CA: Director of Marketing & Communications

Green Dot Public Schools California•Los Angeles, CA

5d•$125,000 - $137,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Marketing and Communications leads the overall communications and marketing strategy for Green Dot Public Schools. Working closely with leadership, this role directs internal and external communications to increase student enrollment, attract high-quality talent, maintain strong community ties, and distinguish Green Dot as a leader in public education. The Director leads a team that equips schools with tools to tell their stories and achieve their goals. The position is part of the central office team in Los Angeles and reports to the Chief of Staff. The role oversees student recruitment marketing; communications, public relations, and brand strategy; creative direction and content development; advocacy support; and team management and strategic planning. It develops integrated, data-informed campaigns and communications across digital, print, media, and community channels, and manages budgets, vendors, workflows, and team performance. The primary team objectives include student recruitment marketing, school renewals, and fundraising. The starting salary range is $125,000–$137,000. Green Dot offers a comprehensive benefits package, paid time off, and potential remote-work opportunities. The role requires consistent attendance during scheduled hours; flexibility is limited by classroom or operational requirements, and breaks must align with operational needs and student-care requirements. Candidates must pass a TB test and background check at the time of offer. Green Dot is unable to sponsor applicants for temporary or permanent U.S. employment-based visas and cannot hire applicants currently holding a temporary U.S. employment-based visa.

Requirements

At least five years of strategic marketing, communications, digital marketing, public relations, or related experience.
Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
Demonstrated success developing and executing integrated marketing campaigns, preferably with measurable results in lead generation, audience acquisition, conversion, or enrollment growth.
Experience using marketing analytics and performance data to evaluate campaigns, inform strategy, and improve results.
Excellent writing, verbal communication, presentation, editing, and proofreading skills, including the ability to develop persuasive messages for diverse audiences.
Ability to develop compelling brand messaging and creative assets that resonate with target audiences and advance strategic goals.
Experience managing and developing direct reports, budgets, and external vendors, freelancers, or consultants.
Strong project management skills, including prioritizing competing demands, managing multiple campaigns, and delivering high-quality work on deadline.
Proven ability to build relationships and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including school leaders and cross-functional teams.
Strong leadership skills, sound judgment, initiative, and commitment to creative, data-informed solutions.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, data-driven nonprofit environment while balancing strategic planning with hands-on execution.
Passion for education and belief that every child can succeed.
Ability to maintain positive relations with colleagues at all levels, including central office staff and school-site administrators and staff.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining project detail, meeting or exceeding goals, delivering high-quality work, and bringing joy to the work.
High personal responsibility, a growth mindset, and a strong work ethic; dependable, humble, and a commitment to Green Dot's mission and the communities it serves.
Pass a TB test and background check at the time of offer.
Meet scheduled attendance requirements; breaks must align with operational needs and student-care requirements.

Nice To Haves

Eight years of relevant experience is preferred.
Experience in education or the nonprofit sector.
Knowledge of the Los Angeles education landscape and education reform.
Fluency in Spanish, written and verbal.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement organization-wide and school-specific marketing strategies and campaigns to support student recruitment, enrollment growth, and student retention.
Create targeted marketing plans for individual schools based on enrollment goals, local market conditions, prospective family needs, and each school's programs, strengths, and value proposition.
Lead integrated recruitment campaigns across digital advertising, search, social media, email, websites, direct mail, print advertising, and community-based channels.
Partner with school leaders and enrollment teams to identify recruitment priorities and barriers, and ensure marketing responds to local community needs.
Oversee development of marketing materials, including school profiles, videos, testimonials, digital content, print collateral, and campaign assets.
Establish and monitor marketing performance indicators, use analytics to evaluate effectiveness, and improve campaign performance.
Manage recruitment marketing budgets and resources, prioritizing investments based on enrollment goals, campaign performance, and organizational needs.
Develop and implement communications, public relations, and marketing plans that advance Green Dot's mission and support recruitment, retention, fundraising, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement.
Further develop Green Dot's brand identity, positioning, and key messages.
Lead digital communications strategy across organizational and school websites, search engine marketing, social media, email, and emerging channels; use analytics and marketing trends to optimize results.
Develop and execute media relations strategies and cultivate relationships with major media outlets, local television affiliates, education publications, and community-based media.
Create media pitches, press releases, op-eds, talking points, profiles, and other communications materials; monitor news and trends for opportunities to advance organizational priorities.
Manage crisis communications planning and execution with organizational leadership, following established procedures and protecting Green Dot's reputation.
Ensure communications are clear, compelling, accessible, and consistent with Green Dot's mission, values, and strategic priorities.
Oversee the development of on-brand creative assets and campaigns for student and teacher recruitment, fundraising, organizational communications, and other priorities.
Provide creative direction and develop innovative concepts, storytelling, and visual materials suited to target audiences and intended outcomes.
Oversee development of newsletters, direct mail, advertising, school marketing materials, annual reports, videos, and other communications assets.
Develop and maintain creative templates, brand guidelines, and marketing toolkits for Green Dot and its schools.
Copy edit and enhance programmatic, recruitment, organizational, and fundraising materials for clarity, accuracy, consistency, and effectiveness.
Evaluate and improve creative approaches based on audience insights, marketing trends, and campaign performance.
Collaborate with the Director of Advocacy & Community Engagement and Chief of Staff to align marketing and communications with organizational priorities.
Support advocacy initiatives through strategic messaging, content development, and communications planning.
Provide public relations and communications support for organizational initiatives, school events, and key announcements.
Set the Marketing and Communications team's vision, priorities, and measurable goals, with student recruitment marketing, school renewals, and fundraising as primary objectives.
Build team capacity, clarify roles and responsibilities, and support team members in independently managing projects and delivering results.
Develop and manage departmental budgets, oversee external vendors and agency partnerships, and allocate resources to maximize impact.
Establish workflows, project management processes, and performance measures for timely, high-quality execution.
Monitor progress toward goals and use data and team feedback to improve effectiveness.

Benefits

Medical coverage, including HMO, PPO, and EPO options; the employee-only HMO premium is no-cost and family coverage is available at low cost.
Dental and vision coverage, including 100% employer-paid options.
Employee Assistance Program, 100% employer-paid.
Life and AD&D insurance, 100% employer-paid, with optional term life and AD&D insurance.
Short- and long-term disability insurance, 100% employer-paid.
Flexible Spending Accounts for health and dependent care.
Monthly parking for Central Office-based employees, 100% employer-paid.
Wellness programs and resources.
Financial planning and coaching access.
Optional non-matching 401(k) plan.
Potential annual performance-based compensation increases and annual bonuses.
Potential stipend work opportunities.
Approved family care and/or medical leave (unpaid).
Generous paid time off.
Potential for occasional or recurring remote-work opportunities.