Communications Coordinator

This Description is Based On Minimum Required Descriptions; however, all other duties necessary would be understood to be included.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills and Abilities necessary: Under the direction of the Superintendent of Schools and with the guidance of a technology mentor, this position of Communications Coordinator uses a wide variety of communication methods, techniques and tools to support the school district in communicating to external stakeholders. The Communications Coordinator understands that timely communication is critical and thus is responsive to and able to adapt to changes in priorities. In addition, this position is unique within the school district and as such, must provide leadership, knowledgeable recommendations and possibly training to a wide variety of administration, teachers and staff.

Communications Coordinator Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Demonstrate knowledge and best practices pertaining to the tools listed in the Key Duties section of this job description. Demonstrate knowledge of the strategies used to communicate with various district stakeholders such as School Board members, parents, students, financial donors to the Foundation and members of the media. Demonstrate the ability to listen to others and remain receptive to new or alternative ideas for communications methods or content. Work as a team with district administration, teachers, and staff in providing communications content. Demonstrate initiative and the ability to work independently even while working as part of a team to accomplish communications goals. Independence in position includes good problem resolution strategies such as when to involve Tech Support, building Principals, or other persons. Demonstrate proactive ability to keep digital content up-to-date by meeting with appropriate persons and soliciting content from teachers. Demonstrate sustained effort and enthusiasm in the quality and quantity of work. Demonstrate the ability to effectively educate/mentor others in use of specific technology tools such as the district website environment. Demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain positive, effective working relationships with administration, teachers, staff and community stakeholders. Demonstrate ability to follow district standards for publication of student images and national standards in privacy and confidentiality. Demonstrate effective time management, organizational skills, and prioritization of work to meet the communication needs of the district. Continuous balancing of priorities is expected, required, and to be done in a manner courteous to all. This position requires excellent human relations and interpersonal skills. Demonstrate the ability to follow directions, ask relevant or thought-provoking questions, and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Demonstrate the ability to quickly acquire new knowledge regarding communications or publications technologies.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: This position is the primary district staff person responsible for the following. Backup staff generally is the technology mentor however that varies based on the duty/responsibility. The ability is required to learn new technologies associated with each key duty/responsibility as time moves on and technologies change.

Maintaining, updating and creating all McKenzie County School District websites and pages/content within each website. Ensure authorized personnel have accounts for logging into the website. Set appropriate security settings for authorized users. Coordinate annual uploads of website Staff Directory information.

1. Technologies used include: Blackboard; basic user knowledge of internet browsers; knowledge of Excel and CSV data file formats
2. All content is done in a collaborative fashion with appropriate review points prior to going live
3. Proactively collaborate with appropriate persons to identify out-of-date content, discuss and implement updates to content
4. This duty requires a level of technical sophistication for implementation website compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
5. This responsibility may involve working with District Technology Support staff when Blackboard upgrades are necessary
6. Backup responsibility is provided by technology mentor

Maintaining and updating the McKenzie County School District Mobile App and its settings. Send out messages to users via the App and following established protocols for messages. Coordinate annual uploads of App Staff Directory information.

1. Technologies used include: Blackboard mobile app website; basic user knowledge of mobile applications (Apps); knowledge of excel and CSV data file formats
2. Backup responsibility is provided by technology mentor

Sending Instant Alerts when requested and following established protocols for messages

1. Technologies used include: PowerSchool
2. Backup responsibility is provided by building Principals or Superintendent

Monitoring and creating content for McKenzie County School Districts social media pages including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

1. Technologies used include: Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator; other technologies may be adopted over time
2. Assist administration in evaluation of other platforms as requested
3. Under guidance from administration, respond to stakeholder questions or issues raised via the social media platforms
4. Backup responsibility is provided by technology mentor

Maintaining and updating the RTC channel with information that pertains to the general public stakeholders in Watford City

1. Technologies used include: Carousel Digital Signage, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
2. Backup responsibility is provided by technology mentor

Updating all outdoor signage at each school building as well as the Transportation building

1. Technologies used include: 4 different versions of Daktronics; this may change over time. Each outdoor sign uses a different edition of Daktronics. The Transportation building requires physically going there to update the signage; the MS building can be accessed via Remote Desktop; and the other two can be accessed via the internet login
2. Proactively seek content updates from building representatives
3. Assist in evaluation of future signage and systems as requested
4. Backup responsibility is provided by technology mentor or by a trained representatives in each building such as the Principals

Updating and creating content for all indoor signage at each school

1. Technologies used include: Carousel Digital Signage, Adobe Illustrator
2. Backup responsibility is provided by technology mentor

Creating and distributing an e-newsletter for the district. This includes distribution of items of interest to our stakeholders that may come from entities outside the school district such as sports or non-profit organizations. Coordinate semi-annual uploads of email address information and update the mailing list when notified of new addresses from websites feed

Technologies used include: Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator; knowledge of Excel and CSV data file formats; PowerSchool; Mailchimp

There is no backup for this duty s