With Who: Concord Academy
Location: Concord, MA
Type of Employment: Full-Time
Position Description: Located in the historic village of Concord, Massachusetts, Concord Academy is an independent, co-educational day and boarding school serving students from across the United States and around the world. The Academy seeks an experienced marketing and communications professional to join its senior leadership team. Nearing its centennial, Concord Academy enjoys an increasingly strong market position and enthusiastic philanthropic support for its strategic priorities. For more information about the school and its mission, please visit www.concordacademy.org.
The Candidate: Reporting to the Interim Head of School, the successful candidate will be an exceptional relationship builder and an excellent storyteller who participates actively in the school community. The Director will thrive in a fast-paced environment and will lead with confidence and self-awareness. Working in partnership with senior leaders, the Director will demonstrate initiative, creativity, and empathy. Simultaneously, the successful candidate will effectively manage a team to anticipate and serve the needs of internal clients, including Admissions, Advancement, Academics and Student Life, and the Head of School. The Director will be customer-focused, have high standards, and provide creative solutions beyond the traditional modes of messaging employed by independent schools. The successful candidate will embrace working with a diverse range of people and be able to represent a school community that includes and welcomes people of different races, ethnicities, gender identities, and nationalities. A thought partner to the Interim Head of School, the Director will demonstrate wisdom and judgment and will provide strategic advice for both emergent and long-term planning.
Key Responsibilities:
- Deliver compelling information and messages to various constituency groups, including coordinating in-house and outsourced talent as needed to support these strategies.
- Assess current communications and marketing practices and ensure the systems, resources, and process for achieving communications objectives are in place, understood, and effectively implemented.
- Develop a comprehensive, integrated strategy that encompasses digital, social, and print media.
- Collaborate with the leadership of the Admission, Advancement Offices, Interim Head of School, and other departments to inspire and engage prospective students and their families as well as alumni, donors, and donor prospects across all strategic communications and major events.
- Oversee brand management, including ensuring the integrity and consistency of the Academy’s editorial and visual brand and design standards.
- Act as lead in media relations, engaging local media and nurturing community connections; coordinate with the Interim Head of School in serving as spokesperson for the school; and serve as an essential leader and resource in managing crisis communications.
- Provide communications counsel to the Interim Head of School and write and edit material for the Interim Head of School and Board of Trustees President.
- Develop and guide the regular implementation of communication vehicles that guarantee parents, alumni, and other stakeholders receive timely and up-to-date information.
- Maintain overall responsibility for the school’s website, email marketing and newsletters, and social media activities.
- Manage and develop the Marketing and Communications staff through supervision, support, and evaluation.
- Be passionately engaged in the life of the school.
Personal Attributes and Skills:
- Exceptional listening and communication skills and a blend of confidence and humility.
- A love of learning, an ethic of self-improvement, and the heart of a teacher always working in best interest of students.
- Strong leadership skills and the ability to inspire and work in a cross functional manner.
- A self-starter capable of offering original ideas and seeing them through from concept to implementation.
- Perform with craftsmanship, accountability, and aplomb while adapting to multiple and shifting audiences.
- Possess the skills, perspective, and optimism to collaborate effectively with other members of academy senior leadership; be a strong and respected colleague with faculty and staff; represent the school well in the community.
- Have proven skills as a speaker, writer, and listener.
- Be versed in the latest communications technologies and social media.
- Manage projects and people with focus, flexibility, and good humor.
Concord Academy actively seeks employees who reflect and support our mission-driven commitment to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive school community. Concord Academy strives for equity and justice in our journey as a learning community. The common trust we are building values the unique contributions and voice of every individual. In keeping with our ideals, we invite candidates to join in this process who bring a substantive and varied combination of educational pursuits and lived experiences that demonstrate the capacity to make a meaningful difference as a senior leader within our community. The school provides a competitive salary and benefits package.
Apply (or request more information): See more information on the Concord Academy Careers site! Interested candidates, please include resumé and cover letter to: Peter G. Hamilton, Conley Search Group at peter@conleysearch.com or (617)-620-9268 or Christian G. Henry at christian@conleysearch.com or (857)-285-3364.