Public Relations Director, USA and Kenya

Bridge has done what many people thought was impossible. We have given families living in poverty access to the high-quality education that will allow their children to have a better life. As a company, we have always focused on our work and shied away from publicity, but we're realizing that this is actually doing our pupils a disservice. These children are learning their way into a better life, equalizing the playing field, and changing their communities. We're looking for someone to help tell their stories to the world and further democratize the right for all children to succeed.

This is an incredibly exciting position for a public relations professional interested in social impact. Your work will focus on telling the story of Bridge International Academies, as well as its pupils, to the public. This includes developing and then managing all aspects of a full-scale public relations operation, including media relations, new media/social media, and web-based communications – including both proactive and reactive responses – as well as conferences, awards, professional groups, galas, government meetings, and more.

Ideally you have 8+ years of related experience, including work with political, non-profit, or other social campaigns that concern an idea or a movement rather than a product. At least some of your work has been international. You have impeccable writing, editing, and speaking skills. You have a demonstrated ability to work with national and international media, a track record of building relationships with editors and reporters, and experience acting as a spokesperson. Despite Bridge's massive growth, we are still a startup: hands-on and scrappy. You will need to singularly do the work normally conducted by an entire team until we are big enough to build a full team for you to lead. Kindly include links to your social media accounts plus 2-3 samples of press releases, award applications, or other things you have written in your cover letter. This position will report to the Vice President of Brand Strategy. This position is based in Washington DC though some travel to Africa and Asia will be required.

Who should apply

• Detailed doers – You have a track record of getting things done. You're organized and responsive. You take ownership of every idea you touch and execute it to a fine level of detail, setting targets, engaging others, and doing whatever it takes to get the job done. You can multi-task dozens of such projects at once and never lose sight of the details. Likely, you have some experience in a start-up or other rapid-growth company.
• Smart hustlers - You have the brain power but also the pragmatism to get stuff done in a chaotic context. You are focusing on winning, and will do just about anything (with integrity of course) to get to the people and places that you need to succeed.
• Networking masterminds – You excel at meeting new people and turning them into advocates. You communicate in a clear, conscientious, and effective way in both written and oral speech. You can influence strangers in the course of a single conversation. Allies and colleagues will go to bat for your ideas. You have an existing network of public relations contacts from prior experience in the country, preferably in the regulatory, education, or business sectors.
• Creative problem-solvers – Bridge is still a start-up: hands-on and scrappy. You need to be flexible and ready to get everything done effectively, quickly, and affordably with the materials at hand, which may be less than you're used to. Every dollar you spend is a dollar our customers, who live on less than $2 a day, will have to pay for.
• Customer advocates – Our customers – these families living on less than $2 a day per person – never leave your mind. You know them, get them, have shared a meal with them (or would be happy to in the future). You would never shrink back from shaking a parent's hand or picking up a crying child, no matter what the person was wearing or looked like. Every decision you make considers their customer benefit, experience, and value.
• Life-long learners – You believe you can always do better. You welcome constructive criticism and provide it freely to others. You know you only get better tomorrow when others point out where you've missed things or failed today.

Who shouldn't apply

• Narcissists – If you've ever finished the statement, “I didn't go to university to ______,” you won't like it here. Your degree, age, lineage, and past experience don't matter. Only your current output, and how it benefits our customers, does.
• Hand-holders – We love teamwork, but sometimes we get busy. You need to work well independently and have the self-motivation to never slow down. Of course, you'll be very responsive and constantly update us on your status.

About Bridge

Bridge International Academies is the world's largest chain of primary and pre-primary schools. We democratize the right to succeed by giving families living in poverty accesss to the high-quality education that will allow their children to live a very different life. We leverage experts, data, and technology in order to standardize and scale every aspect of quality education delivery, from how and where academies are built to how teachers are selected and trained, and how lessons are delivered and monitored for improvement. We are vertically-integrated, tech-enabled, and on our way to profitability.