The Texas Public Charter Schools Association is the voice of public charter schools in Texas. Its mission is to support and advocate for a policy and regulatory climate that ensures every student in Texas has access to ever-improving public school options. We work closely with our sister organization, Charter Schools Now.

A. Job Summary

The Senior Director of Communications is responsible for developing and leading comprehensive communications strategies to engage charter school community stakeholders and ultimately influence lawmakers. They will manage the Association’s advocacy and marketing initiatives, ensuring consistent messaging and meaningful engagement with the charter school community through a range of platforms and campaigns. Additionally, they will help equip school-based communications staff with the tools, resources, and information they need to effectively support their advocacy and marketing efforts. 

This position requires a strong understanding of communications strategies, relationship building with external stakeholders, project management, and communications skills - both written and verbal. 

Job responsibilities include managing the Association’s communication efforts across public policy, advocacy, community outreach, and grassroots/grasstops engagement. The Senior Director of Communications provides strategic direction to the Communications team and oversees the work of external communications vendors and consultants.  

B. Essential Job Functions

Communications Strategy 

• Develop and execute a strategic communications plan along with the VP of Communications to drive public and policymaker understanding and awareness of the state charter school movement.
• Drive organizational strategy regarding marketing and brand, including annual reports and the annual TPCSA conference.
• Provide strategic oversight and guidance for digital strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Collaborate with external partners on broader communications campaigns to raise public awareness and support of charters.
• Create systems and processes for quickly engaging the right advocates at the right moments, especially during the Legislative Session. 

Content Development and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead both internal and external communications efforts, ensuring the production of high-quality written and digital content consistent with TPCSA’s brand and voice.
• Partner with TPCSA teams to align communications strategies with legislative, policy, and membership goals.

School-Based Communications Capacity Building

• Assist member schools in amplifying TPCSA’s key messages and content to ensure consistent, unified storytelling across the charter community.
• Identify and elevate compelling stories from schools, educators, and families to strengthen advocacy and public awareness campaigns.

Management

• May include supervisory responsibilities for TPCSA staff in the future
• Manage TPCSA/CSN external vendors and consultants
• Manage project intake and delegation to ensure high quality timely completion

C. Expectations 

• This is a full-time, exempt position. Employees are generally expected to work a 40-hour work week, with an understanding that occasionally there will be times when 50 or more hours a week may be required in order to complete projects.

D. Qualifications 

• We encourage Communications professionals with public relations and marketing experience to apply – school and/or education policy experience is not required to apply for this position. 
• Candidate must have a can-do, yes-and attitude and a dedication to the mission of supporting high-quality public school options for all kids.
• Candidate should embody TPCSA’s core values: Optimism. Drive. Hustle. Excellence.
• The successful candidate will be an extremely organized and detail-oriented professional looking for an opportunity to thrive in a position where they can execute statewide communication efforts
• This person is the face of communications with our member schools and should have an engaging presence 
• Candidate should be a self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment.
• Candidate must be open to feedback and see it as an opportunity to grow. 
• Candidate must possess a strong internal commitment to excellence and deadline-meeting, and a proven ability to take initiative and ownership over a project.  
• Candidate must be flexible, with the ability to pivot and adapt to change as necessary.
• Candidate should have high standards for his or her own work, and should be accountable to meeting mutually agreed-upon targets and deadlines.
• Knowledge of charter schools and the charter movement desired, but not required.

E. Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree
• 7+ years of experience with communications work
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• 2+ years of management experience highly preferred

F. Benefits

• Competitive Salary (actual salary is dependent on qualifications)
• Health Insurance, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Paid holidays and PTO
• Matching Plan for 401(k) contributions

G. Disclaimer

This job description is not an employment agreement or contract.  Nor is it an exhaustive list of all functions that the employee may be required to perform, and the employee may be required to perform additional functions. TPCSA reserves the exclusive right to revise the job description at any time without notice.  Employment with TPCSA is at-will. An at-will employment relationship can be terminated at any time with or without reason or notice by either the employer or employee. This at-will relationship exists regardless of any statements made to the contrary.  The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily, with or without accommodations.  If requested, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

H. Instructions for Application 

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials in one PDF document:

• Resume describing your relevant experience and education
• Cover letter expressing your interest in this job and detailing how you embody TPCSA’s core values of optimism, drive, hustle, and excellence

The PDF should be emailed to btorgerson@txcharterschools.org