An industry expert in branding, marketing, digital marketing, social media, website presence, community outreach and communications (internal and external), the School’s first-ever Director of Marketing and Communications (DMC) advances the School’s mission, vision, values, programs, brand, and reputation as a leading independent international school offering an exceptional bilingual program. A member of the Senior Leadership Team reporting directly to the Head of School and participating in Board committees as assigned, the DMC leads the School’s effort to develop and implement highly effective branding, marketing and communications strategies. In support of that effort, the DMC brings considerable prior experience and expertise, innovative methods, cutting-edge tools, industry best practices, and awareness of emerging trends and approaches. Strategic objectives articulated to date by the School include building an ever greater sense of closeness, connectedness and community among SDFAS families (and alumni) and between families and the School; increasing buy-in and alignment of the faculty and staff as well-informed supporters of the School’s marketing and communications objectives; augmenting interest in the School from prospective and current families that translates into increased enrollment and retention; mobilizing and deploying a high-functioning group of parent association volunteers; and supporting the School’s ongoing development (fundraising) efforts. For further detail, refer to the expanded job description.
SALARY:
Competitive salary commensurate with profile and experience
BENEFITS:
Intangible
Dynamic, dedicated, high-functioning team
Compelling educational mission, vision and values
Ambitious, clearly-articulated strategic goals
Tangible
Full-time year-round position
Excellent benefits
100% employee premium for health, dental and vision
Up to 5% salary matching into a 403b retirement savings account after the first two years of employment
Earned paid vacation days in accordance with policy set forth in the Employee Handbook (5 weeks/year)
Partial tuition remission for children enrolled in the school
Ongoing professional development
TO APPLY:
Please send the following items as a single attached PDF file to employment@sdfrenchschool.org [to the attention of Mark Rosenblum, Head of School]:
One-page cover letter expressing “fit”
Curriculum vitae that demonstrates marketing creativity
One-page personal vision statement of marketing and communications (written in English)
Recent French written and/or audio sample(s) [only if the candidate has some level of proficiency]
Two recent letters of recommendation (one of which must be from a current or most recent direct supervisor)
Portfolio examples of a prior recent marketing/communications project for discussion during the interview process
START DATE
Immediate or as negotiated as soon as is feasible thereafter.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
Diploma(s). Minimum of a B.A., Master’s degree preferred in Marketing/Communications or related field
Language expertise. Superior level of English speaking and writing, editing and proofreading skills; bilingual French or second-language French proficiency is an asset though not required; also a “plus” though not required: proficiency of any kind in other languages or life experiences abroad or outside the region of one’s upbringing\
Significant prior experience. Branding, marketing and communications; digital marketing and social media platforms; website design, construction and maintenance; strategic thinking and project management; successful management of team members; demonstrated skillset collaborating with other department leaders and across the institution’s different constituencies
Presence (on-site/remote). Hybrid on-campus/off-campus OR all on-campus position; requires on-campus presence as well as highest performance standard and professionalism whenworking remotely (if/as permitted by the Head of School)
Eligibility. Clean background check; proof of negative TB; regular Covid-19 testing; ability to lift and carry up to 35lbs
KEY SKILL SETS & COMPETENCIES:
Professional leadership. Proven team leader; high level of independent decision-making; vision, decisiveness and good judgment; proactive leader and learner; clear thinker and communicator; outstanding organizational and managerial skills; standout task prioritization and time management skills; ability to balance multiple high-pressure time-sensitive projects simultaneously; exceptional attention to detail; solution-orientation and customer service focus through and through; accountable to self and others; poised, discreet and trustworthy.
Social-emotional. Superior interpersonal and social-emotional skills, including self-awareness and self-care, grit, a growth mindset and a sense of humor, stress management, and perspective-taking when under pressure; ability to work effectively with both children and adults; ability to cultivate meaningful positive working relationships with administrators, faculty, staff, parents, students, board members, school and community organizations, and the general public.
Cultural. Knowledge, experience and demonstrated ability to relate to and connect with people of diverse backgrounds, upbringings and life experiences, including people from groups considered as “minority” in some way.
Written and verbal. Superior, refined and culturally savvy graduate-level written and verbal expression in English is a fundamental and absolute requirement for this position; bilingual or second-language French is an advantage but not required. Additional languages, mother tongue or acquired, are also a plus for this position.
Technology and computing.Excellent technology and computing skill sets including high-level proficiency with collaborative cloud computing (e.g. Google Suite for Education), platforms commonly used by not-for-profit organizations; industry standard and emergent platforms relevant to branding/marketing and communications; motivation and ability to learn additional tools or platforms or deepen skills; and a working knowledge of web development languages, content management systems, student information systems,browsers and other emerging web technologies.
Fit. Strong commitment to independent school education with a particular enthusiasm for bilingual/international education; prior experience in an international or French-American school setting preferred but not required; demonstrated understanding of and alignment with SDFAS mission and values is a must.
Internal Number: 01
About San Diego French-American School
An independent, co-educational dual language school in La Jolla counting approximately 350 students age 2–13, the mission of the San Diego French-American School is to offer an exceptional bilingual education within a vibrant international community, preparing students to become confident, responsible and engaged global citizens. The core values of SDFAS are open-mindedness, intellectual curiosity, integrity, empathy and resilience. The school’s spacious campus facility is situated atop beautiful Mount Soledad in La Jolla. One of fifty-two French government-accredited international schools in the United States (and over 500 worldwide), the school also holds accreditation from the California Association of Independent schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Our compelling bilingual, multicultural offering includes an attractive array of academic, social-emotional and extracurricular programs. A recognized leader in international education among San Diego private schools and within the French-American school network, SDFAS is proud of its commitment to excellence and dedicated efforts to prepare students for global citizenship.
