Communications/Marketing Director

Sacred Heart Schools•Chicago, IL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Communications/Marketing Director is responsible for developing a comprehensive strategy to build understanding and support for the mission of Sacred Heart education and enhance the reputation of the Academy and Hardey Prep as leaders among independent Catholic schools, locally, and nationally. The Director manages resources and oversees initiatives that raise awareness of the school's distinctive character, strengthens Sacred Heart's brand position, and engages as well as informs key constituent groups. Key areas of responsibility include school publications, social media, public relations, advertising, and brand identity and supports Head of Schools in messaging to the wider community. This individual also works closely with outsourced graphic designers, printers, and remarketing personnel. The position demands a full range of communications skills, both creative and technical: copywriting, graphic design, photography, website updates, and experience in using electronic media to support institutional goals. The ideal candidate is a strong project manager who can think both creatively and strategically, and who can complete complex projects from start to finish and on deadline. In addition, the Director demonstrates a commitment to staying abreast of trends in marketing and communication methods, and to practices among peer schools. The Director exhibits strong leadership and interpersonal skills, can work effectively with colleagues, volunteers, and vendors, and consistently projects a positive image of Sacred Heart Schools. The Communications/Marketing Director works collaboratively with Admissions, Development, and Head of Schools to build understanding and support of the school’s mission and programs, and to secure resources to enhance the school and secure its future. The Director strives to model the values expressed in the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; degree focused on Communications/Marketing or equivalent experience
Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in communications, marketing, public relations, or advancement, preferably in an educational or non-profit setting
Comprehensive understanding of marketing, communications, and branding principles, as well as strong grasp of emerging media channels
Proven project management skills: with the ability to manage multiple complex tasks and meet tight deadlines
Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills
Proficient in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
Experience in graphic design and proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, including Premiere Pro, InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator
Strong knowledge of website and application management, preferably with Finalsite
Experience with digital photography, and video editing tools such as iMovie and/or Adobe Premiere Pro
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
Flexibility to work remotely from home, when necessary, with occasional evening and weekend availability
Familiarity with content management systems and HTML is a plus
Experience in independent or Catholic education is preferred
Warm and welcoming, collegial, steady, and mature; works positively with parents and children from a wide variety of backgrounds; outwardly reflects the school’s mission, culture, and values
Manages confidential material respectfully and handles private information with discretion and tact
Commitment to Catholic education and comfortability in expressing its value
A strong work ethic, highly motivated and self-directed, and excellent organizational and time management skills; attention to detail and accuracy
A leader and problem solver that can think through projects step-by-step to design easily understood workflows
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively to forward the goals of the School

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with content management systems and HTML is a plus
Experience in independent or Catholic education is preferred

Responsibilities

Develop and execute an annual marketing plan designed to advance the vision, mission, and strategic objectives of Sacred Heart Schools; ensure the plan is closely aligned with the Board of Trustees’ Strategic Plan
Develop metrics that define success, assess effectiveness, and measure progress; regularly provide reports to Head of Schools
Develop and maintain standards for the school's brand, editorial, and visual identities
Implement “best practice” policies for communications/marketing as articulated by professional and accreditation organizations such as the National Association for Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, and the Network of Sacred Heart Schools
Develop and maintain an effective crisis and emergency communications policy and train key personnel
With the Head of Schools, provide input for budget development and administer all budgets related to communications and marketing.
Serve on the Enrollment Management Committee and Development Committee of the Board of Trustees
Lead the effort to build and execute the annual communications calendar, maintaining a clear focus on institutional priorities while remaining responsive to constituent requests
Ensure constituents receive timely and accurate school information through a variety of user-friendly and easily accessible communication vehicles (i.e. eblasts, text messages); ensure school information, messages, and themes are consistent, cohesive, and reinforced across all platforms, both in print and electronic
Serve as chief editor and publisher for key school publications such as the Annual Report, Heartbeat, and the school yearbook
Ensure the excellence of the school’s website and social media channels; stay abreast of trends in electronic communication, keeping the school current with new developments
Maintain a robust portfolio of professional and staff-generated photography and video of school events, facilities, programs, and personnel for use in publications, both print and digital; maintain list of students who cannot be shown in photographs or on video, and ensure they do not appear in publications
Utilize data, analytics, and institutional insights to inform marketing-centric messaging and strategic media selection
Formulate and implement annual marketing initiatives, encompassing advertising and digital content aligned with enrollment requirements, and external agency collaboration
Manage the School’s website design and functionality, including associated portals, in partnership with the IT Department and professional vendors
Partner with established design and print vendors to refine and maintain the School’s brand identity and collateral materials
Direct the School’s market research efforts, overseeing constituent surveys and the dissemination of comprehensive data reports
Direct all marketing sponsorships, brand partnerships, integrations, and institutional events
Maintain expertise in current principles and emerging trends regarding branding, digital strategy, and community engagement
Provide counsel and support to the Head of Schools and Academic Leadership Team in identifying effective ways to communicate with parents and other key constituencies
Collaborate with the Admissions and Development offices to produce high quality materials that support enrollment and fundraising objectives
Work with the School Office to ensure back-to-school and other essential parent/school information is available to the school community in timely, accurate, and user-friendly ways
Support word-of-mouth marketing efforts through the Parent Ambassador Network and Angel Family program
Stay abreast of academic, classroom, and extracurricular programs and activities
Develop a rich understanding of Sacred Heart’s history, traditions, and key differentiators (single sex education, values-based education, Network of Sacred Heart Schools, Society of the Sacred Heart) and communicate them effectively
Meet regularly with the Head of Schools, Admissions, and Development Directors to share information, plan, and manage the activities of the Driehaus Center.
Establish media contacts; serve as the first point-of-contact for media inquiries; identify public relations and promotional opportunities to position the school for greater media visibility
Serve as communications liaison with the Archdiocese of Chicago, Network of Sacred Heart Schools, and the Society of the Sacred Heart; suggest stories and provide content as needed
Undertake an annual audit of the website, working with colleagues across the school to fulfill needs and enhance functionality of the website for all users.
Ensure the website always maintains a pleasing and effective design, refreshing images/content as needed
Create and post content, including alerts, new stories, photographs, and videos to the website. Work with faculty, staff, and volunteers to create and update content on the website as appropriate – including building out new pages/micro sites
Develop and maintain a parent App that delivers essential, customizable information to users
Ensure the Parent Portal website provides a seamless and complementary experience aligned with the app’s design and functionality.
Coordinate, produce, and distribute NewsNotes, the weekly newsletter for parents.
Other projects assigned by the Head of Schools.