Vice President for Public Education

The Public Education Division plays a critical role in maintaining the Institute’s reputation for highly reliable, timely and policy-relevant information on a broad range of sexual and reproductive health issues and its reputation for scientific integrity in all aspects of its work, from its two highly respected peer-reviewed journals, to its regular “Fact of the Day” tweets. The Institute’s Web site, which receives almost one million page views a month, is a major resource for people working in the field.

Scope and Responsibilities
The Vice President for Public Education is a full-time position located in the New York City office, reports to the President and CEO, and is a member of the five-member senior management team. She or he leads a diverse and growing range of communications and publications activities, providing vision and creative input for a team of 20 communications specialists, science writers, editors, production staff and Web experts. He or she is ultimately accountable for assuring the high quality of all products carrying the Institute’s brand, not only its publications for academic and professional audiences, but also the factsheets, motion graphics, and social media posts designed to reach a variety of influential lay audiences. Specifically, the Vice President for Public Education:

• Participates in monthly meetings of the senior management staff, which is responsible for oversight of the Institute as a whole, including its multiyear work plan, revenue projections, annual budget, board affairs, project development and fundraising;
  
• Supervises four direct reports—the Communications Director, the Executive Editors of the Institute’s two peer-reviewed journals (Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health and International Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health) and the Production Director—as well as other division staff when assigned to special reports or activities;
  
• Manages the division’s overall work plan and budget to promote an on-time, on-budget completion of project activities under the division’s control;
  
• Coordinates timing of Institute products with colleagues in the Research and Public Policy Divisions to set priorities in instances of conflicting needs;
  
• Ensures that all publications and communication materials meet the Institute’s high standards of scientific accuracy and readability, and are consistent with the look and voice of the Guttmacher brand;
  
• Oversees and coordinates the writing, editing, production and release of Guttmacher materials;
  
• Identifies new dissemination strategies and technologies that could expand the reach of the Institute’s research findings and policy analyses to important stakeholders;
  
• Implements efficiencies in the production of the Institute’s journals and other materials without sacrificing quality;
  
• Assumes ultimate responsibility for budgeting communications and publications projects and staff hours; and
  
• Recruits and retains a highly qualified staff of communications specialists, editors, production staff, and web masters and ensures that they have the resources and work environment needed to ensure high levels of creativity and productivity.
  

The Vice President for Public Education must be a proven leader with knowledge of, and a demonstrated commitment to, sexual and reproductive health and rights. He or she must be able to manage a diverse staff engaged at any one time in a wide range of activities. Specific qualifications include:

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field;
  
• A minimum of 10 years of professional work related experience within the nonprofit world;
  
• Proven ability both to be a strong leader and part of a close knit team;
  
• Strong management skills with a demonstrated capacity to recruit, lead and marshal the talents of a diverse, competent and creative staff; to balance conflicting demands; and to meet tight deadlines;
  
• Demonstrated understanding of communications work, including effective interaction with the media (U.S. and international, traditional and new) and other key audiences;
  
• Demonstrated understanding of the requirements for producing a respected scientific journal, from internal and peer review of submitted manuscripts through editing and production;
  
• Exceptional writing and editing skills;
  
• Strong public-speaking skills;
  
• Ability to identify needs for innovation and change, and to manage the process of change;
  
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally – 10% annually; and
  
• The highest personal and professional integrity.