JOB TITLE: Director of Public and Community Relations
REPORTS TO: Superintendent
Works with Public Relations Specialist and assigned communications staff, contractors, interns, and vendors
ANNUAL CALENDAR DAYS: Twelve-month, FLSA-exempt position; salary and contract days established by the Board
JOB GOAL
Provide strategic leadership for district communications, public relations, family engagement, and community partnerships. Build confidence in Opelika City Schools through accurate, timely, transparent, accessible, and consistent communication while highlighting the achievements of students, employees, schools, and community partners.
ESSENTIAL LDUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Communications and District Reputation
· Develop, implement, and evaluate a district communications and community-relations plan aligned with the Superintendent's priorities and strategic plan; establish annual goals, calendars, performance measures, and budget priorities.
· Advise the Superintendent and leadership team on public concerns, emerging issues, stakeholder sentiment, reputation management, and communication involving instruction, safety, enrollment, personnel, operations, capital projects, athletics, and fine arts.
· Establish districtwide standards for messaging, branding, publications, photography, video, websites, social media, accessibility, records retention, and public-facing materials.
Media, Public Information, and Crisis Communication
· Serve as the district's Public Information Officer and primary media contact; prepare press releases, statements, speeches, presentations, talking points, media advisories, feature stories, and responses to inquiries.
· Serve on the crisis-response team and lead communications for emergencies, safety matters, weather events, and other high-impact situations, including after-hours communication when required.
· Monitor developing issues and misinformation. Coordinate official information and public-records responses with the Superintendent, legal counsel, and designated records custodian while protecting confidential student and employee information.
Digital Communications, Technology, and Artificial Intelligence
· Provide strategic oversight for all district and school websites, the district's official social-media accounts, ParentSquare, mass-notification systems, digital publications, analytics, and other communication technologies.
· Demonstrate strong technology and artificial-intelligence knowledge and responsibly use AI-supported tools to improve research, drafting, translation, accessibility, content planning, data analysis, workflow efficiency, and audience engagement—while requiring human review, accuracy, privacy, security, copyright compliance, and transparency.
· Evaluate emerging communication technologies; coordinate with the Technology Department on system administration, cybersecurity, integrations, records retention, and staff training; maintain options for families with limited digital access.
Content, Community Relations, and Special Events
· Direct photography, video, graphic design, newsletters, recruitment materials, advertisements, promotional items, feature articles, and storytelling that support enrollment, recruitment, district programs, and public understanding.
· Maintain productive relationships with the City of Opelika, Chamber of Commerce, businesses, civic and nonprofit organizations, higher education, alumni, media partners, and other community stakeholders, coordinate school tours and community visits.
· Plan or support Board recognitions, the Retirement Tea, New Teacher Academy, Institute Day, employee recognition, district special events, community publications, and relationships with communications vendors and sponsors.
Athletics, Fine Arts, and Department Leadership
· Promote athletics, theatre, fine arts, academic programs, career and technical education, and student activities; coordinate appropriate media, sponsorship, photography, broadcast, and partner recognition efforts.
· Coordinate the Superintendent's Art Awards, ALSDE visual-arts submissions, and relationships with the East Alabama Arts Association and other arts partners.
· Supervise and evaluate assigned personnel; coordinate school-level communication leads; provide training in media relations, crisis communication, branding, digital platforms, AI use, and public engagement; attend Board, school, community, evening, and weekend events as needed.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
· Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in public relations, communications, journalism, marketing, education, or a closely related field.
· Demonstrated excellence in professional writing, editing, public speaking, media relations, project management, visual storytelling, and crisis communication.
· Strong technology and AI knowledge, including experience with websites, social media, mass-notification systems, analytics, digital content, design tools, photography, video, and responsible generative-AI applications.
· Sound judgment, discretion, confidentiality, organization, collaboration, and the ability to respond calmly during emergencies and manage competing deadlines.
· Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to meet all employment and background-check requirements.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
· Master's degree in communications, public relations, education, public administration, business, technology, or a related field.
· At least five years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, media, marketing, community engagement, or a related field.
· Public-school, governmental, nonprofit, or other public-sector communications experience; supervisory, budget, contract, and vendor-management experience.
· Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) or comparable credential; working knowledge of FERPA, Alabama public-records and open-meetings requirements, accessibility, copyright, privacy, cybersecurity, and records retention.
· Advanced proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud or comparable tools, content-management and social-media platforms, analytics, photography, video production, and AI-enabled communication tools.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
· Exceptional written and spoken communication and the ability to make complex school-system information clear, accurate, and audience-appropriate.
· Strong interpersonal, listening, diplomacy, problem-solving, leadership, and relationship-building skills.
· Ability to anticipate communication needs, identify reputational and technology-related risks, evaluate evidence, and recommend practical solutions.
· Commitment to responsive public service and communication that is accurate, inclusive, accessible, ethical, secure, and respectful of the Opelika community.
· Other duties as assigned
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
Must perform the essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Work occurs in office, school, meeting, event, and outdoor settings and may require prolonged computer use, local travel, operation of media equipment, occasional movement of materials, and evening, weekend, emergency, or weather-related duties.
EVALUATION AND TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
The Superintendent will evaluate performance annually in accordance with Board policy, considering communication quality, accuracy, timeliness, accessibility, stakeholder engagement, crisis readiness, technology and AI stewardship, progress toward goals, resource management, and leadership of personnel and vendors. Compensation, contract duration, benefits, and other conditions of employment will be determined in accordance with approved policies and salary schedules. This description states the general nature of the work and may be revised as district needs change.
