Director of Strategic Communications

The School

Located in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama, Indian Springs School brings together a diverse cohort of approximately 320 boarding and day students in the 8th-12th grades. The school’s picturesque campus, on 350 acres, is consistently rated as the best school in Alabama and most beautiful school campus nationally, and it includes LEED-certified classroom facilities built in 2015 and a brand-new Community Commons that opened Fall 2022.

Since its founding in 1952, Indian Springs has been committed to challenging students to develop a love of learning and creativity, a sense of integrity and moral courage, and an ethic of participatory citizenship with respect for individuality and independent thought. From the earliest writings that brought our school into being, we have referred to ourselves as the “school community,” conspicuously linking teachers and students into a passionate and welcoming academic village.

Indian Springs is committed to equal employment opportunities, serves a talented and diverse student body, and offers its programs and employment to qualified individuals regardless of race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. All applicants must be willing to undergo reference checks, employment and civil background checks, and other screening as necessary. Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of our students.

The Position

The Director of Strategic Communications (DSC) is responsible for creating, maintaining, and communicating consistent messages about the School’s mission, core values, strategic goals, and long-term vision. The Director will report to the Assistant Head for External Affairs and work closely with the Head of School and Director of Enrollment. They manage one direct report and will be responsible for developing key marketing initiatives and managing all matters related to communications. The DSC will also work closely with the School’s senior administrative staff, faculty, alumni, parents and board.

The Director will oversee targeted communications, brand management, and the execution of special campaigns related to admission, fundraising, alumni relations, public relations as well as communication to internal constituencies (parents, students, faculty, etc.). The communications team aims to position the School competitively in a global marketplace through coordinated brand management, increased visibility and awareness, and enhancements in image and reputation.

The ideal candidate is a thoughtful, articulate and experienced communications professional who can lead staff effectively, manage outside vendors and freelancers, and serve as an ambassador for the School. The ability to orchestrate and run an academic year communications cycle with coordinated events, publications, and digital outreach efforts is essential to the mission of the office. In addition, at Indian Springs a cultural fit is of equal importance to a candidate’s ability to perform the tasks associated with this role. Springs seeks candidates who are self-starters, problem solvers, team players, leaders and effective communicators who also embody the School’s core values.

Duties and Responsibilities

Among other duties and responsibilities, the Director of Strategic Communications will:

• Create and deliver the School’s message by engaging and activating our community across multiple communications platforms, and bring the Indian Springs School story to life for the purposes of advancement, admissions and enrollment management.
• Manage and oversee content, design, production, and distribution of print and digital pieces related to advancement (i.e. annual giving, capital campaigns, major gift appeals, alumni relations) admission, parents association, etc.
• Create and oversee strategies to support various fundraising goals and advancement/parents association/admissions events when needed. Ensure message is consistent throughout all media communications about school life
• Create and execute an annual operational plan with goals, strategies, tactics, and key performance indicators. Identify opportunities to increase brand awareness and engagement. Support the Head of School in his communications.
• Develop relationships with faculty, staff, students, consultants, and internal community to be sure that they understand Indian Springs’ marketing and Strategic Communications initiatives, and that all communications are of good quality and consistent with our broader messages.
• Articulate and exemplify the School’s philosophy to the members of its various constituencies.

• Work closely with the Head of School and Assistant Head for External Affairs to develop goals and strategies for the School’s communications program.
• Collaborate to develop and implement communications around summer programming that will support the recruitment efforts of the School.
• Communicate and collaborate regularly with the Assistant Head for External Affairs and Assistant Head of Finance and Operations to promote message and mission consistency.
• Adhere to the highest ethical standards, reflect an optimistic and positive attitude, demonstrate perseverance, and stay focused on securing support for a set of campus-wide priorities.
• Maintain a high degree of confidentiality and adhere to the policies and procedures for professional communications.
• Be able to conduct select weekend and evening work for certain communitywide events (with advance notice).
• Coordinate with school colleagues in the following areas:
  • Print and digital publications relating to all advancement, admission, and

    parent communication, including regular parent e-newsletters.

  • Update (annually and as needed) the website pages for all aspects of Indian

    Springs life, working with relevant stakeholders.

  • Work with the advancement office on profiles and stories for Indian Springs

    magazine.

  • Oversee all digital and social media communications (including: YouTube,

    Instagram, and Facebook in real time).

  • Oversee graphic design needs (i.e. photos, print, video, web).
  • Oversee photography and video coverage for events both on and off campus,

    and obtain coverage for events that can be used to help us ‘tell the Springs story’ (i.e.: publicize events and achievements/milestones externally and internally for better public relations with all constituents).

  • Manage all freelance and vendor relationships to maximize the purchasing power of school resources.

    Qualifications

• Integrity, warmth, flexibility, confidence, a positive outlook, team player and a good sense of humor.
• Knowledge of and experience with successful marketing and communications programs and efforts.
• Ability to interact effectively with and earn the respect of all the constituencies of the Indian Springs School community, including current and prospective families, the leadership team, staff, faculty, Board, alumni, students, and friends of the School.
• Demonstrated ability to manage, motivate, develop, and mentor staff.

• Knowledge of how to market and communicate the School’s mission, vision and values both internally and externally.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• A strong commitment to an independent, globally minded, pluralistic, progressive

  boarding school education.

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5+ years of communications experience required, preferably at a nonprofit or an independent school and/or in higher education.

  Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to:

  James Simon, Assistant Head of School for Advancement and External Affairs

  james.simon@indiansprings.org