Director of Communications

Vistamar School, founded in 2005, is an independent college preparatory day school serving grades 9-12 in El Segundo, CA. The Vistamar experience is guided by its core values and its mission which rests on three pillars: challenging academics that engage and inspire students; an intimate atmosphere that supports students with caring relationships; and a diverse community that encourages the authentic exchange of perspectives and leads students to be comfortable crossing cultural boundaries.

Vistamar is governed by a 16-person Board of Trustees composed of current and alumni parents, alumni, educators, and members of the community at large. The institution draws from a variety of public, charter, independent, and parochial schools from the South Bay of Los Angeles and has a diverse population of 260 students in which approximately 52% of students identify as people of color. Of the 53 faculty and staff members, roughly 50% identify as people of color and 80% have advanced degrees. Vistamar has an annual budget of $11 million and provides over $4 million in the Moderated Tuition Program supporting 42% of the student body. The student/teacher ratio is 7:1. Vistamar is accredited by California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

About the role

Vistamar School announces a search for the Director of Communications, who will be at the hub of all communications and marketing efforts of the school. The Director will promote the school’s mission, core values, program, and brand to all stakeholders including current and prospective families, alumni and their families, and the broader community. Effective communications will improve the stakeholder experience and drive institutional growth, launching Vistamar into an optimistic future.

Having just celebrated the school’s 20th anniversary, Vistamar is refreshing and reimagining its position in the educational marketplace. This identity exploration and crisp messaging is fundamental to ongoing strategic planning. The Director of Communications will play a leadership role in this effort.

The Director of Communications reports to the Assistant Head of School for Enrollment Management and Strategy and is responsible for a wide range of print, video, and digital projects, event communications, and social media content. This position is the primary content creator and stakeholder engagement manager on behalf of Vistamar, translating the lived experience of the school into messaging that is clear, engaging, and aligned. The Director executes a marketing and communications strategy designed in collaboration with the Leadership Team and consultants. The Director partners with the Admissions Team for school marketing and the Development Team for donor, alumni, and parent communications with a focus on promoting events and preparing collateral materials. This position interacts with teachers, Student Services, and Life Planning to feature the school program to all stakeholders. The Director utilizes outside vendors to support creative work as necessary.

Responsibilities

• Organize content, design, edit and distribute the Weekly E-News to the community
• Draft, edit, and proofread communications for print, email, and web
• Design and produce school publications, invitations, and event collateral (such as State of School, graduation, etc.)
• Editorial direction, design, production, and distribution of all print, video, digital, and social media content
• Update the website by soliciting or generating relevant information
• Maintain social media campaigns and calendar by generating or gathering visuals and relevant information for posts
• Photograph and video and create communications about relevant events, classroom activities, and other school initiatives
• Update and maintain internal slideshows
• Collect, curate and maintain a digital library of school-related photographs and video content
• Available to work occasional evenings and weekends to support some school events
• Budget management: process invoices, assist in budget forecasting process
• Media planning: lead media planning process; develop and maintain spreadsheet to track programs and spending
• Manage inventory of promotional materials, placing orders and verifying receipt
• Prepare reports on marketing efforts and impact for Board as necessary
• Other duties as assigned by Assistant Head or Head of School

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in Communications, Marketing, English or related field, or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 2 years of communications, marketing, or project management experience
• Strong writing, editing, and organizational skills with attention to detail
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar design tools
• Experience managing social media platforms (especially Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook)
• Proficiency with Google Suite, and readiness and ability to learn Finalsite and Blackbaud CMS
• Comfort juggling multiple projects on tight deadlines
• A collaborator who cultivates strong, collegial relationships with all community members
• Demonstrated commitment and competency in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Experience working in independent schools is a plus, but not required
• Experience in public relations is a plus, but not required

Pay

$95,000 - $110,000