engagement plan for My Schools Newark, ensuring the platform is valued as an objective source of school information where families come to learn about schools, their public educational options, and other important information school choice information

General Leadership and Management

• Develop and manage effective and high impact strategic plans of two major work streams: external affairs and communications
• Manage and support multiple consultants across external affairs and communications work streams 
• Support and participate in fundraising efforts as needed
• Reflect NJCF’s mission, core beliefs, and approaches to our work internally and externally

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Passion and commitment to the mission of improving public education for all Newark students and driving continued progress in Newark’s public schools
• Track record of successfully managing high impact and complex projects and initiatives involving multiple components, stakeholders, and deadlines
• Deep understanding and knowledge of Newark education, policy, and regulatory landscapes
• Proven ability to develop collaborative working relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders including policy makers
• Demonstrated ability to navigate legislative processes and advocate effectively for a cause
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and interpersonal skills and the ability to craft compelling narratives that align with the organization's goals while effectively managing crisis communication 

• A problem-solving-mindset including the ability to think strategically, critically, and creatively
• At least 10 years of experience in a business or executive management role. Experience working within the Newark political, public, and/or K-12 education landscape valued. Experience managing informational campaigns, government relations preferred.

COMPENSATION

Compensation is commensurate with experience. The salary range for this position is $180,000 - $220,000 with a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, 401k match at 3%, and unlimited PTO.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application here. The preferred application deadline for this position is November 26, 2024. Please note that we do not guarantee review of applications after this date.

New Jersey Children’s Foundation is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and has a strong commitment to building a diverse and inclusive team. As such, it is the continuing policy of NJCF to consider all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. As part of our mission, we believe it is important to build a team that is inclusive of the voices and perspectives of people of color, first-generation college graduates, and individuals from low-income backgrounds, who share similar experiences with the students, families, and communities our organization has the privilege to serve.