Director of Marketing Communications

The Director of Marketing Communications at Almaden Country Day School in San Jose leads strategic marketing, branding, and communications to elevate the school's reputation, support enrollment and retention, and engage internal and external communities, with a salary range of USD 110,000 to 130,000 per year.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and assess an annual, comprehensive marketing and communications plan to boost awareness, enrollment, and retention.
• Guard the ACDS brand by updating and enforcing visual and editorial identity standards across all departments.
• Train faculty, staff, and parent volunteers on the proper use of the ACDS Visual Identity System and Style Guide.
• Oversee the Marketing & Communications budget, ensuring cost-effective production and measurable ROI on advertising spend.
• Serve as the school’s chief storyteller by writing, editing, photographing, and occasionally designing content that reflects daily life at ACDS.
• Develop and guide communication vehicles to keep parents, alumni, and stakeholders informed with timely updates.
• Manage media presence through paid advertising and earned media via regular press releases.
• Collaborate with the Head of School and executive leadership to manage crisis communications and public-facing messaging during urgent situations.
• Create content and direct the visual and editorial direction for non-academic digital media, including the ACDS website, Apple Seed newsletters, and the Homeroom App.
• Develop training and tools for communications platforms such as Pixevety DAM and the Homeroom App.
• Maintain, prioritize, and execute the website project backlog in coordination with Technology and Marketing Systems leadership.
• Oversee content for the LED electronic signboard and keep it current.
• Partner with the Director of Business Information & Marketing Systems on all web-related matters.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher, ideally in journalism, communications, marketing, public relations, or related field.
• Minimum of five years of relevant full-time experience in public relations, writing, editing, and publications project management within corporate or educational settings.
• Exceptional writing, editorial, and storytelling abilities with a proven track record of emotionally engaging copy.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to collaborate across teams and represent the school professionally.
• Solid understanding of electronic media usage, social media algorithms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn), and digital analytics tools (Google Analytics, Meta Ads).
• Outstanding organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Flexible, collaborative, and able to work well with others.
• Self-starter capable of managing multi-tiered workflows in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with digital photography.
• Ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects concurrently.
• Proficiency with Content Management Systems and general website mechanics.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud tools, including InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
• Experience in an independent school setting is a plus.

Technologies

• Pixevety DAM
• Homeroom App
• Adobe Creative Cloud
• InDesign
• Illustrator
• Photoshop
• Google Analytics
• Meta Ads
• ChatGPT
• Gemini
• Perplexity
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• CMS

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance

Application Process

• Submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional supervisory references to Lisa Walsh, Director of Business Information & Marketing Systems, at [email protected].
• Interviews will follow with selected applicants.
• ACDS employs a suite of HR tools to assess candidates and identify finalists.

Application Deadline

• This position is open until filled.

Overview of Almaden Country Day School

Almaden Country Day School is an independent Pre-K through 8th grade school located in the Almaden Valley area of South San Jose. The school’s mission is to “discover the gifts in every child,” promoting a high-opportunity, low-stress learning environment where instruction is age-appropriate, highly individualized, and joyful.