Director of Communications & Marketing

Reports to: Head of School

Position Status: Exempt, 100% of full time

Start Date: ASAP

Our Mission

We inspire joyful learning, honor each child, and build connections to empower all students to make a difference.

The Director of Communications and Marketing is responsible for establishing and maintaining the school’s high standards of internal and external communications. This includes strengthening awareness and understanding of Marin Primary & Middle School’s mission, unique educational program, and strong school community among current constituencies, prospective applicants, and a public audience. The Director will work collaboratively on the school’s communications and marketing strategy with the Head of School, Board of Trustees, Development office, Admission office, division directors, parent volunteers, and others.

The Director of Communications & Marketing reports to the Head of School and is a member of the School Leadership Team.

Primary Responsibilities:

Communications

• Develop and/or maintain systems, processes, and plans to support integrated communications strategies
• Develop and manage content creation and distribution.
• Write and/or edit content for website, blogs, social media entries, and other communication materials that deliver consistent and clear messaging in line with the School’s vision and mission.
• Write, edit, and produce the School’s external communications, including development, admission, fundraising, and other school-related materials.
• Plan, write, and create editorial calendar and manage content for the school’s biannual magazine, Footsteps. Liaise with outside designer (when necessary) to collaborate, manage, and finalize production on a specific timeline.
• Act as liaison with outside graphic designer (when necessary), mail house, printers, photographers, and other vendors as needed.
• Produce or support production of special event invitations, programs, and more.
• Produce unique, regular, frequent communications for special campaigns and events such as Annual Fund, Grandparents and Special Friends Day, Auction, Graduation, and more.
• Produce miscellaneous weekly email communications as needed.
• Coordinate production of the weekly parent e-newsletter The Dispatch: collect and organize information, produce newsletter in Constant Contact (or its replacement system), schedule delivery.
• Organize and update mailing lists in Constant Contact (or its replacement system),
• Review, edit, and schedule division level emails, admission emails, specialist emails. (Lead a review of schoolwide communications in this arena to establish and streamline)
• Oversee development and production of flyers for events and programs throughout the school year.
• Oversee editorial process for all print and digital communications.
• Manage communications and marketing initiatives, including the writing, management, and production of written, print, digital, video, and other promotional resources.
• Work with Development, Admission, Board and Leadership to coordinate print and electronic communications as needed.
• Support the production of school publications, including larger projects and ongoing projects and materials including special event invitations, programs, and more.
• Work with front office staff and Executive Assistant to the Head of School/Office Manager to help produce school forms (in Blackbaud and other platforms), mailings, and other communications.
• Work with Summer Camp program, After School Program, Parent Education program, and other special programs on campus to design brochures, posters, advertising, and miscellaneous materials.

Marketing

• Develop and manage integrated marketing, communication, and advertising initiatives.
• Ensure continuity of brand, identity, and message in marketing plans, campaigns and materials.
• Produce and track day-to-day marketing and communications deliverables as well as long term planning and production.
• Liaise and/or manage relationship with outside marketing agencies, strategists, etc.
• In collaboration with the Director of Admission, design strategies and implement concrete plans to increase student applications.
• In collaboration with the Director of Development, design strategies and implement concrete plans to drive increased contributed revenue.
• Create and communicate a compelling story about the school to increase admission applications and support the efforts of the Development office.
• Create, produce, place advertisements in a variety of print and online forms throughout admission season and beyond if needed.
• Develop and manage community partnerships with organizations and influencers in order to fulfill the School’s mission and strategic plan, as well as to provide a marketing tool to increase brand awareness and engagement.
• Build and manage media and public relations including press releases, media coverage and other outlets.

Website and Digital Platforms

• Serve as point of contact for the website. This includes proactively working with the Data Systems Manager to keep information up to date on the external site.
• Perform basic, regular website CMS, revisions, maintenance.
• Maintain, prioritize, and implement overall project list for website planning, upgrades, and ongoing requests.
• Plan for and deploy all digital activities: website, online campaigns, email marketing, social media and digital content production.
• Develop, manage, and expand social media campaigns weekly, generating original content and driving traffic, in collaboration with the offices of development and admission
• Oversee photography of school events and key activities for use in publications, hallway screens, and on the website. The Executive Assistant to the Head of School/Office Manager will coordinate headshots for yearbook and other platforms
• Update hallway Apple TV screens regularly with new photos.
• Manage, organize, and maintain school photo archives on Vidigami, Flickr, Dropbox.
• Support and train faculty and staff needing assistance with website and Vidigami updates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum five years’ experience in communications and/or marketing, preferably in an educational setting.
• Ability to articulate the MP&MS mission, vision, and strategic priorities in a compelling way to diverse audiences.
• Proven hands-on skills in writing and editing print and electronic communications.
• Ability to successfully communicate with outside designers, edit content, and coordinate timely production of projects.
• Experience with website content management.
• Proficiency with Google Suite, Finalsite, Blackbaud, Constant Contact, Blackboard Connect, Vidigami, Canva, a plus.
• Knowledge of graphic design and video production. Familiarity with InDesign, Photoshop, and iMovie, a plus.
• Ability to learn multiple digital platforms.
• Excellent verbal communication skills and customer service focus. Must be able to handle confidential matters with appropriate discretion.
• Strong organizational and time management skills; ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Proactive nature and great attention to detail.
• Must be an independent, strategic, and creative thinker who is a strong team player and willing to enthusiastically take on additional responsibility as necessary.
• Confidence, patience, discretion, and a sense of humor that complements MP&MS’s culture and mission
• Authenticity and humility
• Belief in the value of strong collaboration and teamwork
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written

MP&MS is an equal opportunity employer. All individuals have an equal opportunity for employment based on qualifications and merit, regardless of religion, race, sex, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, military service status, or any other factor prohibited by state or federal law. This policy applies to all areas of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, and other conditions of employment. MP&MS also makes reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities and for employees who request an accommodation for pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.