Job Description
Job DescriptionDescription:
About National Center for Urban Solutions Enterprises
At the National Center for Urban Solutions (NCUS) Enterprises, we are committed to transforming lives and communities through education, workforce development, and wellness. Our flagship programs, Academy for Urban Scholars (AUS) High School, NCUS TEC, the African American Male Wellness Agency, and the Africentric Personal Development Shop, empower individuals and families across the country.
Position Overview
We are seeking Freelance Writers to develop compelling, mission-driven stories for AUS, a charter high school serving Ohio communities in Canton, Columbus, Toledo, and Youngstown. The school is commitment to preparing students to be college-ready, work-ready, socially responsible leaders. As a Freelance Writer, you will develop stories that highlights student and alumni success, academic and career pathways, community engagement, and how AUS transforms urban youth lives. You will work closely with the Director of Communications and Public Relations to publish stories on AUS’s website and pitch them to secure media coverage, helping raise the school’s profile and support.
Key Responsibilities
- Write and publish human-interest profiles on students, graduates, teachers, and leadership.
- Create narratives that focus on students benefiting from career-education pathways (IT, healthcare, construction, certification programs) that AUS offers.
- Identify and partner with the Director of Communications and Public Relations to pitch newsworthy stories to local, national, and trade media outlets.
- Conduct interviews with students, staff, and community partners that illustrate AUS’s impact.
- Monitor current education trends, policy changes, and timely awareness campaigns that apply to charter education, dropout recovery, and career-readiness.
- Proactively suggest story angles based on upcoming events (graduation, enrollment periods), awareness months (career week, adult ed), or policy developments.
- Ensure that content supports donor engagement, sponsor cultivation, and visibility among potential funders and partners.
- Deliver clean, accurate, publication-ready copy on deadline.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, English, or a related field.
- Minimum two years of experience in nonprofit, corporate, or mission-driven communications.
- Experience developing human-interest stories.
- Experience writing in AP style.
- Media relations expertise, including pitching stories, cultivating journalist relationships, and securing earned media coverage.
- Exceptional writing and editing skills with a strong narrative voice.
Preferred Skills
- Proven ability to translate complex ideas into accessible.
- Experience in a newsroom.
- Relationships with journalist, reporters, and industry analyst in K-12 education.
- Knowledge of socioeconomic topics, urban communities, and education.
- Deep commitment to equity, nonprofits, and community empowerment.
How to Apply
Please email your resume, a cover letter, and three writing samples (newsletter or feature article) to La’Var Howell, Director of Communications and Public Relations at lhowell@ncusolutions.com.