Public Relations Specialist

BASIS Ed; Scottsdale (AZ); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employer-paid medical and dental insurance

Vision insurance

PTO

401(k) with partial match

Job summary

An educational organization is seeking a Public Relations Specialist to enhance the public image of their schools through compelling storytelling and media relationships. This role seeks a proactive communicator who will conduct campus visits and travel to capture authentic stories showcasing the achievements of students and staff. The ideal candidate should have strong media relations experience and will be responsible for writing engaging content and supporting various school events. Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits provided.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of relevant experience in communications, journalism, or marketing.
• Confidence in conducting interviews with diverse audiences.
• Ability to travel frequently across states.
• Ability to travel regionally and nationally as needed.
• Willingness to attend occasional evening and weekend events.
• Strong writing and storytelling abilities for multiple platforms.
• Proficiency in AP style and education/nonprofit communications.
• Experience with media relations and press materials.
• Ability to manage editorial calendars and content pipelines.
• Collaborative with photographers, videographers, and designers.

Responsibilities

• Develop media relations and stories highlighting the school's successes.
• Create engaging content for newsletters and social media.
• Support event planning and execution for high-profile school events.
• Build relationships with journalists and media.
• Coordinate interviews and media opportunities.
• Track media coverage and report insights.
• Write content for newsletters, social media, and websites.
• Collaborate with marketing for consistent branding.
• Produce multimedia storytelling with photographers and video teams.
• Support event and campaign storytelling.
• Suggest tools and strategies to improve storytelling.
• Stay informed on education trends.

Skills

Exceptional writing

Editing skills

Verbal communication

Social media management

Story development

AP style

Travel readiness

Social media management

Storytelling analytics

Adobe Creative Suite knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

Overview

The Public Relations Specialist plays a vital role in shaping the public perception of our schools by developing compelling stories, fostering media relationships, and highlighting the excellence of our students, teachers, and communities.

This position requires a proactive communicator who thrives in fast‑paced environments and enjoys visiting schools to uncover authentic stories that celebrate our schools’ achievements. The ideal candidate will have experience in media relations, writing, and content creation, and will bring a strong sense of initiative, curiosity, and professionalism.

This role includes regular campus visits and travel to gather stories, conduct interviews, capture visuals, and support events. Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required for school programs, media coverage, and special events.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Media Relations and Story Development
  • Research, identify, and develop story ideas that highlight BASIS Charter Schools / BASIS Texas Charter Schools successes, programs, and people across multiple states.
  • Conduct regular campus visits to source authentic stories from teachers, students, and school leaders.
  • Draft press releases, media pitches, talking points, and public statements that align with the brand and messaging standards.
  • Build and maintain relationships with journalists, education reporters, and local media outlets.
  • Coordinate interviews, campus visits, and photo/video opportunities for media partners.
  • Track and analyze media coverage, providing insights and reports to leadership.
• Content Creation and Communications Support
  • Write engaging content for newsletters, social media, websites, and other digital platforms.
  • Collaborate with the communications and marketing teams to ensure consistent brand messaging across all channels.
  • Partner with photographers, videographers, and designers to produce high‑quality storytelling materials.
  • Support the creation of multimedia content showcasing student and teacher achievements, academic programs, and campus culture.
  • Assist in developing and maintaining editorial calendars and content pipelines.
• Crisis and Reputation Management
  • Support senior communications staff in preparing timely and accurate responses to media inquiries.
  • Draft internal and external statements for sensitive or urgent matters, ensuring alignment with organizational protocols.
  • Monitor public sentiment, social media trends, and community feedback to identify potential communication opportunities or issues.
• Event and Campaign Support
  • Attend and support high‑profile school and network events such as graduations, academic competitions, community fundraisers, and the Annual Teacher Fund Gala.
  • Capture event highlights and create post‑event media and social content.
  • Contribute to campaign initiatives that enhance community engagement and enrollment awareness.
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement
  • Recommend and implement new tools, techniques, and strategies to improve storytelling, outreach, and media engagement.
  • Stay informed on education trends and emerging PR best practices to strengthen media presence and storytelling capacity.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong news judgment and ability to identify compelling human‑interest and education‑related stories.
• Confidence in conducting interviews with diverse audiences (students, parents, teachers, media).
• Proficiency in AP style and familiarity with education, nonprofit, or charter school communications.
• Ability to travel frequently across states and manage multiple deadlines.
• Skilled in social media management, media monitoring, and storytelling analytics.
• Knowledge of photography, videography, or multimedia storytelling tools is a plus.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum of three (3) years of relevant professional experience in communications, journalism, or marketing.
• Requirements:
  • Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation for campus travel.
  • Ability to travel regionally and nationally as needed.
  • Flexibility to attend occasional evening and weekend events.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in education, nonprofit, or mission‑driven organizations.
• Demonstrated success placing stories in regional or national media outlets.
• Familiarity with photography, video production, or Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience managing or supporting events and public relations campaigns.

About BASIS Ed

The BASIS academic program is consistently ranked among the top 10 programs nationally and is competitive on an international scale. The mission of BASIS Schools is to provide an academically excellent and rigorous liberal arts college preparatory education to all lower and upper school students.

Benefits and Salary

• Salary for this position is competitive and dependent on education and experience.
• BASIS Ed offers a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to:
  • Employer‑paid medical and dental insurance
  • Vision insurance
  • PTO
  • Ability to add dependents
  • 401(k) with partial match that grows over time
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Childcare Savings Opportunity (KinderCare tuition discount)

Reasonable Accommodations Statement

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Notice of Non‑Discrimination: In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act and applicable state law, BASIS Ed does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, gender identity or expression, or any other classification protected by law in any of its business activities, including its educational programs and activities which comply fully with the requirements of state and federal law and Title IX. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding BASIS Ed’s non‑discrimination policies: Beverly Traver, Compliance and Equity Investigator, BASIS Educational Group, LLC., 7975 N. Hayden Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85258, (480) 289‑2088.
As used in this policy, the term "BASIS" refers to: BASIS Educational Group, LLC, BASIS Charter Schools, Inc., BTX Schools, Inc., BDC, A Public School, Inc., BBR Schools, Inc., and all affiliated entities.