Manager, Engagement

We are currently seeking a manager to oversee our stakeholder engagement strategy, including but not limited to events, communications, and public-facing opportunities. This creative and organized individual will collaborate with a small, cross-functional team to execute best-in-class multimedia storytelling that engages The Fund’s diverse stakeholders and contributes to The Fund’s top line goal of improving school quality through principal leadership.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Manager will report to the Chief of Staff. Each Fund Manager is responsible for working with a cross-functional team to develop and implement the organization’s strategy for supporting or retaining principals.

The ideal candidates will have:

• Evidence of a strong work ethic and a detail-oriented approach to project management;
• Examples of exceptional written and oral communication skills across a diverse set of audiences;
• A history of reasoned judgment and positive energy, including in high-stress situations;
• A track record of successful project and people management (in professional or personal contexts);
• Demonstrated ability to foster and manage strong and productive partnerships with external stakeholders;
• A commitment to public education, and an interest in education policy; and
• Prior experience working in or with public schools in Chicago.

Responsibilities for the Manager include, but are not limited to:

Communication & Events

• Managing (and often doing) The Fund's external-facing communication, including our newsletters, reports, social media, and web presence. This can include communication to program participants as well as our organization’s supporters.
• Overseeing annual campaigns to celebrate Chicago’s principals and assistant principals.
• Responding to urgent media requests and other communication needs thoroughly, calmly, and with our organizational values in mind.
• Leading an effort to improve and refine The Fund’s branded materials and messaging.
• Creating and managing The Fund’s editorial calendar, including report releases, campaigns, website content, and one-off mass communication.
• Creating and training the team on systems that ensure strategic communication and that help us all draw connections across outreach efforts.
• Providing support for editing external-facing documents; developing and updating tools that enable others to communicate effectively and to manage events efficiently.

Management

• Cultivating and maintaining relationships with outside partners in the civic, corporate, community, and nonprofit space.
• Managing and coaching Summer Fellows to create content for The Fund’s website.
• Supporting positive culture, including engaging in diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism work on cross-function and full team.

General Responsibilities

• Add value to organizational activities such as strategic planning, document production, recruiting, and other duties as assigned.
• Represent The Fund at external events and exhibit The Fund’s core values of collaboration, equity, excellence, innovation, integrity, and leadership.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

The Fund is seeking a highly motivated professional with 3+ years of experience. Successful candidates will have:

Prior Experience:

• Experience with multimedia storytelling and design
• Outreach & recruitment experience
• Experience working in public education in Chicago preferred
• Management experience preferred, but not required

Skills and abilities:

• Strong verbal and written presentation and communication skills, particularly with diverse audiences
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office and Google G Suite
• Highly proficient in Adobe InDesign, PhotoShop
• Knowledge of WordPress or another similar platform
• Basic knowledge of The Raiser's Edge/RE-NXT
• Ability to develop and cultivate relationships and networks to achieve results
• Ability to manage self and workload effectively, be flexible and adaptive, and follow through on execution
• Ability to think through and manage many details, often on tight timelines
• Outstanding organizational skills
• Experience with multiple platforms for communication (video, social media, etc.) is preferred
• Experience with MailChimp or Emma is preferred

Compensation

The salary band for a manager at The Fund starts at $70k and there is room to grow to $110k over time based on merit and market adjustments. The Fund offers a robust benefits package, including healthcare coverage, retirement contribution, unlimited PTO plus additional holidays, and paid short-term and family leave.

To Apply

Please visit https://thefundchicago.org/who-we-are/careers/ and follow the links to navigate to the Manager, Engagement job description. Once there, use the "Apply" button to submit your application: resume, cover letter, and two writing samples in MSWord (.docx) or .pdf format. For the writing submissions, we would like to see a) an example of substantive professional communication (e.g. a detailed email sent to external partners) and b) a sample of narrative writing not longer than 1,000 words (excerpts from longer pieces will be accepted). 

Questions regarding the job application can be sent to Careers@thefundchicago.org. We regret that we will not be able to respond to phone inquiries about this position.

The Chicago Public Education Fund is an equal opportunity employer. The Fund evaluates applicants for employment based on qualifications, merit, and work-related criteria without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, mental or physical disabilities, pregnancy, childbirth, medical condition, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law. The Fund employs and values a diverse work environment.

https://thefundchicago.org/who-we-are/careers/