Director of Marketing and Communications

University Prep is seeking a talented, dynamic and compassionate Director of Marketing and Communications to help us advance our vision of being an inclusive community of learners that provides an outstanding education for each individual in a diverse student population. We need someone who is passionate about strategic marketing and communications. We are looking for a leader who is temperamentally attuned to a participatory and inclusive culture and who possesses the openness, enthusiasm, and collaborative nature needed to work with students, parents, trustees, and external constituents. We need a values-oriented executive with exceptional creativity, vision, and the ability to articulate a compelling viewpoint to diverse audiences. We are looking for staff and faculty who share our belief that a culturally rich and inclusive school community provides students with the best possible environment for a quality education. If that sounds like you, we’d like to hear from you. Salary is competitive with public and independent schools. University Prep offers an excellent benefits package, opportunities for professional development, and an extraordinary work environment.

Who We Are

University Prep is an independent school serving grades 6 – 12 located in an urban residential section of Seattle, WA, one of the country’s most diverse and dynamic cities. We are a strong and vibrant community of students, families, faculty, staff, and alumni who collaboratively create an exceptional educational experience for every student. The School is a place of great teaching and joyful learning; a community that joins together to raise up our children to be caring and productive adults; a place where all students and families have equitable access to all the school has to offer, and a place where we aspire for every family and student to feel equally enfranchised and at home. To us, diversity and inclusivity are not addenda, they are embodied in all facets of our school culture. University Prep believes that our shared values of integrity, respect, and responsibility are essential to accomplish our mission of developing each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world.

Job Summary

Under minimal supervision, the Director of Marketing and Communications leads, plans, and implements strategy for all school marketing and communications to elevate its profile, advance its brand, and consistently convey clear messaging to internal and external audiences. The Director collaborates closely with the Advancement and Enrollment Management teams and works with the Assistant Director of Communications.

Specific Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains a marketing and communications strategic plan to effectively articulate University Prep’s brand and drive increased engagement with current and prospective constituencies

• Implements the marketing and communications strategic plan using systems management strategies, including improvement of internal and external communications practices

• Serves on the Administrative Team, which coordinates the leadership of the school

• Works with the Director of Enrollment Management to design ways to increase new student inquiries and applications and to maintain prospective student and family interest within a competitive, dynamic, independent school environment

• Works with the Director of Advancement to support annual and capital campaign messaging and strengthen a culture of aspirational philanthropy

• Works with the Assistant Head of School for Academics and Strategic Initiatives to identify and capture stories from faculty, students, and staff that support the strategic plan and capital campaign

• Establishes themself as a visible, vocal promoter of the school’s key messages 

• Writes original content for the school’s publications

• Supervises and manages the Associate Director of Communications to ensure high quality of work, support job satisfaction, and effectively distribute responsibilities within the office

• Partners with Trustees to adapt effective for-profit marketing strategies to a non-profit, independent school

• Creates brand quality and consistency in all print and electronic communication across departments, activities, and events

• Manages design and production of the school’s major communications deliverables, most notably the magazine, website, annual report, admission video, admission brochures, and social media channels

• Plans and manages the department budget in order to maximize the effectiveness of all communications

• Coordinates external contractor relationships to support the production needs of the Communications office

• Regularly places the school in local media and manages all related messaging

• Maintains the school’s crisis communication plan and serves as the school’s primary point of contact for crisis communication and media inquiries

• Engages actively in professional development in order to remain current in best practices related to independent school communications, emerging social media, and effective marketing and advertising strategies

• Actively participates in the life of the school

• Is familiar with and complies with all policies and regulations as put forth in the school’s documents

• Establishes and cultivates community relations by maintaining open dialogue with all of the school’s constituencies

• Vigorously engages in his/her own professional development

• Since safety and security are everyone’s responsibility, takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, faculty, staff, equipment, materials and facilities

• Performs other duties as assigned

• Some travel

Qualifications

Required Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university required

• Master’s degree preferred

• Five or more years of leadership experience in marketing and communications

• A track record of growing brand recognition and loyalty by establishing relationships with internal constituents and strategic partnerships with external groups

• Demonstrated success in bringing regular, positive media attention to an organization

• Experience in publications design and production across multiple print, web, and social media channels

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Deep knowledge of marketing and communications principles

• Familiarity with independent school or other non-profit organizations

• Capacity to evaluate existing marketing strategies, create plans to strengthen areas of need, and build new programs as needed to increase enrollment and retention and to grow philanthropic giving within an institution

• Ability to cultivate excitement about an organization’s direction by speaking compellingly about its past, present, and future

• Understanding of the close relationship between marketing, communications, advancement, and enrollment management

• Outstanding speaking, writing, and editing skills

• Management skills to direct a small staff, plus external vendors, for multiple projects with competing deadlines and production schedules

• Familiarity with emerging tools and innovative practices in marketing and communications

• Attention to cultural inclusivity, openness, creativity, enthusiasm, and collaboration

• A fast-paced, energetic self-starter with both partnership and service mentalities

• Sincere commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice

• Emotional maturity, a sense of humor, flexibility and sensitivity

• Sensitivity toward personal and confidential information

• Proficiency with Windows or MacOS, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Adobe Creative Suite, and database systems

• Comfortable operating audiovisual equipment