Deputy Director of Communications - Press Secretary for the New Jersey Department of Education
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Serve as main spokesperson and manage all media relations for the New Jersey Department of Education

About the Organization: The NJ Department of Education is embarking on a bold and ambitious strategy for education reform. Under the leadership of Acting Commissioner Chris Cerf, the NJDOE has begun a deliberate and disciplined process to align around a singular focus of ensuring all students, regardless of zip code, graduate from high school ready for college and career. The Department has identified four key levers of reform: setting high academic standards, holding schools and districts accountable for performance, ensuring each student has a great teacher and principal, and incubating and supporting innovation and choice.

An overview of the NJDOE's priorities can be found at the link below:
http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2011/0713sboe.htm

About the position: The Deputy Director of Communications Press Secretary will report to the Director of Communications, and will manage the NJDOE's relationships with local and national media. This position will serve as the main spokesperson for the Department, and will be responsible for creating a proactive and strategic media plan with the goal of communicating transparently details of the NJDOE's reform agenda and building public awareness and support.

Responsibilities:
- Manage a team of media-relations staff who field daily calls from local, state, and national media
- Serve as senior spokesperson for the department
- Shape messages that communicate NJDOE's education reform goals and progress and that are consistent with its plans to bring greater transparency to student, school, district and state performance
- Develop and execute the NJDOE's proactive strategy to build awareness of the Department's reform agenda and to support key initiatives
- Field incoming media requests from both local and national media outlets
- Draft press releases, talking points, media advisories, and policy memos
- Coordinate public messaging across all NJDOE departments

Qualified candidates please apply: Please send resume and cover letter to: justin.barra@doe.state.nj.us