Manager, External Affairs - Governance & Communications

About the role

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing public charter schools dedicated to providing an exceptional K-12 education in economically disadvantaged communities. The Manager, External Affairs - Governance & Communications supports the work of Uncommon Schools’ NYC External Affairs team by helping strengthen governance and compliance, communications, and both external and internal partnerships across the region.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the management of the Uncommon NYC Board of Trustees, including Trustee relationships and communications, meeting content, storytelling, and onboarding of new Trustees.
• Coordinate annual Trustee visits to school campuses, including scheduling, Trustee communications, and preparation with school leaders.
• Monitor changes in state, local, and charter authorizer policy and support appropriate responses.
• Manage regular charter reporting and compliance, and the charter renewal application process with Uncommon NYC’s authorizer.
• Manage Uncommon NYC’s regional social media accounts, including content development, editing, planning, event coverage, and engagement with comments and direct messages.
• Partner with school-based social media points of contact to source stories and content, provide ongoing support, and coordinate communications and expectations across schools.
• Collaborate with social media leads across Uncommon regions and manage the work of a part-time external digital media consultant.
• Manage website updates, coordinate school visits from external stakeholders, and craft a monthly region-wide family newsletter featuring school highlights and stories.
• Represent Uncommon NYC with key external stakeholders and partners as needed and collaborate with internal teams on governance and external affairs special projects.
• Partner as needed with external affairs colleagues on advocacy, and family and community engagement workstreams.
• Develop and maintain project management and accountability tools for governance, communications, and stakeholder engagement work, including complex and long-term projects.
• Coordinate with colleagues and partners across levels and teams to ensure assigned deliverables are completed and project goals are met.
• Support the NYC External Affairs team’s annual planning process in partnership with the Senior Director.
• Help develop and maintain team-wide systems, including meeting agendas, processes, surveys, templates, and tools that support External Affairs workstreams.
• Use internal data platforms and dashboards to pull reports and conduct analysis.
• Translate existing reports and data into clear narratives tailored to different audiences, such as Board-facing presentations and school leader communications.
• Use qualitative and quantitative data, including stakeholder feedback and surveys, to inform future work.
• Use data analysis and project management tools to support routine work, projects, and planning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
• 5–6 years of relevant experience.
• Relevant backgrounds may include program or project management, communications or marketing, development, public policy, community organizing, digital media, school or regional operations, or other work that builds transferable skills for this role.
• Experience managing or supporting organizational social media accounts, including content creation and planning.
• Strong project management and implementation skills, with attention to detail and the ability to build and maintain effective systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to tailor communications to different audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data to inform work and communicate findings clearly.
• Ability to build effective relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders and coordinate work across levels and teams.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, work independently, take initiative to build systems where they may be lacking, incorporate feedback, and navigate ambiguity.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Experience in education, fundraising or board management, and/or demonstrated alignment with Uncommon Schools’ mission.

Physical Requirements

This role involves frequent local travel within Brooklyn to school campuses, typically once per week and occasionally up to three times per week. The role may require standing or walking for prolonged periods during community-wide or school-based events, setting up equipment or materials, and carrying objects weighing approximately 20–40 pounds.

Benefits

• Regional staff will have the same holidays and sustainability days as school-based staff in their region, and flexible summer PTO
• Extensive, best-in-class training and development
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans + pre-tax flexible spending (FSA), dependent care (DCFSA), and health saving accounts (HSA)
• Financial Planning
• 403(b) retirement savings program + employer match
• Paid leave of absence options (parental, medical, disability, etc.)
• Mental health and counseling support + wellness benefits

Pay

The full compensation range for this role is $91,300-$107,400. Typically, new hires who fully meet the qualifications and experience expectations for the role will start at or near $94,000.

Schedule

Uncommon is an in-person organization, with a commitment of at least three days each week at our Brooklyn office.