San Diego French-American School: Seeking Marketing Associate

With Who:  San Diego French-American School

Location:  La Jolla, CA

Type of Employment:  Full-time

Salary:  $40,000 – $60,000

Position Description:  The Marketing Associate (MA) reports directly to the Director of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications (DEMMC), with the primary function of supporting the school’s efforts in branding and messaging, marketing and digital marketing, internal and external communications (in collaboration with the Communications Manager), admissions and retention, and community building. The MA plays an important role by providing administrative support, project management and execution support and creative contributions to the Office of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications, including using best practices for non-profits in the above areas, working extensively with technology and data/data analysis, social media, reporting, messaging, content creation, website design/enhancement and other related marketing, digital marketing, communications and admissions tasks in collaboration with other departments (Development, Enrichment, Finance, Facilities, Academic Directors and the Head of School).

Position Overview:

• Full time year-round position.
• 4 weeks-vacation plus an additional week between Christmas and New Year’s.
• Salary range $40,000 – $60,000 (commensurate with qualifications and experience); competitive benefits.
• Occasional evening/weekend work required; ability to lift and carry up to 35lbs.
• Dynamic team; compelling educational mission.

General Duties in Marketing, Digital Marketing, Communications and Admissions:

• Implement short and long-term marketing, admissions, and communication strategies to support the advancement of the school’s mission, vision, brand, reputation, philosophy, and events.
• Promote programs that enhance the public perception of the school, interest parents to send their children to and remain in the school if already part of the community, and encourage donors to contribute to SDFAS.
• Work with the DEMMC, the Communications Manager, the Director of Development, the Enrichment Manager, the faculty and staff, and Head of School to achieve brand consistency, coordination of messages, and the highest standards for external and internal marketing and communications.
• Support public relations for school events which may include, but is not limited to photography, production of newsletters, press releases for publication and working with media contacts.
• Create marketing content consistent with SDFAS’s overall mission, values and brand messaging.
• Produce video clips; select photographic and other images to accompany messaging; produce video interviews of current and former parents, current students and alumni, current faculty and staff (for marketing purposes and for use as web content); maintain media archives.
• Work closely and collaboratively with the administrative team.
• Acts as a passionate and tireless lead promoter of the school’s mission, vision, core values, identity and brand.
• Act as an enthusiastic ambassador of our program to all current and potential stakeholders.

As-Needed Support to Admissions & Communications:

• As needed, welcome prospective families to the campus warmly and tour them around the campus sharing with them basic knowledge of the school’s facilities and programs.
• As needed, assist the Director of EMMC with admissions-related work, including responding to inquiries, following up with multiple touch points with inquiries and applicants.
• As needed, assist with other recruiting and admissions activities, including, but not limited to, open house, preschool academies, events off campus, parent education opportunities and shadow days for student applicants.
• As needed, ssist with the communications function of the school as needed, for example with the weekly digital all-school newsletter, creating and posting content for blogs, interfacing with the Community Association and Room Parents, coordinating messaging among administration and the academic leadership, helping with the organization and execution of school, community and parent events.
• As needed, Support recruiting and admissions processing by using recruiting and admissions technology.

Website:

• Lead and collaborate in the creation, modification and update of web content and related protocols, including overseeing a process to translate the same into French for the French side of the website
• Ensure the website design flow adheres to branding specifications and is conducive to a user-friendly find/view pattern.
• Constantly check the website for smooth and error-free functioning; troubleshoot or manage effective troubleshooting as needed
• Advance the SDFAS marketing strategy by tracking and analyzing website data, including using GoogleAnalytics and other best practices in SEO or the oversight of an SEO strategy and process

Print Materials:  

• Collaborate in the design and production of printed materials for educational, fundraising, admissions, enrichment and administrative operations.
• Manage creation and selection of photography for print and electronic communications.
• Support the development and execution of collateral materials for major organizational initiatives.

Social Media and Media Relations:  

• Promote school and community association events via messages and content placed in weekly all-school parent newsletter.
• Maintain the school’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages and continually feed and update all social media.
• Actively monitor the school’s online reputation and react quickly and with a concerted marketing and communications response when needed
• Write and distribute press releases and radio advertising; pitch the local media to secure media placement (e.g. La Jolla Light)

Key Skills & Competencies:  

• Outstanding organizational skills, exceptional attention to detail; creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills in English (and if also in French, this is a real advantage); compose, edit, and proofread text with accuracy.
• Superior interpersonal and social-emotional skills, including self-awareness, empathy, patience, active listening ability, and clarity of thought and communication.
• Superior technology skills and the motivation and ability to quickly learn common non-profit industry platforms (as well as new and emerging ones: email marketing software, website, DocuSign, student information systems, teleconferencing software, emerging communications and marketing platforms, new social medial arrivals, etc.).
• Energetic, motivated and a genuine life-long learner who enjoys teaching him or herself new things through one’s own research, experimentation and seeking of training from those more expert; a “networker”.
• Able to prioritize and balance a variety of projects simultaneously and meet critical time deadlines under significant pressure; short- medium- and long-term project management and execution skills; accountability to self and team.
• Proficient and comfortable both as a collaborative team member and as an individual contributor.
• Marketing-communications experience in copywriting, graphic design, and public relations.
• Experienced with social media platforms and associate best marketing practices for using them.
• Customer service-oriented through and through; a building of partnerships; a collaborator.
• Highly discreet, with great respect for confidentiality and the dignity of children and adults alike.

Required Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in marketing, digital marketing, English/journalism, public relations, computer science, or a related marketing or communications field preferred.
• Proficient in Google Suite, Chromebook Cloud-Based Computing, Mac platform as well as some or all of the following applications: WordPress, Publisher, Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Mac platform. Coding knowledge and experience a plus.
• Working knowledge of web development languages, content management systems, student information systems, current browsers and other emerging web technologies.
• Bilingual with native level English (oral and written proficiency or fluency in French is a real advantage).
• Non-profit experience preferred but not required.
• Must be able to clear a background check and TB test and demonstrated a history of ability to work effectively with both children and adults.

Apply (or request more information):  Apply today! Please send as a single PDF file a cover letter, curriculum vitae, personal statement (written in English), writing sample in French (if applicable), and at least two recent letters of recommendation (one of which is from a current or former direct supervisor) to the attention of Ms. Isabelle Gilet, Director of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications to the following email address:  employment@sdfrenchschool.org