Communications Manager (Level 2)
Young World Physical Education, Holyoke, MA, United States
Starting Date:
Immediately
Communications Manager (Level 2) – Holyoke Public Schools District Overview
Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK‑12 public school district serving more than 4,600 students, of whom 80 percent are Latino/Latina, in 11 schools. We employ nearly 1,300 people who collectively educate and support a richly diverse community of learners. We are committed to recruiting and retaining top‑quality educators who believe all children can and will learn and who strive daily to make school a joyful place of discovery, support, and belonging.
Holyoke Public Schools’ strategic plan, “Moving Forward Together,” builds on the strengths of our past while serving as a call to action to accelerate student learning by thinking differently about how we teach, work together, and support students’ well‑being.
Many successes contributed to Holyoke’s return to local governance after 10 years in state receivership. Key achievements include:
The highest graduation rate on record of 77.1 percent, an increase of more than 15 points over 10 years
Meaningful, applied learning opportunities for high school students, including theme‑based academies, career‑vocational technical education programming, work‑based learning, and advanced coursework
A comprehensive approach to early literacy that includes strong core instruction and one‑on‑one tutoring, contributing to more students reading at grade level
A thriving dual‑language English/Spanish program, where nearly 900 students are on their path to becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural
More than one‑third of Holyoke teachers identify as people of color, a 19‑point increase over 10 years. Many partnership programs support staff to earn licensure or additional certification.
Communications Department Overview
The Communications Department supports internal and external communications for Holyoke Public Schools and sets guidelines for all communications to consistently articulate the district’s mission and core values to families, staff, partners, and other stakeholders. The department provides access to transparent, up‑to‑date, and easy‑to‑understand information to families, staff, community members, and other interested parties through multiple communication channels in their preferred languages.
Communications priorities include:
Providing timely and accurate information to internal and external audiences related to the mission, operations, programs, and initiatives of Holyoke Public Schools
Fostering trusting relationships among and between district and school staff, families, students, community members, and city leaders
Connecting families to district, school, and community resources
Promoting and supporting a positive culture for learning and leadership
Position Overview
Reporting to the Director of Communications, the Communications Manager (Level 2) articulates the district’s vision, mission, core values, and accomplishments through planning, executing, supporting, and/or managing comprehensive communications projects and initiatives, in addition to in‑depth writing and editing, social media posts and campaigns, website content, photography, graphic design, and software training.
Note: Depending on the skills and experience levels of interested applicants, this position could be converted to a Senior Communications Coordinator role, with fewer assigned responsibilities and a lower salary entry point.
Work Schedule:
This is a full‑time position (Monday‑Friday) in a school‑based worksite. Occasional evening, early morning, or weekend hours are required for meetings, events, or to support emerging situations.
Position Responsibilities
Collaborate with district and school leadership, and/or the Director of Communications, to plan, execute, support, and/or manage comprehensive communication projects and initiatives that support key initiatives
Lead the planning and execution of the district’s bi‑monthly e‑newsletters
Contribute to planning and execution of the district’s bi‑monthly e‑newsletters
Write and edit letters, mass communication alerts, news content, website and social media content, press releases, flyers, brochures, and other communications pieces
Create, post, curate, and monitor content on Facebook and Instagram to inform stakeholders about school and district initiatives, events, and successes; promote the district’s vision, priorities, and programs; and ensure effective two‑way communication between stakeholders and the district
Take lead responsibility for maintaining the district’s website—including routine updates, planning and implementing the annual update process, and writing and posting new content
Serve as primary liaison with the district’s Family and Community Engagement team and other departments/schools to develop website and social media content
Create and maintain the district’s website and social media editorial calendar, aligned with the HPS Communications Editorial Calendar and informed by metrics analysis
Take well‑composed and well‑lit candid and posed photographs at schools and district/community events; use Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop to edit photos for social media, website, marketing materials, and the archive library
Create graphic designs for social media, the district website, flyers, posters, brochures, newsletters, etc. using Canva, Adobe InDesign, and/or similar software
Compile and analyze quarterly metrics reports for the district’s website, social media accounts, and Together for Holyoke e‑newsletter; use trend data to inform future content decisions and overall communications strategies; share reports and analysis with the Director of Communications
Train and support school and district staff on the use of Thrillshare software (the district’s integrated digital communications platform) and social media platforms
