Careers with the Arizona Educational Foundation

​

Wake up every day and make a difference!

Join the Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF) team and help us accomplish our mission of

celebrating excellence and cultivating equity in PK-12th grade Arizona public education!

 

Position Title:         Director of Communications & Outreach

Position Level:      Full-time; Director level, reporting to the Executive Director

 

Position Description:    Now in our 38th year, AEF is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to Arizona public education. We coordinate high-profile programs such as the Arizona Teacher of the Year Awards, the Arizona Spelling Bee, the A+ School of Excellence Award, and the Principals Leadership Academy of Arizona, among others. We seek a creative, energetic, strategic, and motivated individual with experience in communications, outreach, building brand awareness, and establishing partnerships to help our organization continue to accomplish our mission. This position is 90% work-from-home with occasional statewide travel.

 

Specific Duties:                  

• Building Brand Awareness: Contribute ideas, examine data from multiple platforms and inputs, and formulate and execute strategies to help build brand awareness about AEF among our key constituency - schools and districts – as well as community partners and potential individual donors;

• Work cohesively and respectfully as part of a small but mighty team;

• Spearhead and manage relationships with potential media partners who can assist AEF with creating and distributing media content and announcements;

• Write and execute press releases, ad copy, e-newsletters, social posts, web content;

• Curate a regularly scheduled presence on all social media platforms;

• Develop, obtain content, and facilitate distribution of a monthly e-newsletter;

• Coordinate content and line-up guest speakers for AEF’s “Everyone’s Story Includes a Teacher Webinar Series;”

• Grow and maintain all constituent databases; assist with donor acknowledgements and communications as needed;

• Initiate connections with new corporate and community partners for the purpose of increasing event sponsorships and establishing relationships with potential new funders;

• Represent AEF at conferences and meetings hosted by organizations like ASPRA, ASBA, ASA, and ABEC;

• Assist the Dir. of Programs with documenting AEF programs through photographs and video;

• Contribute to website design and content;

• Maintain data and analytics on marketing activities;

• Manage coordination of one of AEF’s most unique outreach programs, which pairs a state legislator with a classroom teacher;

• Provide occasional logistical staffing support as needed for AEF programs including, Arizona Teacher of the Year, A+ Schools of Excellence, Arizona Spelling Bee, and others;

• Able to travel occasionally statewide to share, publicize, and document AEF programs;

• Other duties as assigned.

 

 

Desired Skills:  

• Belief in AEF’s mission.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

• Possesses innovation and creativity to imagine new strategies that attract new partners and connect AEF’s brand with the programs we offer.

• Ability to thrive and self-manage in a work assignment that is 90% work-from-home.

• Pro-active; takes initiative and shows ownership of assigned duties.

• Experience working with print and digital media and a variety of media partners.

• Proven leader with demonstrated ways of showing how you have taken initiative and made a difference.

• Able to collaborate, turn ideas into strategies, and work seamlessly as part of a small nonprofit team.

• Experience working in public education settings or with public education partners a plus.

• Skilled time manager and able to meet strict deadlines.

• Ability to recognize trends and stay ahead of them.

• Knowledge of internet marketing campaigns, including SEO.

• Proficiency with various communication and graphic design platforms Canva, Wix, Constant Contacts, and Jotforms or similar programs. Mastery with Microsoft Excel preferred.

• Experience using digital photo and video editing software a plus.

• Creative problem solver with ability to analyze and synthesize data and trends and transform them into actionable strategies.

• Must be able to operate a motor and have reliable transportation.

• Ability to travel throughout the state occasionally representing AEF at education conferences and events.

 

Compensation: Salary commensurate with experience. Benefits include subsidized health insurance package, mileage and cell phone reimbursement. Participation in 403(b) matching retirement plan after one-year’s service.

 

About AEF:  The Arizona Educational Foundation was founded in 1983 by then Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Warner who believed that public schools were often unfairly cast in a negative light, despite being able to accomplish great things against seemingly insurmountable odds. She appealed to two longtime business leaders and friends, William “Bill” Shover (then Director of Community Relations for the Arizona Republic) and Eddie Basha (then President of the grocery store chain Bashas’) to help her start an organization that would celebrate excellence in public education and provide programs to support schools on a path to excellence. From the brilliant mind of Carolyn Warner and the generosity of Shover and Basha, the Arizona Educational Foundation was born.  Learn more at www.azedfoundation.org.

 

 

How to Apply: Submit cover letter and resume to Kim Graham, Executive Director, at kim@azedfoundation.org. Applicants invited to interview will be asked to provide a portfolio of previous communications and outreach work. Applicants invited for a second interview will be asked to provide an assessment of AEF’s current public presence and a 60-day transition plan demonstrating implementation of strategic ideas and changes.

​

 

​