Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications

Description:

The Lovett School is an independent, coeducational day school in Atlanta for children from Kindergarten through Grade 12 who enjoy a balanced education of the whole child -- where intellectual rigor, social-emotional learning, and character development are inextricably linked and purposefully cultivated. The Lovett School is a community of belonging that develops students of honor, faith, and wisdom with the character and intellect to thrive in learning and life.

Position Summary:

The Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications is responsible for managing and directing the School’s internal and external brand and communications. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer and serving as a leader of the Marketing and Communications Department, this position will execute the planning, development and implementation of all marketing, branding, and communications strategies that promote and advance the School. Contributes to and oversees the School’s communications with, writing, editing, graphic design, photography, printing, social media, website, executive communication and other digital communications. Responsible for executing brand strategy to support School’s Mission and Values.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide vision and proactive leadership for the School’s brand and communications by developing and managing a fully integrated marketing plan and communications process, calendar, and plan.
• Develop and manage a fully integrated marketing plan with clearly defined marketing objectives, communications strategies and calendar to deliver a consistent brand experience. Lead and implement a team of four communications team managers (digital, development, social, and video/visual). Provide frequent coaching, help develop and support their performance work goals, and facilitate their annual performance reviews.
• Identify, establish, and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support and manage communications requests and needs.
• Collaborate cross functionally with internal teams, departments, programs, faculty, staff, and other key internal stakeholders to ensure that external communications and public information reflect the School’s brand standards and positioning platform.
• Continually optimize communications strategy and creative/content development that maximizes owned and earned media platforms (ie: website, email collateral, school communications, social media, press releases, advertising, etc.)
• Develop benchmark criteria to track effectiveness of the brand and communications strategies on a regular basis.
• Collaborate with the Head of School, Associate Head of School and Chief Advancement Officer to manage a comprehensive media relations and crisis management strategy. Engage with key media outlets, both proactively and reactively, to generate high quality, high impact media coverage. Serve as a senior-level spokesperson for the school, representing the school to external constituencies. Includes the activation of the School’s emergency notification system.

Position Requirements:

• A bachelor's degree (master’s preferred) from an accredited college or university.
  5+ years’ experience in communications and/or marketing.
• Experience working in a complex organization, working with cross-functional teams responsible for institutional visibility is strongly preferred.
• Experience with budget development and management.
• Proven relationship-building skills with developing and maintaining excellent working relationships within an organization.
• Refined project management skills with an ability to translate marketing and communication objectives into actionable project plans.
• Ability to work independently, quickly, and thoroughly to prioritize and complete tasks under multiple deadlines.
• Ability to synthesize data into actionable insights and/or strategies.
• Demonstrates outstanding written and oral communication skills, with ability to craft compelling messaging.
• Ability to consistently demonstrate positive attitude and behaviors.
• A strong desire to work in a collaborative office, employing a growth mindset and working effectively in a diverse team.
• Knowledge of Associated Press and/or University of Chicago manuals of style.
• At times throughout the year, the employee is required to work outside of regular business hours for various job-related functions. The employee will receive as much advance notification as possible for these events and is required to respond and provide support as part of their essential duties.

Physical Demands:

NOTE: The Lovett School employment process includes a post-offer drug (hair) test and background check. See the employment application for more information.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, and talk or hear. The position requires frequent typing, at times for long periods of the day. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.