Communications Assistant

Communications Assistant (full-time, remote)

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) is seeking a Communications Assistant to help us advance our mission of ensuring every child has a great teacher by supporting our core communications work.

This is a perfect opportunity for someone who is adept in writing for websites; thinking through how words, images, and interactive elements look and function on the page; and leveraging SEO to improve visibility. It’s ideal for a detail-oriented person who gets energized by the prospect of digging into the minutiae that makes communications initiatives successful—like clean contact lists and web/email analytics—and appreciates the importance of how tone and framing impact the organization’s credibility and our ability to engage stakeholders. The individual right for this role will have a strong commitment to advancing educational opportunities for children from all backgrounds and circumstances.

Organization Description

NCTQ is on a mission to ensure every child has access to an effective teacher and that every teacher has the opportunity to become effective. Only when we ensure that students who have long been underserved by our systems—including students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities, and multilingual learners—have equitable access to strong teachers and great instruction will we begin to see meaningful progress in academic achievement, leading to better life outcomes for individuals and stronger, more prosperous communities.

We work toward this mission by engaging three actors with the greatest influence over teacher quality: districts, states, and teacher preparation programs. We advocate for smart policies grounded in data, and we champion those who are leading the way. NCTQ has a networked action strategy that leverages multiple stakeholders (education leaders, policymakers, and advocates at the state and national levels) to ensure our research leads to action and improves student learning.

As an equal opportunity employer, we seek to hire staff who bring diverse perspectives and experiences. Our work is dynamic and fast-paced, and our staff is passionate. This position is 100% remote—just like the entire NCTQ office. There is some travel involved, including a minimum of four in-person staff retreats per year.

Job Summary

The Communications Assistant will manage NCTQ website content (nctq.org); oversee our GoogleAds campaigns and SEO initiatives with the goal of increasing traffic to our digital products; update our contact lists; assist in producing social media content; and track web/email analytics. For example, when NCTQ releases a new report with specific recommendations for policymakers and education leaders, the Communications Assistant will enter final content in the WordPress content management system (CMS) (including optimizing content, meta descriptions, and overall page structure to improve search engine ranking); identify the appropriate places to promote the new work across our digital properties, draft promotional language, and set it up in the CMS; update or create a new GoogleAds campaign to drive traffic to the resource; and ensure contact lists are clean and up-to-date for email campaigns promoting the new content.

This person will also assist with administrative functions of the Communications team, including managing copyediting/proofreading and—on an ongoing basis—supporting analytics tracking and reporting (for funders and the Board of Directors).

Core Responsibilities

• Manage NCTQ.org: Oversee the maintenance of the NCTQ website, including working with staff to build out new products on the site once content is finalized; developing promotional web language for new products and entering it in the CMS; using a data-driven approach to update website content to encourage audience engagement with existing report/briefs; and implementing enhancement initiatives to maximize functionality and usability of the NCTQ website.
  • Increase traffic to NCTQ web products through stronger GoogleAds campaigns and improved SEO: Manage NCTQ’s GoogleAds campaigns, including creating new campaigns and optimizing existing ads; collaborate with content creators to develop SEO-friendly content/page structures that meet user needs and rank well in search engines.
• Identify insights using NCTQ website and email analytics: Track and analyze website/email data (traffic, click rates, open rates, etc.) to identify insights and/or trends that can inform how to improve our communications initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, public relations, English, political science, or a related field.
• 1-2 years of work experience (internship experience counts).
• Excellent writing and proofreading skills are a necessity, including the ability to synthesize complex information into a simple, compelling key message. Demonstrated understanding of how to write for the web.
• Proven knowledge of basic SEO best practices.
• Evidence of having well-managed multiple priorities against high-standards of quality, timeliness, and with demonstrated positive outcomes.

Attributes of a Successful Candidate

• Attitude/Approach: Committed to excellence, and eager to constantly learn and grow. Highly motivated, results oriented, and able to complete tasks efficiently in a fast-paced environment. Belief in NCTQ’s mission.
• Team player: As a small organization, NCTQ thrives when we work together as a team to complement each other’s strengths, promote dialogue and discussion around our communications and advocacy strategy to make it better, and generate solutions and ideas together.
• Creative and solutions oriented: Is able to zero in on the essence of a problem and devise solutions.
• Extremely organized: Is able to effectively prioritize, staying on top of multiple to-do’s; plans backwards; anticipates obstacles.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite necessary. Experience in the following a plus: WordPress, email campaign systems (like MailChimp), Airtable, Buffer, Canva, GoogleAds, and Google Analytics.

Salary and Benefits

We offer competitive compensation commensurate with experience and an attractive benefits package including full health care coverage, paid vacation, wellness days, and retirement matching contribution policy.

Our remote work environment is bolstered by virtual and in-person opportunities to connect. We hold bi-weekly staff meetings, social gatherings (remote and in-person), and quarterly in-person retreats to keep our team connected and thriving. We offer stipends to assist with office supplies and cell/internet expenses.

Apply Now!

To apply, please submit the following application materials to Missy Couch (mcouch@nctq.org) by February 13. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Application materials:

1. Your resume
2. Application exercise: In lieu of a traditional cover letter, in 350 words or less, describe your most successful communications initiative. Describe the project, including the specific goals, how you determined success, areas for improvement, and the strategic approach. Be sure to include your specific role in it.