Chief Communications Officer

Job Location: This position will be located at 205 Jefferson St., Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Why you’ll love this position:

DESE’s Communications Office provides information to assist school personnel, citizens, and media outlets across the state.

• Administers a comprehensive external and internal communications program which supports the mission and goals of the department.
• Develops and enforces communication policies and procedures as appropriate in conjunction with the Commissioner’s Office.
• Advises the Commissioner, State Board of Education, and management staff on matters pertaining to strategic communication and public information.
• Serves as the primary spokesperson for the department.
• Oversees all units within the Communications Office, including customer service, public information, publications, social media and media production services and supervises, trains, and evaluates direct reports.
• Informs schools, stakeholders and the general public of agency programs, objectives, and accomplishments through various communication channels.
• Oversees and assures the delivery and effectiveness of the department’s website, intranet, webinars, social media channels, customer service and other Web-, print-, and electronic-based communication vehicles and techniques.
• Arranges news conferences, media engagements, and other public appearances for department officials; prepares or edits the material to be presented.
• Assures the department complies with communication-related requirements as defined in federal and state laws, regulations, executive orders, and department policies.
• Exercises significant independence, initiative, and technical skill in the area of communication, marketing, social media and public information; receives general administrative direction.
• Assists the State Board of Education and the Commissioner with communication services as needed.
• Develops and maintains working relationships with representatives of media and other stakeholder organizations to ensure the effective dissemination and collection of information.
• Keeps up-to-date on education and communication issues and trends.
• Maintains familiarity with policy and legislative processes and school laws.
• Performs other related work as assigned.
• Demonstrate regular, reliable, and engaged attendance.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in English, communications, journalism, public relations, or related area from an accredited college or university and one or more years’ experience in Public Relations or closely related field.

OR

• Five or more years’ experience in Public Relations or closely related field.

Lack of post-secondary education will not be used as the sole basis denying consideration to any applicant.

The State of Missouri offers an excellent benefits package that includes a defined pension plan, generous amounts of leave and holiday time, and eligibility for health insurance coverage. Your total compensation is more than the dollars you receive in your paycheck. To help demonstrate the value of working for the State of Missouri, we have created an interactive Total Compensation Calculator. This tool provides a comprehensive view of benefits and more that are offered to prospective employees. The Total Compensation Calculator and other applicant resources can be found here .

If you have questions about this position please contact: hr@dese.mo.gov

Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you have special needs addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact Human Resources at (573) 751-9619, through Missouri Relay System at (800) 735-2966, or via email at hr@dese.mo.gov .

Notice of Non-Discrimination: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability, or any other basis prohibited by statute in its programs and activities. Inquiries related to department programs and to the location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible by persons with disabilities may be directed to the Jefferson State Office Building, Director of Civil Rights Compliance and MOA Coordinator (Title VI/Title VII/Title IX/504/ADA/ADAAA/Age Act/GINA/USDA Title VI), 7 th Floor, 205 Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480; telephone number 573-522-1775 or TTY 800-735-2966; fax number 573-522-4883; email civilrights@dese.mo.gov.



To Our Applicants with Disabilities: For assistance with any phase of the Department process, please notify the Director of Human Resources at (573) 751-9619. Reasonable attempts will be made to accommodate special needs. TTY/TDD Relay Missouri service (800) 735-2966.

Notice to Applicants: The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is unable to sponsor applicants in their application for work visas through INS. If you have questions, please contact Human Resources.

The State of Missouri is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

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• State of Missouri

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