Description:

Almaden Country Day School (ACDS) seeks a dynamic, visionary, and energetic storyteller to become our Director of Marketing and Communications. This individual is a key administrative leader responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive, multi-channel marketing, branding, and communications strategy that advances the school’s reputation, supports recruitment and retention, and deeply engages our internal and external communities.

Aligning all work with the ACDS mission of “discovering the gifts in every child,” the Director ensures that the joyful, high-opportunity, and student-centered culture of our school is vividly communicated across all platforms.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

Strategic Leadership & Brand Identity

• Develop, implement, and evaluate an annual comprehensive marketing and communications plan to raise public awareness, boost enrollment, and increase retention.
• Serve as the guardian of the ACDS brand, maintaining, updating, and enforcing visual and editorial identity standards across all departments.
• Train faculty, staff, and parent volunteers in the appropriate use of the ACDS Visual Identity System and Style Guide.
• Manage the Marketing & Communications annual operating budget, ensuring cost-effective production and measurable ROI on advertising spend.

Content Creation, Digital Presence, & Public Relations

• Serve as the school’s chief storyteller: write, edit, photograph, and occasionally design high-quality content that captures daily life at ACDS.
• Develop and guide the implementation of communication vehicles that ensure parents, alumni, and other stakeholders receive timely and up-to-date information.
• Manage media presence through paid advertising and “earned media” through regular press releases.
• In coordination with the Head of School and executive leadership, help manage crisis communications and public-facing messaging during urgent or sensitive situations.
• Create content for and oversee both the visual and editorial direction of non-academic electronic media such as the ACDS website, weekly newsletters such as Apple Seed, and the Homeroom App.
• Create training and tools for communications, such as Pixevety DAM and Homeroom App.
• Maintain, prioritize, and implement the overall project list for website planning, upgrades, and ongoing requests, in concert with the Director of Technology and Director of Business Information & Marketing Systems.
• Manage and develop content for the LED electronic signboard.
• Work closely with the Director of Business Information & Marketing Systems on all web-related issues.

Marketing & Advertising

• Evaluate and pursue marketing, external relations, media relations, tools, and advertising opportunities.
• Optimize the school’s website and digital content for maximum visibility on standard search engines and modern AI discovery platforms (like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity).
• Evaluate technologies and/or systems for increasing marketing output and improving conversion rate.
• Create content for and oversee both the visual and editorial direction of the school’s presence on social network sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Create content for inbound marketing in conjunction with subject matter experts to publish on the school’s podcast, blog, and news releases.

Admissions, Operations & Community Partnership

• Partner closely with the Director of Admissions and the Director of Business Information & Marketing Systems to implement inbound and digital marketing strategies that fill the top-level enrollment funnel.
• Collaborate with Leadership, Development and Admissions offices on major complex design projects (e.g., Parent Handbook, Admissions Viewbooks, Annual Auction & Gala materials).
• Manage community touchpoints, including the online Spirit Store website (inventory, pricing, and vendor coordination) and review/approve all program spirit and uniform apparel (e.g., Lands' End catalog coordination).

Qualifications

The Director of Marketing Communications serves as the primary writer, editor, photographer, web-based communicator, production coordinator, and, often, graphic designer (complex design projects such as handbooks, annual reports, and Admission’s viewbook can be accomplished out of house). Freelance writers, out-of-house design support, and additional proofreading and editing support are available on an as-needed and budgeted basis. As a result, the successful candidate will have a wide cross-section of skills and professional experiences.

The Director of Marketing Communications should have:

• A bachelor’s degree or higher, preferably in journalism, communications, marketing, public relations, or a related field.
• At least five years of relevant full-time experience with public relations, writing, editing, and publications project management in a corporate or educational setting.
• Exceptional written, editorial, and storytelling abilities, with a proven track record of writing copy that connects emotionally with an audience.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, allowing one to work effectively with colleagues and constituents, solve problems, and represent Almaden Country Day School in the community.
• A strong understanding of the uses and basic mechanics of electronic media, social media algorithms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn), and digital analytics tools (Google Analytics/Meta Ads).
• Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Flexibility and an ability to work well with others.
• Must be a self-starter who thrives managing a multi-tiered workflow in a fast-paced, upbeat environment.
• Experience with digital photography.
• Ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and manage many different projects at once.
• Strong working knowledge of Content Management Systems (CMS) and website mechanics.
• Proficiency with desktop publishing and creative software, specifically Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Experience working in an independent school environment is a plus.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit a resumé, cover letter, and three professional supervisory references to Lisa Walsh, Director of Business Information & Marketing Systems, at lwalsh@almadencountryday.org. Interviews will follow with select applicants. ACDS utilizes a variety of HR tools to assess candidates and select finalists for our job vacancies.

Application Deadline: This position is open until filled.

Overview of Almaden Country Day School

Almaden Country Day School is an independent school serving Pre-K through 8th-grade students, located in the Almaden Valley of South San Jose. The school's mission is to "discover the gifts in every child." ACDS promotes the belief that children learn best in a high-opportunity, low-stress environment, and when instruction is age-appropriate, highly individualized, and joyful.

We serve 425 students in small classes with multiple sections at each grade level. While our focus is on the journey of childhood and providing balance that shapes confident, curious, empathetic leaders, our graduates are prepared for a rigorous high school experience. It is not unusual for half of the students in an ACDS graduating class to be accepted into high school with academic distinction or honors placement. Approximately 25 percent of the student body receives tuition aid.

ACDS strives to develop well-rounded children prepared to enter the world with agency and self-advocacy. In addition to their literacy and math coursework, our youngest students experience theater, foreign language, physical education, music, maker space, and art, and in middle school, they choose from extensive choices across dozens of elective classes. The school’s signature enrichment programs, hands-on science featuring an outdoor classroom, and a robust integrated technology program all contribute to our emphasis on whole-child instruction.

For more information about Almaden Country Day School, candidates are encouraged to further explore our website, https://www.almadencountrydayschool.org/.

Pay: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year

Benefits:

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

Work Location: In person