Monitor all news coverage and social media mentions daily for HPS, its schools, staff, and students; compile media mentions in the established log; immediately alert the Director of Communications to all sensitive or urgent news stories, posts, or comments
Serve as backup to the Director of Communications and perform other duties as assigned
If the selected candidate is a trained translator: assist with translation requests as time allows, including proofreading translations done by others, updating previous translations, and translating short pieces (generally not more than one page)
Candidate Requirements (Experience, Skills, Traits, and Beliefs)
College degree or a minimum of 4 years of experience directly related to the responsibilities of this position, with experience in modern journalism, public relations, and/or strategic communications a significant plus
Exceptional organizational and project‑management skills, with the ability to juggle competing priorities
Knowledgeable about the effective use of social media to build relationships and foster two‑way communication with district stakeholders
Computer literacy and experience using a variety of digital platforms
Ability to learn and become proficient in professional communication software (Google Suite, Adobe Suite, Microsoft Office)
Strong verbal, customer‑service, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders
Ability to write clear, compelling, accurate, and informative content
Ability to work independently, be a self‑starter, and take direction and constructive feedback
Willing and able to travel to schools and other community locations to cover/photograph events
Drive for continuous learning and developing skills as a school communications professional
Commitment to high‑performance standards and belief in HPS values
Passion for work that contributes to strengthening the public’s understanding of and perceptions about public education
Bilingual (Spanish/English) and connection to Holyoke and/or Puerto Rico are significant pluses
Reports to:
Director of Communications
Salary Range:
$65,000–$75,000 ($54,000–$64,000 for Senior Communications Coordinator role)
Position Type:
Full‑Time
Equal Opportunity Employer Holyoke Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of a person’s race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.
Job Requirements
At least 4 years of relevant experience preferred
Bachelor degree preferred
Citizenship, residency or work visa required
Contact Information
Jennie Oesterreicher, Director of Communications
HHS NORTH
Phone: 413-493-1605
Email: joesterreicher@hps.holyoke.ma.us
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Immediately
Communications Manager (Level 2) – Holyoke Public Schools District Overview
Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK‑12 public school district serving more than 4,600 students, of whom 80 percent are Latino/Latina, in 11 schools. We employ nearly 1,300 people who collectively educate and support a richly diverse community of learners. We are committed to recruiting and retaining top‑quality educators who believe all children can and will learn and who strive daily to make school a joyful place of discovery, support, and belonging.
Holyoke Public Schools’ strategic plan, “Moving Forward Together,” builds on the strengths of our past while serving as a call to action to accelerate student learning by thinking differently about how we teach, work together, and support students’ well‑being.
Many successes contributed to Holyoke’s return to local governance after 10 years in state receivership. Key achievements include:
The highest graduation rate on record of 77.1 percent, an increase of more than 15 points over 10 years
Meaningful, applied learning opportunities for high school students, including theme‑based academies, career‑vocational technical education programming, work‑based learning, and advanced coursework
A comprehensive approach to early literacy that includes strong core instruction and one‑on‑one tutoring, contributing to more students reading at grade level
A thriving dual‑language English/Spanish program, where nearly 900 students are on their path to becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural
More than one‑third of Holyoke teachers identify as people of color, a 19‑point increase over 10 years. Many partnership programs support staff to earn licensure or additional certification.
Communications Department Overview
The Communications Department supports internal and external communications for Holyoke Public Schools and sets guidelines for all communications to consistently articulate the district’s mission and core values to families, staff, partners, and other stakeholders. The department provides access to transparent, up‑to‑date, and easy‑to‑understand information to families, staff, community members, and other interested parties through multiple communication channels in their preferred languages.
Communications priorities include:
Providing timely and accurate information to internal and external audiences related to the mission, operations, programs, and initiatives of Holyoke Public Schools
Fostering trusting relationships among and between district and school staff, families, students, community members, and city leaders
Connecting families to district, school, and community resources
Promoting and supporting a positive culture for learning and leadership
Position Overview
Reporting to the Director of Communications, the Communications Manager (Level 2) articulates the district’s vision, mission, core values, and accomplishments through planning, executing, supporting, and/or managing comprehensive communications projects and initiatives, in addition to in‑depth writing and editing, social media posts and campaigns, website content, photography, graphic design, and software training.
