Woodlands Academy is seeking a seasoned Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing to join a small, energetic team dedicated to promoting the value of an all-girls, Catholic, Sacred Heart education. This person will report to the Head of School, oversee the Strategic Communications and Marketing team, and serve as a member of the senior Leadership Team. This dynamic leader is the voice of Woodlands and serves as the “chief storyteller” and strategic brand building partner with Admissions and Development.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is one of 25 Sacred Heart schools in the United States and Canada. Sacred Heart education at Woodlands Academy is distinctive and emphasizes best practices for the education of girls and innovative methods for academic excellence. Established in 1858, the school forms global citizens and transforms young women through a dynamic of relationships that responds to the dignity of each member of the school community.

Attributes and Qualifications (who you are and what you will do):

• An experienced, collaborative, and empathetic leader who will oversee, implement, and facilitate annual strategic communications and marketing initiatives.
• A savvy storyteller who operates as a relatable communicator who can understand and speak to the perspectives of multiple audiences in support of telling the brand story.
• A consensus builder who exercises sound judgement, embodies respectful interaction, and models clear, direct, open communication.
• A strategic communicator will develop long-range communications, public relations, and marketing goals to ensure ongoing enhancement and maintenance of the Woodlands brand.
• A determined self-starter who will develop, oversee, and maintain the marketing and advertising plans to increase Woodlands’ visibility and competitive positions and enhance the public’s perception of the School.
• A confident problem solver who is excited to understand a niche market position and in concert with Admissions can create a prospective student/family journey map consistent with the brand story, resulting in the decision to apply.
• A flexible prioritizer who will collaborate with the development staff to create compelling stories and strategy in support of fundraising goals.
• A comprehensive connector who adept at not only connecting with colleagues, but also connecting ideas and mission-aligned community organizations in support of promoting Woodlands.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree with 5-7 years of experience in Marketing and Communications is required; independent school or nonprofit experience preferred.
• Proven ability to effectively lead, manage, and inspire a collaborative team in a fast-paced environment with multiple concurrent creative projects.
• Technically comfortable with desktop publishing, website content management, and social media marketing
• A demonstrated track record for collaboration, organization, and efficiency
• Outstanding written and oral communication, organizational, and presentation skills
• A mission driven individual committed to supporting, implementing, and modeling the Goals and Criteria for Sacred Heart Schools
• Successful completion of criminal and sexual offender registry background checks

Why you should join our community:

• Make an impact on the lives of young women as a member of an enthusiastic and encouraging community of educators
• Thrive in a creative domain while pursuing professional passions in an environment committed to lifelong learning
• Engage in meaningful work in a secure workforce with colleagues who lift each other up
• Experience work-life balance in a compassionate workplace strengthened by generous time-off
• Woodlands Academy offers generous health/dental/vision plans, group life and long-term disability, voluntary life, and voluntary short-term disability plans, 403(b) with 5% contribution of annual salary, and flexible spending accounts (benefits for full-time employees working 30+ hours per week only), tuition remission
• Special holiday breaks, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Spring Break
• Opportunities to volunteer

How to apply:

Please complete the application materials on our Employment page here. All applicants must apply with a cover letter, resume, and Personal Reflection on the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria. We also strongly suggest applicants to submit three written references.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is an all-girls, Catholic, college preparatory day and boarding school in Lake Forest, IL. Visit the school’s website at www.woodlandsacademy.org and the website of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools at www.sacredheartusc.education to learn more.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Woodlands does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, religion*, marital status, color, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, veteran status, or being a member of the Reserves or National Guard, genetic information, physical or mental disability, or other characteristics or statues in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

*The School reserves the right to use religion as a hiring criterion for selected positions and nature of a school as a faith-based institution as permitted by law.