Careers Job Description
General Description
MISSION
Children need to spend their most critical years with dedicated, educated, trained, and well-compensated individuals in order to thrive. The New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) leads the work to establish and implement an early childhood workforce system to ensure funding, standards and competencies, career development resources, qualifications and credentials, professional development (training and strengths-based coaching), and program quality assurance and improvement for individuals who work with young children throughout New York. Housed at the City University of New York, the Institute is a fast-paced, dynamic public/private partnership that is committed to the early childhood workforce across New York State.
QUALITYstarsNY is New York State’s Quality Rating and Improvement System for early childhood education programs in all regulated settings. QUALITYstarsNY exists because early childhood educators across the state deserve support to engage in continuous quality improvement. QUALITYstarsNY provides individualized, comprehensive support to hundreds of early childhood programs across New York State and continues to expand participation. Programs participating in QUALITYstarsNY are rated on a 5-Star scale every three years and are supported with a full complement of resources to improve and sustain their quality – all at no cost to their program.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Communications Associate will support the development and implementation of communications and marketing strategies for QUALITYstarsNY. The Communications Associate will contribute to the creation and distribution of compelling and visually engaging print and digital materials for a range of stakeholders and audiences. The Communications Associate will report directly to the QUALITYstarsNY Communications & Outreach Manager.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Communications
- Support the creation and dissemination of digital and print communications and education materials for a wide range of internal and external audiences
- Ensure consistency of messaging and brand identity for QUALITYstarsNY in materials development and across various platforms
- Design visually compelling content for a variety of print and digital platforms
- Create content for QUALITYstarsNY social media channels, manage engagement, and monitor social media metrics to measure success
- Develop web content, including creating and maintaining webpages and blog posts for the QUALITYstarsNY website
- Utilize participant and staff testimonials to develop content for the blog and social media that spotlight diverse experiences within the QUALITYstarsNY community
- Manage email lists and pull data reports for targeted print and email communications campaigns
- Support strategic planning for communications campaigns and to achieve short- and long-term goals for the QUALITYstarsNY project
- Support the development of resources and templates to help internal staff communicate effectively on behalf of QUALITYstarsNY
- Assist with reviewing and editing public-facing content created by internal team members to ensure consistency with current messaging and brand guidelines
- Assist with onboarding new staff members so they can effectively communicate about QUALITYstarsNY and reinforce the QUALITYstarsNY brand identity in their written and verbal communications
- Support the development of presentations and reports for internal and external audiences
- Periodically represent QUALITYstarsNY at conferences and events and deliver presentations about QUALITYstarsNY impact and processes for internal and external audiences
Other Duties
- Participate in team meetings and strategic planning discussions
- Assist with editing and creating Help Center articles and current policy and procedure manuals for staff and participants
- Build and maintain relationships with external vendors and support communications projects with external partners
- Correspond regularly with staff about important operational matters and updates
- Provide Institute Leadership with updates about accomplishments and key data as needed
- Respond to external requests for information about QUALITYstarsNY
- Perform special projects and other duties as assigned
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Communications
OR
- Bachelor’s degree in related field with three years relevant experience
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
- Experience writing for a variety of audiences from the general public to more specific stakeholders
- Experience designing visually compelling communications and marketing content
- Interest in learning new technologies and software for creation and dissemination of digital and print content
- Ability to distill complex ideas into accessible language and content for various audiences
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint) design
- Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop)
- Active listener, flexible thinker, team player
- Flexibility and enthusiasm for multi-tasking and creative problem-solving
Preferred Qualifications
- Spanish bilingual preferred; at a minimum, the ability to understand and to make one’s self understood to all Spanish speaking individuals
- Graphic design skills/experience
- Experience creating and managing website content through a Content Management System (CMS), preferably WordPress
- Knowledge of basic HTML
- Experience with development/management of email distribution lists and use of email distribution systems, such as Mailchimp
- Familiarity or background in the field of early childhood education or a related field
Physical Requirements
- This position operates in a professional office environment located in Brooklyn, NY, and is currently hybrid, working 70% in the office. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as personal computers, laptops, tablets, smart phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and presentation equipment.
- While performing these duties, the employee is required to perform physical activities such as, but not limited to, lifting items (up to 20 pounds), bending, reaching, and sitting for prolonged periods of time. Reasonable accommodations will be made for employees with disabilities or other needs per RFCUNY policies.
- Ability to travel to other sites as needed.
- As of May 27, 2022, all candidates will be required to provide proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 upon commencing employment. Exemption (medical or religious) requests to this requirement will be considered in accordance with applicable law and criteria. Being fully vaccinated is defined for this purpose as two weeks after a final dose in primary series of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine (example: two weeks after the second dose of a two-dose vaccine such as Moderna or Pfizer, or two weeks after a single dose vaccine such as Johnson and Johnson). Final candidates must be fully vaccinated as of their first day of employment. Newly hired employees will be sent an email with instructions on how to upload their vaccine information on the Research Foundation portal.
How to Apply
Provide a resume and cover letter specifying your qualifications, experience, and interest relevant to this position.
EEO Info (standard language to be included on all job postings)
We are committed to enhancing our diverse academic community by actively encouraging people of all race, color, religion, gender, gender identities or expressions, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disabilities, age, or protected veteran status to apply. We take pride in our pluralistic community and continue to seek excellence through diversity and inclusion. The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with disabilities act/E-Verify employer.
RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and AccrualsAbout the Research Foundation
The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).
RFCUNY stands between CUNY’s principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Key Features
Full Time
$50,000.00 - $55,000.00
Jun 06, 2023 (Or Until Filled)