Note: Depending on the skills and experience levels of interested applicants, this position could be converted to a Senior Communications Coordinator role, with fewer assigned responsibilities and a lower salary entry point.
Work Schedule:
This is a full‑time position (Monday‑Friday) in a school‑based worksite. Occasional evening, early morning, or weekend hours are required for meetings, events, or to support emerging situations.
Position Responsibilities
Collaborate with district and school leadership, and/or the Director of Communications, to plan, execute, support, and/or manage comprehensive communication projects and initiatives that support key initiatives
Lead the planning and execution of the district’s bi‑monthly e‑newsletters
Contribute to planning and execution of the district’s bi‑monthly e‑newsletters
Write and edit letters, mass communication alerts, news content, website and social media content, press releases, flyers, brochures, and other communications pieces
Create, post, curate, and monitor content on Facebook and Instagram to inform stakeholders about school and district initiatives, events, and successes; promote the district’s vision, priorities, and programs; and ensure effective two‑way communication between stakeholders and the district
Take lead responsibility for maintaining the district’s website—including routine updates, planning and implementing the annual update process, and writing and posting new content
Serve as primary liaison with the district’s Family and Community Engagement team and other departments/schools to develop website and social media content
Create and maintain the district’s website and social media editorial calendar, aligned with the HPS Communications Editorial Calendar and informed by metrics analysis
Take well‑composed and well‑lit candid and posed photographs at schools and district/community events; use Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop to edit photos for social media, website, marketing materials, and the archive library
Create graphic designs for social media, the district website, flyers, posters, brochures, newsletters, etc. using Canva, Adobe InDesign, and/or similar software
Compile and analyze quarterly metrics reports for the district’s website, social media accounts, and Together for Holyoke e‑newsletter; use trend data to inform future content decisions and overall communications strategies; share reports and analysis with the Director of Communications
Train and support school and district staff on the use of Thrillshare software (the district’s integrated digital communications platform) and social media platforms
Monitor all news coverage and social media mentions daily for HPS, its schools, staff, and students; compile media mentions in the established log; immediately alert the Director of Communications to all sensitive or urgent news stories, posts, or comments
Serve as backup to the Director of Communications and perform other duties as assigned
If the selected candidate is a trained translator: assist with translation requests as time allows, including proofreading translations done by others, updating previous translations, and translating short pieces (generally not more than one page)
Candidate Requirements (Experience, Skills, Traits, and Beliefs)
College degree or a minimum of 4 years of experience directly related to the responsibilities of this position, with experience in modern journalism, public relations, and/or strategic communications a significant plus
Exceptional organizational and project‑management skills, with the ability to juggle competing priorities
Knowledgeable about the effective use of social media to build relationships and foster two‑way communication with district stakeholders
Computer literacy and experience using a variety of digital platforms
Ability to learn and become proficient in professional communication software (Google Suite, Adobe Suite, Microsoft Office)
Strong verbal, customer‑service, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders
Ability to write clear, compelling, accurate, and informative content
Ability to work independently, be a self‑starter, and take direction and constructive feedback
Willing and able to travel to schools and other community locations to cover/photograph events
Drive for continuous learning and developing skills as a school communications professional
Commitment to high‑performance standards and belief in HPS values
Passion for work that contributes to strengthening the public’s understanding of and perceptions about public education
Bilingual (Spanish/English) and connection to Holyoke and/or Puerto Rico are significant pluses
Reports to:
Director of Communications
Salary Range:
$65,000–$75,000 ($54,000–$64,000 for Senior Communications Coordinator role)
Position Type:
Full‑Time
Equal Opportunity Employer Holyoke Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of a person’s race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.
Job Requirements
At least 4 years of relevant experience preferred
Bachelor degree preferred
Citizenship, residency or work visa required
Contact Information
Jennie Oesterreicher, Director of Communications
HHS NORTH
Phone: 413-493-1605
Email: joesterreicher@hps.holyoke.ma.us
#J-18808-Ljbffr