Senior Associate, Communications & Engagement at The Education Trust

Nashville, Tennessee, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

18 Mar, 26

Salary

86670.0

Posted On

18 Dec, 25

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Project Management, Written Communication, Verbal Communication, Relationship Building, Collaboration, Creative Problem Solving, Analytical Skills, Editing Skills, Social Media Management, Event Coordination, Youth Engagement, Advocacy, Content Creation, Research, Digital Marketing, Policy Development

Industry

Public Policy Offices

Description

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY EdTrust seeks a Senior Associate, Communications and Engagement in our EdTrust-Tennessee office to manage and support a growing body of work focused on strategic communications and storytelling, partner outreach and engagement, and youth voice. The Senior Associate will join a team committed to closing opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. The Senior Associate contributes to EdTrust’s mission of advancing education equity by advancing communications efforts that elevate EdTrust-Tennessee’s policy priorities and strengthen public understanding of key issues among youth, state partners, and coalitions. This includes supporting message development, digital content creation, promotion of policy and research reports and campaigns, and media engagement. The Senior Associate also oversees EdTrust-Tennessee’s youth engagement portfolio—recruiting and coordinating a small student cohort and facilitating their contributions to project-based work aligned to EdTrust-Tennessee's policy priorities and agenda. In addition, the Senior Associate helps sustain and activate EdTrust TN’s partner network by shaping coalition resources, coordinating engagement opportunities, and building ongoing relationships with educators, advocates, and organizational allies. This role collaborates closely with cross-functional teams across Tennessee and nationally to ensure youth voice, communications strategy, and partner insights are embedded in EdTrust’s policy and advocacy work. EdTrust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the U.S. education system. Through our research and advocacy, EdTrust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where all students will thrive. Available immediately, this role is based in our Nashville, TN office and is eligible for hybrid work (up to three days remote per week) per our current policy. Occasional in-state travel and evening/weekend commitments may be required for events and cohort coordination. This position reports to the Assistant Director, Communications. ABOUT THE SENIOR ASSOCIATE ROLE The responsibilities and objectives for the role include, but are not limited to, the following: * Support coalition building efforts by developing andmaintainingpartnerships with externalorganizations around shared priorities, which includes developing resources,regularlyupdatingand tracking partner engagement, andliaising with partners * Contribute to advancing EdTrust’s advocacy agenda byprojectmanagingthe implementation of EdTrust TN’s youth engagement framework, in close collaboration with team leadership * Support communications strategy execution to achieveadvocacy goals; design and execute activities aligned to these goals; andassistwith other day-to-day communications work as needed * Draft,edit,proofreadand share content across multiple communicationschannels,including social media, email, and web, to advanceEdTrust’smission * Project managesocial mediaengagement, includingdraftingand curatingcontent,monitoringanalytics, and engagingwith EdTrust-Tennessee’s audiences * Projectmanagethe release ofpublic-facing content such as statements, emails, reports, briefs, tools, and newsletters * Support the production, editing, and updating ofEdTrust-Tennesseewebsitesanddigitalmaterialsto ensureaccurateand compellinginformation for students, partners, andadvocates * Coordinate and executevirtual and in-personevents that elevateEdTrust’spolicy positions and advocacy messages, including event planning, set-up, and promotion in collaboration withrelevant team members. * Contribute to external-facing written material such as reports, grant proposals, and letters throughaudienceresearch, writing, and editing * Stay current and knowledgeable on organizational priorities and recent research from Ed Trust and our partners IDEAL SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS * Shared belief inEdTrust’smission and a commitment to improving educational equity * Dedication in contributing to andmaintainingan equitableworking environment * Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage projects end-to-end on-time and on-budget, as well as the ability to prioritize * Strongwritten and verbal communication,including the abilityto craft clear and persuasive messaging forspecificaudiences * Strong relationship-building skills andfacilitationskills withthe ability to connect with adiverse range of stakeholders and students, fostering trust and meaningful engagement * Highly collaborative with both internal and external partners, with the ability towork as part of a team andovercome obstacles/find common ground * Creative problem solving and analytical skills * Strong writing and editing skills, including highattention to detail(particularly for external-facing work) * Willingness to receive and act upon, as well as provide, constructive feedback * Ability to adapt and exercise sound judgement QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience: * Bachelor’s degree in(ideally in policy,education,communicationsor a related field) * Valid driver’s license * Some(e.g., at least3-4years)related work experience incommunications,organizing, training,youth engagement,and/or advocacy * Fluidity with Microsoft Office 365 Suite and experience using contact management systems or emailing tools (EveryActionor similar platforms) to support communication, organizing, or partner engagement preferredknowledge of education policy and advocacy,preferably on topics related to equity * Experienced in managing social media platforms and schedulers such as Sprout Social, Instagram, TikTok, X/Threads, LinkedIn, and Facebook. * Experience using design software or tools such as Canva or Adobe Creative Suite preferred COMPENSATION The new hire salary range for this position in our Tennessee office is $69,336-$86,670, with offers rarely falling at the top of this range. Offers will be commensurate with skills, experience and internal equity. EdTrust prioritizes the health and well-being of its employees and, to that end, offers a highly competitive benefits package. Medical, dental and vision insurance are covered at 100% for the employee, with significant coverage also offered for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents. We provide sick leave, vacation leave, and personal leave, and we follow the federal government for most holiday closures. To ensure staff have synchronous opportunities for rest and renewal, the office is closed for a week-long summer break and a week-long winter break. Among other offerings, we provide an Employee Assistance Program at no cost to the employee, and a generous 7% contribution opportunity on a 403(b)-retirement plan. VACCINATION FOR COVID-19   At EdTrust, the health and safety of our employees is of the utmost importance. As such, all EdTrust employees are required to be fully vaccinated and remain up to date on their vaccinations for COVID-19. New hires should be fully vaccinated and up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations prior to their first day of work. Requests for accommodations due to medical or religious reasons will be reviewed by Human Resources.  QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, PLEASE APPLY EdTrust is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds. To apply: Please submit a resume and cover letter that describes how your previous experiences have prepared you to successfully take on the communications, partner engagement, and youth voice components of this role.

Responsibilities

The Senior Associate will manage strategic communications and storytelling, partner outreach, and youth engagement efforts. They will also oversee the youth engagement portfolio and support coalition building and communications strategy execution.