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Special Projects Communications Manager

Special Projects Communications Manager

Location: Community Relations and Communications
Classification: Professional/Technical
Reports To: Director, Community Relations and Communications
Supervisory Responsibilities: No
Salary Grade: 426 – Professional Technical Salary Schedule
Terms of Employment: 12-month (260 days)
FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

The Special Projects Communications Manager provides strategic leadership and coordination of internal and external communication, marketing, and public engagement efforts that advance the district’s strategic priorities and high-impact special projects. This role develops and implements comprehensive communication strategies and campaigns to support major district initiatives, including bond campaign planning, bond-funded and capital construction projects, boundary adjustments, district property portfolio decisions, legislative activities, and messaging related to labor negotiations. Working closely with district leadership and cross-functional teams, the position ensures communication efforts are clear, accurate, timely, and inclusive, strengthening transparency, trust, and community understanding around complex and sensitive district decisions.

Essential Performance Responsibilities

Incumbents may perform any combination of the essential performance responsibilities listed below.

  1. Actively participates in team, school, and district initiatives by fostering collaboration, shared problem-solving, and a culture of mutual respect. Contributes ideas, supports colleagues, and advances common goals.
  2. Demonstrates commitment to continuous learning by seeking feedback, pursuing professional growth opportunities, and applying new knowledge and skills to improve performance and service.
  3. Provides high-quality, values-aligned service to internal and external stakeholders by responding with accuracy, efficiency, and empathy. Maintains a positive, solutions-oriented approach in all interactions.
  4. Identifies opportunities for improvement by sharing observations, applying training, and contributing ideas that enhance efficiency, service, or outcomes within established procedures. Demonstrates openness to new ideas and approaches.
  5. Develops and implements cohesive communication, marketing, and public engagement strategies to support high-impact special projects and district initiatives, ensuring alignment with district priorities, brand standards, and key messages.
  6. Plans and executes strategic communication campaigns for major initiatives, including bond and levy campaigns, capital construction projects, boundary adjustments, legislative activities and advocacy, and labor relations.
  7. Researches, analyzes, and monitors contextual factors, emerging issues, and public sentiment to inform proactive communication strategies, including pre- and post-initiative messaging and issue management.
  8. Writes, edits, and coordinates a wide range of communication materials, including press releases, community updates, newsletters, web content, video scripts, talking points, and speeches, to ensure clear, accurate, and accessible information for diverse audiences.
  9. Coordinates communication efforts related to incidents or issues connected to capital programs and other special projects, supporting timely, accurate, and values-aligned crisis or issues communication in collaboration with district leadership and Communications.
  10. Designs and facilitates two-way public engagement efforts to build understanding, gather feedback, and support informed participation among students, families, staff, and community members, with attention to equity, accessibility, and cultural responsiveness.
  11. Builds and maintains productive relationships with key stakeholders, including parents, community groups, business partners, advisory or oversight committees, and other opinion leaders, to support transparency and trust in district initiatives.
  12. Attends and supports meetings and events related to assigned special projects—including school board meetings, advisory or oversight committees, project meetings, and community forums—to gather information, coordinate messaging, and support public understanding.
  13. Responds to inquiries from internal and external stakeholders regarding special projects and initiatives, providing accurate information consistent with district messaging, timelines, and communication strategies.
  14. Performs other duties related to the position, as assigned.

Knowledge

  1. Organizational policies and procedures, and the ability to learn and apply district-specific standards.
  2. Public education systems, including governance structures, school district operations, and policies affecting K–12 education; knowledge of Oregon public education systems preferred.
  3. Strategic communications, public information, and public engagement best practices, including planning, implementation, and evaluation of communication campaigns.
  4. Public affairs and government relations best practices, including stakeholder engagement, coalition-building, and legislative information-sharing strategies.
  5. Research and analysis methods used to assess communication effectiveness and public sentiment, including surveys, polling, focus groups, and environmental scanning.
  6. Media relations principles, public information campaigns, and issue-management strategies in complex or high-profile environments.

Skills

  1. Strong oral and written communication appropriate to the responsibilities of the role.
  2. Using common technology tools—including email, productivity applications, digital communication platforms, content management systems, social media management tools, and district systems—with the ability to learn new tools as needed.
  3. Researching, developing, implementing, and evaluating strategic communication and public engagement plans.
  4. Writing and editing a wide range of communication materials, including press releases, community updates, newsletters, web content, video scripts, talking points, speeches, and issue briefs.
  5. Preparing clear, accurate, and accessible summaries of complex information for diverse audiences.
  6. Relationship-building and strategic communication, including maintaining effective working relationships with district leaders, elected officials, community leaders, business partners, and community organizations.
  7. Facilitating meetings, briefings, and public engagement events, including coordinating school visits and strategic engagement opportunities.
  8. Basic photography, graphic design, and video production sufficient to support communication and engagement needs.

Abilities

  1. Build and maintain positive, productive, and culturally responsive relationships with students, staff, families, and community partners.
  2. Provide timely, accurate, courteous, and empathetic service that reflects district core values.
  3. Exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and navigate sensitive situations with professionalism, discretion, and integrity.
  4. Work effectively under deadlines, interruptions, and changing or competing priorities.
  5. Analyze legislative, regulatory, and policy proposals; identify potential implications for district operations and student outcomes; and support the development of clear, factual communication strategies.
  6. Represent the district in external meetings, coalitions, and public settings with clarity, professionalism, and cultural responsiveness.
  7. Navigate complex, sensitive, and high-stakes discussions while maintaining professionalism and advancing district communication objectives.
  8. Coordinate multi-level communication and engagement efforts across departments and with community partners in support of district initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of training, experience, and/or education may be considered in meeting these position requirements.

Education

  1. Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, public policy, political science, public administration, or a related field.
  2. Accreditation in public relations through national professional association (preferred).

Experience

  1. Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in communications, marketing, community organizing, public relations, government relations, or other experience that demonstrates the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job responsibilities.
  2. Experience representing an organization with the news media and in public meetings.

Licenses, Certifications, and Other Requirements

Possession of a valid US driver’s license and availability of private transportation (mileage reimbursement provided)

Working Conditions

Physical Demands

  1. Constantly (more than 5.6 hours or 69% of the day): Sitting, Hearing, Repetitive Motion
  2. Frequently (Between 2.6 hours and 5.5 hours or 33% to 68% of the day): Finger Dexterity, Walking, Standing
  3. Occasionally (Up to 2.5 hours or 32% of the day): Carrying/Lifting, Reaching, Multi-limb Coordination, Pulling/Pushing, Color Vision
  4. Rarely: (Less than 1 hour or 12% of the day): Crouching/Kneeling, Balancing, Climbing

Work Type/Physical Demands

Light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work.

Mental and Psychological Demands

Medium demands: The position involves moderate cognitive demands within a generally structured work environment. The role may require occasional management of emotionally challenging interactions or customer concerns. Work is sometimes performed under tight or competing deadlines. Exposure to public feedback or criticism is limited. The position occasionally requires sustained focus on complex tasks or problem‑solving activities.

Working Environment

Everyday risk and discomfort level: The environment involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting rooms, classrooms, libraries, or commercial vehicles, e.g., use of safe work practices with office equipment, avoidance of trips and falls, observance of fire regulations and traffic signals. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

EEO Statement

Salem-Keizer Public School is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or sex, including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity and other characteristics protected by law. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties.

Representative Duties

This job description is intended to accurately reflect the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of the position. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position. The district reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary.

Revision Date(s):

02/06/2026 – Review and approved

Salem Keizer School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.