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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 325,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 45,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. Aligned with our transformed philosophy, we are steadfastly focused on ensuring that the District provides resources equitably to support every student, every school, and every community. Six core values guide the work we do every day for our students – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning. Each role in the district supports our vision that every student deserves a rigorous, joyful, and equitable learning experience.

Job Summary

The Office of Communications promotes the District’s vision, mission, activities, and priorities, as well as aids schools by promoting their work and assisting in crisis situations through a full range of tools, channels, and strategies designed to engage key internal and external stakeholders.  

Reporting to the Executive Director of Stakeholder Communications, the Director of Digital Communications leads the team responsible for creating compelling and engaging content that reflects the District’s core mission, and promoting that content through digital communications channels and social media platforms. This strategic leadership role is responsible for developing an integrated approach for sharing this content, and creating innovative campaigns to improve online visibility and stakeholder and community engagement.

The Director of Digital Communications will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Translates the District’s mission and vision into compelling social media strategies, digital strategies, and content
• Implements a social media strategy across various platforms and online communities primarily on the District’s Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and YouTube accounts
• Project-manages the ideation, production and editing of high quality content on digital, social, and video content platforms
• Identifies compelling stories for the Digital team to tell and acts as chief liaison to CPS departments and schools to gather information to support storytelling
• Manages photography and videography assignments and works with the digital team to provide in-person photography and videography support during media events
• Aligns the District’s digital media plan with the marketing strategy
• Communicates the effectiveness and performance of digital campaigns using analytic tools to various audiences
• Monitors trends in social media tools and applications to guide the District’s use of social media
• Provides web updates and web content when assigned
• Other duties as assigned
   

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Director of Digital Communications must possess the following qualifications: 

Education Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required, preferably in Visual Arts, Production, Digital Media or related fields 

Experience Required: 

• Minimum of seven (7) years of interactive digital social marketing experience driving strategic, web, social media and online video capabilities, including a minimum of three (3) years of experience in a supervisory role responsible for leading a team of direct reports

• Previous experience in photography and video production

Other Requirements:

• Valid driver’s license to travel to-and-from events across the city preferred

• Must be able to lift 50 lbs. in order to support loading A/V gear to-and-from events when assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of the digital landscape including social networks, web, mobile, and video

• Strong editing skills with I Movie, Final Cut and Adobe suite or other video platforms 

• Strong verbal and written communications skills to create communication materials and maintain effective working relationships with departments, employees and managers of the organization

• Ability to analyze metrics and leverage data to measure the effectiveness of digital programs

• Ability to work with tight deadlines, manage staff, and strategic planning

Benefits:

Health Wellness: Your Care, Your Choice

CPS is committed to providing comprehensive health coverage to our employees and their eligible dependents. You'll have access to a variety of choices to best fit your needs:

Medical Plan Options

Pharmacy

Dental

Vision

Behavioral Health EAP

Employee Wellness Program

Financial Security: Planning for Today and Tomorrow

We understand the importance of financial stability, which is why CPS offers strong retirement andsavingsoptions:

Basic Life Insurance

Life and Disability Insurance

Pension Plans

Supplemental Retirement Plans (403(b) and 457(b))

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Spot Pet Insurance

Work-Life Balance: Supporting Your Personal and Professional Life

CPS values the well-being of its employees and offers competitive paid time off policies:

Paid Leave

Sick Leave

Vacation Days

Parental Leaves

Short-Term Disability

Religious Holidays

Leaves

Reference theChicago Public Schools: A Comprehensive Benefits Overviewor thebenefits handbookfor comprehensive details.

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency-Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions; however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.