Director of Marketing and Communications

The Director of Marketing and Communications serves as the strategic leader for all communications, marketing, and public relations across Charlotte Latin School. Ensuring a clear, consistent, and mission-aligned voice for the institution, the Director reports to the Chief Advancement Officer and works in close partnership with the Head of School and the Administrative Team. 

The Director brings exceptional communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives, develop cohesive institutional messaging, and confidently represent the School in public settings. This role requires an independent, initiative-driven leader who can manage multiple complex projects with clarity and thorough follow-through. Success relies on strong relationship-building, cultivating trust, collaborating across departments, and navigating sensitive issues with the utmost professionalism and discretion.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Marketing & Brand Management

• Lead Marketing Strategy: Serve as the School's chief marketing strategist; partner with Advancement and Admissions to design, implement, and analyze comprehensive branding, digital, and print marketing plans.
• Drive Brand Alignment: Oversee school-wide brand integrity, ensuring all high-profile digital publications, newsletters, and promotional materials align with institutional standards.
• Conduct Market Research: Initiate constituent research (parents, faculty and staff, donors, prospective families) to identify key brand attributes and inform strategic marketing practices.

Content & Execution

• Oversee Marketing Execution: Direct and contribute to the development of print, web, and social media initiatives for Admissions, Advancement, the academic team, the Board of Trustees, and parent organizations.
• Manage Publications: Oversee the design, production, and creation of major institutional publications, including semiannual magazines, annual reports, and fundraising materials.
• Own Digital & Website Strategy: Partner with the Technology Department and Administrative Team to oversee website design, architecture, usability, and content, maintaining final approval on all public-facing web copy and digital brand messaging.

Leadership & Executive Support

• Lead the Communications Team: Oversee and manage the Office of Marketing and Communications, providing strategic vision, coaching, and project direction for department staff.
• Develop Executive Messaging: Support the Head of School's messaging and lead the writing, editing, and refinement of all-school communications.
• Budget Management: Develop, monitor, and optimize the department's annual budget.

Crisis & Media Relations

• Manage Media Relations: Serve as the School's primary media contact under the direction of the Head of School; oversee media buying and advertising strategies.
• Guide Crisis Communications: Partner with the Head of School and the Crisis Management Team to coordinate crisis response messaging, protocols, and media training.

The ideal candidate develops and executes comprehensive communication strategies that strengthen the School's brand reputation, deepen community engagement, and advance institutional priorities.

Education & Experience

• Education: Bachelor's degree required; an advanced degree in communications, marketing, journalism, or a related field is preferred.
• Professional Experience: 7 years of progressive experience in communications, marketing, public relations, or brand strategy. Strong preference given to candidates with experience in independent schools, higher education, or education-focused non-profits.
• Leadership Track Record: Proven experience managing, coaching, and developing a creative team; experience supporting or building new leadership teams is a plus.
• Crisis & PR Experience: Demonstrated experience managing public relations and navigating sensitive or high-stakes crisis communications.
• Data & Fiscal Management: Proven experience managing departmental budgets, interpreting marketing data, and assessing the ROI of communication strategies.

Technical Proficiency & Skills

• Systems & Tools: Proficiency with Google Workspace, Adobe Creative Suite (Pro/InDesign), and Canva.
• School & Donor Databases: Experience with donor management and school software (Blackbaud/Raiser's Edge preferred) and school CMS platforms (e.g., Finalsite, WordPress).
• Communication Master: Exceptional writing and editing skills.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Exceptional interpersonal skills with a proven ability to collaborate effectively with senior administrators, faculty, Board trustees, parents, and community partners.

Core Competencies & Cultural Contribution

• High-Touch Relationship Management: Committed to providing a "high-service, high-touch" experience for the CLS community, collaborating effortlessly with families, faculty, and staff.
• Strategic Agility & Decisiveness: An adaptable, strategic leader capable of analyzing complex institutional needs, setting clear priorities, and making sound, data-driven decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Advancement & Fundraising Literacy: Possesses a strong understanding of how digital communications, marketing tech, and storytelling directly drive institutional advancement and fundraising success.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: Operates with a constant awareness of process improvement, regularly evaluating existing workflows and strategies to foster positive growth and efficiency.
• Project Excellence: A collaborative self-starter who balances a team-first approach with the ability to manage multiple projects effectively, ensuring timelines are met efficiently and professionally.

Working Conditions and Environment

• Intermittently lift, carry, push, and pull up to 15 pounds.
• Continuously see, sit, balance, grasp, and have repetitive use of arms, wrists, hands, and fingers; and some fine finger dexterity.
• Frequently talk and hear.
• Intermittently stand, stoop, bend, twist, crouch, kneel, crawl, walk, climb stairs and ladders, operate foot and hand controls, squeeze, and reach above shoulders.
• Exposure to dust, chemicals, fumes, flammables, grease, dirt, stacked materials, electrical equipment, machinery, low to medium noise levels, and moderate indoor heat and cold temperatures.
• Long or odd hours, as needed.