Communications Director in Topeka, Kansas

This job was posted by https://www.kansasworks.com : For more
information, please see: https://www.kansasworks.com/jobs/13205397

The Communications Director is a member of KDOLs executive team based in
the Topeka office and is responsible for the planning and execution of a
communications strategy that advances KDOLs mission across multiple
initiatives, public informational campaigns, and platforms. This
position leads the communications division and oversees all external and
internal communications including earned media, KDOL website, digital
and social media, publications, creative content, marketing and branding
services, and rapid-response. As a member of the senior leadership team,
the Communications Director participates in strategic planning, setting
organizational goals and priorities and managing the communications
budget. This is a full-time, salaried position that includes some
evening and weekend work.

What Youll Do:
We accomplish this by working with high-impact media, launching
multimedia public information campaigns, releasing reports and research,
and oversees the organizations websites and digital channels.

Building and directing a strong, well-designed, well-defined strategic
communications plan that empowers staff and key stakeholders to help
advance the organizations work in priority issue areas, leveraging
earned and paid media, brand management, rapid response, social media
strategies, and storytelling.
Collaborating with colleagues in the executive teams, as well as with
the Governors staff, to ensure communications strategies serve the
administrations goals.
Helping to recruit, hire, train, develop, and motivate and evaluate the
work of the members of the communications division.
Working in partnership with relevant staff to produce, edit, and approve
public-facing materials including press releases, advisories, press
conferences, public statements, blog posts, op-eds, fact sheets, talking
points, toolkits, town halls, webinars, tutorials, email list, social
media copy, and print and digital publications. All materials will be
error-free and adhere to plain language standards.
Serving as the organizations primary point of contact with media outlets
and responding promptly to daily media requests.
Ensuring that KDOL tells the story of our mission through compelling,
effective, and values-based narratives that center people impacted by
our issues and are tailored to reach specific audiences.
Oversee KDOL brand management including how we imbue our brand with
meaning and how we graphically represent our agency externally.
Provide marketing and brand services for internal and external customers
in the workforce arena.
Providing training, preparation, and feedback to other team members for
public speaking engagements and media interviews and serving as a
spokesperson for the organization when needed. This includes creating
talking points for spokespeople and setting up interviews.
Respond quickly to breaking news and inquiries, including occasionally
after hours and on weekends.
Oversee the preparation and execution of crisis communication and rapid
response plans.
Build and maintain press lists. Pitch stories and interviews, respond to
incoming media requests; build relationships with members of the media
(including Spanish media).
Tell the story of KDOLs mission through compelling, effective, and
values-based narratives that center people impacted by our issues and
are tailored to reach specific audiences. Coordinate shared messaging
with staff and partners that is based on research, best practices, and
the organizations values.
Develop, track and report metrics for measuring the effectiveness of the
communications programs of the organization.
Lead communications research efforts by utilizing metrics and surveying
key constituencies to inform messaging and communications goals.

Who You Are:
The ideal cand date will be ready to hit the ground running to expand
the organizations position as a leading agency. While no one person will
have all the qualities enumerated below, the successful candidate will
bring many of the following qualifications and attributes:

Significant professional, managerial, and leadership experience in
strategic communications and media relations including:
* Experience serving as a spokesperson for public outreach campaigns or
organizations.
* Experience writing, editing, and producing effective communications
materials for publication in print and online.
* Experience effectively leading and developing individual staff and
teams.
Willingness and ability to travel throughout Kansas and occasionally to
other states