We’re Hiring a Director of Marketing and Communications

Title: Director of Marketing and Communications
Classification: Exempt
Department: Enrollment Management
Status: Full-Time, 12 Month, In Person, Non-Faculty, Occasional Evening & Weekend Work
Reports to: Vice President of Enrollment (primary),
Interfaces significantly with Vice President of Institutional Advancement

Overview

The Director of Marketing and Communications develops and elevates the brand and reputation of De La Salle Institute across all external and internal stakeholders to drive enrollment, strengthen brand affinity, and drive outreach and fundraising. Central to this role is the ability to propose, create, and activate integrated strategies that attract new students, increase engagement, connect with communities, and drive awareness and create positive word-of-mouth for De La Salle.

This is a highly collaborative position requiring effective communication, high emotional intelligence, and a team-based approach to goal-setting, prioritization and marketing activation. The

Director of Marketing and Communications will be solution-oriented and committed to extending the highest level of customer service possible to our campus community and external constituencies.

Specifically, the Director of Marketing and Communications will be responsible for setting the school’s marketing and communications strategy, including messaging, digital strategy, and visual brand identity and guidelines, as well as assisting the Vice President of Enrollment with the creation, execution, and management of all recruiting publications, materials, and electronic marketing communication aimed at prospective students and their families. Additionally, the Director of Marketing and Communications will support communication outreach to alumni, donors, and prospects on a regular basis, under the direction of the Vice President of Advancement.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, a high level of attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize multiple projects while working under strict deadlines is critical to success in this role.

Responsibilities include:

• Development of the school’s branding, internet and web strategies, implementing the school’s Brand Guidelines, Marketing for Enrollment Plan and Marketing plan. Ensuring visual identity compliance and consistency of brand messaging/pillars.
• Source, write, edit, and share the school’s stories throughout popular media to increase the school’s visibility, enhance its reputation, and demonstrate its unique value among our key audiences through media coverage in print, online, broadcast, and through social media channels. Ensure a consistent brand and tone throughout the institution and all social media channels.
• Assess marketing analytics and SEO to ensure the school’s digital marketing is continually updated and optimized for success.
• Assist in the creation, setup, and monitoring of email and texting communications out of the CRM system, Blackbaud, and Constant Contact. This includes creating new campaigns, monitoring existing campaigns, and suggesting changes or improvements to customer journeys and other email or texting communication campaigns.
• Help to write and produce targeted marketing and promotional materials in the form of recruitment pieces, letters, and e-mail. Assists in developing advertising and direct mail campaigns, to include concept development and design, and production, under the supervision of the Vice President of Enrollment.
• Create graphics or other design elements for use in publications, the web, email, video, social media, or any other marketing and communications channels.
• Create, manage, catalog and organize new and existing video and photo assets to be used across multiple types of projects.
• Implement and ensure adherence to the school’s brand and marketing strategies in alignment with De La Salle Institute’s vision, mission, and values. Assist in the creation of visual assets.
• Maintain the De La Salle Institute website, email design and quality assurance, and digital asset creation
• Manage all web properties, tools and trainings including the school’s content management system.
• Serve as editor for annual D Magazine and Annual Report. Some Department of Advancement collaborators also assist in the research, writing, revising, editing, and proofreading the marketing content and stories that reflect the school’s vision and strategic plan.
• Ensure communications and advocacy campaigns are integrated across media, email, social media, and web properties.
• Work with Meteor Bookstore manager to ensure consistent quality, image branding, and graphic presentation with uniforms and spiritwear.
• Help in the management and maintenance of all webpages on the Admissions and Financial Aid websites and educating other departments in updating their web pages for needed updates or to remove irrelevant content.
• Supervise, coordinate and proactively direct media relationships, including public relations and advertising.
• In concert with the President, responsible for crisis communications objectives as it relates to public information, unscheduled closings, etc.
• In concert with the VPs for Enrollment and Institutional Advancement, manage the school’s marketing/communications budget.
• Manage a small team of outside vendors and support internal stakeholders toward the realization of a schoolwide strategic marketing and communications goals.

De La Salle Institute’s Requirements of All Employees:

• Demonstrated excellence in written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equal opportunity, and the academic, intellectual, and social development of all students and employees.
• Models and embodies a personal values system that promotes and celebrates a collaborative workplace climate that recognizes and values diversity.
• Treats others respectfully, speaks to others courteously, and behaves in such a way that creates a workplace environment that is marked by trustworthiness, honest but polite communication, and interpersonal interactions that are both personally cordial and professionally appropriate.
• Acts as a team player when working with any and all employees of the school.
• Serves on institutional committees as appointed by the President.

Successful candidates will possess:

• An appreciation for De La Salle Institute’s mission as a Catholic, Lasallian, college preparatory school serving a diverse population.
• A bachelor’s degree, ideally in communications, journalism, marketing, public relations.
• 3-5 years’ experience in communications, public relations, marketing or journalism, admissions or advancement with progressive project management experience.
• Five years of demonstrated successful experience leading marketing and branding efforts including emerging and traditional media.
• Robust knowledge of social media, digital content management systems, marketing, advertising, and media relations.
• Strong communication, leadership, organizational, and analytical skills and demonstrate the ability to solve problems.
• Proven ability to deal effectively, cooperatively, and tactfully to provide excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience in web content management.
• Demonstrates ability to act with discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Proven ability to multitask with strong time management skills and the ability to address competing priorities in a dynamic, high-performance environment.
• Proficiency in MS Office, specifically Word and Excel, Google Suite, Constant Contact, Adobe Illustrator (or like programs) and a working knowledge of, or capacity to learn, Blackbaud.
• Excellent communication skills: writing, editing, public speaking.
• A strong work ethic and collaborative spirit: Excellent time management, budgeting, organization, and follow-through skills, ability to take initiative and meet external deadlines while being able to work independently and as a supportive member of the team.
• High emotional intelligence, flexibility, patience, discretion, creativity, positive energy, a warm empathetic personality and good sense of humor.

School Description

 De La Salle Institute is an independent Catholic secondary school rooted in the tradition of Christian education begun by St. John Baptist de La Salle. Founded in 1889, its mission has been, and is, to foster a desire for excellence in education. Young people from a variety of ethnic and economic backgrounds are given the opportunity to fully develop their abilities so they may be active, contributing members of our complex changing society. Lasallian educators strive to model the values expressed in the Five Principles of Lasallian Education: respect for all persons, inclusive community, faith in the presence of God, concern for the poor and social justice, and academic excellence.

Please submit your application to:

Ms. Carlene Klaas
Vice President of Enrollment
De La Salle Institute
employment@dls.org

De La Salle Institute is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate.

July 2023