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Working at York House School
York House School is a vibrant and close-knit school community where people feel valued, engaged, and connected to the school. All staff contribute towards empowering our students to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies to succeed in the world beyond our doors. On our path to creating a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future, we share the belief that individuals have inherent rights and deserve to be respected for who they are; that every member of our community belongs here and feels included; that we must treat others with dignity and expect the same in return.
Position Overview
York House School is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and creative communications leader to assume the Director of Communications & Marketing role as soon as possible. As the Senior Communications lead for the school, a member of the Leadership team, and reporting to the Head of School, this position plays a key role in providing leadership and execution of the school’s Communication and Marketing Programs. This Director of Communications and Marketing works collaboratively with the Advancement and Enrollment Management departments, the Head of School, and members of the YHS community, to ensure consistency in marketing, messaging, branding and communication efforts to promote and enhance York House School’s name, brand, and reputation as a leading girls’ school.
The Role and Overall Responsibilities
Contribute to growing the School’s brand in line with its purpose and values and telling a consistent, clear, and compelling story to internal and external audiences.
Develop, implement, and evaluate an annual marketing and communications strategy that supports the overall school objectives, advances the school’s strategic priorities, and effectively engages the school’s diverse communities (students, families, alumni, faculty, staff, and others).
Lead a team of 3 communications professionals to effectively execute the strategy.
Maintain an up-to-date understanding of current and emerging tools, relevant research, data mining, demographic information, market analysis, and competitive analysis to support strategic planning.
Work alongside the Directors of Enrollment Management, Advancement, and the Leadership team to provide proactive, hands-on communications and marketing support and advance shared priorities.
Oversee and manage external agency support as well as the departmental budget.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities
Oversee and manage all aspects of our brand, including strategic communications, advertising and marketing, and public relations, as well as our website, online profile, and social media.
Develop a proactive media relations strategy to promote YHS and tell the school’s unique stories locally and nationally and build strong, collaborative relationships with the media.
Identify new opportunities to promote student and alum achievements, donor philanthropy, and other stories that showcase the unique strengths and attributes of the York House School community.
Develop and manage communications and marketing materials that reflect the school’s brand and tone of voice across print and digital media
Conduct regular audience research, including school surveys and assist with analyzing and communicating the results.
Support the Enrollment Management and the Director of Enrollment Management to ensure their outreach materials for prospective students and families represent the YHS brand and tell our story.
Support the Head of School and Leadership team with drafting speaking notes, messages to the community, and other content as required.
Assist with monitoring emerging issues and developing communications plans to respond to unexpected events and crises as needed.
Provide media training and preparation for the Head of School and Senior Leadership team.
Collaborate with faculty and staff to enhance their understanding of the school’s brand and how it can and should be applied.
Work in consultation with the Advancement team to provide communications support related to fundraising, alum, and parent relations.
Be an active member of the school community and foster relationships with students, families, alumni, and others.
Supervise the communications team, including regular check-ins, reviews, goal setting, professional development, and providing leadership and guidance to ensure a highly engaged and effective team.
Work together with the Executive Director of Advancement to oversee event management (with a focus on schoolwide events).
Oversee Facilities Rentals.
Other duties as required.
Skills and Qualifications:
A Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, or related field.
10+ years of experience, including experience leading high-performing teams, ideally in an educational setting.
Demonstrated experience running campaigns and using research and data to inform decisions. Experience with Meta and search ads preferred.
Understanding of how to develop an annual budget, including planning and monitoring.
Highly proficient in developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating marketing and communications strategies, including digital marketing, media relations, and more.
Organized and focused on the big picture and the details.
The ability to work with different stakeholders and build positive and effective relationships.
Demonstrated initiative and resourcefulness, with the ability to make decisions and adjust priorities as needed.
Excellent time management skills demonstrated in the ability to prioritize complex objectives and multiple priorities with overlapping deadlines.
Understanding social media and digital channels – what works and what doesn’t, and how to utilize current and emerging tools to advance the school’s communications goals.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
A sense of humour is essential.
Qualities:
Strategic mindset and a passion for telling compelling stories.
An outstanding writer, able to tailor messaging for diverse audiences and channels.
Strong relationships with local (Vancouver) media.
Digital marketing experience (search ads, Google analytics, SEO, insights, data).
A brand ambassador who is able to articulate and share the brand and values of the school.
An effective and highly organized project manager.
Motivated to improve and strive for growth and excellence.
A lifelong learner who enjoys staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends in marketing and communications.
Mission-driven.
Experience working within independent schools a plus.
Review our Career Page for more information about benefits and programs for staff.
Please apply online here.
We will review applications as soon as they are received. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. The posting is ongoing until filled. All employees of YHS must be able to provide a passed vulnerable sector screening criminal record report. We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
About York House School
York House School, located in the heart of Vancouver, is one of Canada’s leading independent schools for girls. Founded in 1932 by seven progressive and insightful women, York House provides an outstanding education for approximately 650 girls from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. For more information about York House School, please visit our website at yorkhouse.ca.
Working at York House School
York House School is a vibrant and close-knit school community where people feel valued, engaged, and connected to the school. All staff contribute towards empowering our students to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies to succeed in the world beyond our doors. On our path to creating a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future, we share the belief that individuals have inherent rights and deserve to be respected for who they are; that every member of our community belongs here and feels included; that we must treat others with dignity and expect the same in return.
Position Overview
York House School is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and creative communications leader to assume the Director of Communications & Marketing role as soon as possible. As the Senior Communications lead for the school, a member of the Leadership team, and reporting to the Head of School, this position plays a key role in providing leadership and execution of the school’s Communication and Marketing Programs. This Director of Communications and Marketing works collaboratively with the Advancement and Enrollment Management departments, the Head of School, and members of the YHS community, to ensure consistency in marketing, messaging, branding and communication efforts to promote and enhance York House School’s name, brand, and reputation as a leading girls’ school.
The Role and Overall Responsibilities
Contribute to growing the School’s brand in line with its purpose and values and telling a consistent, clear, and compelling story to internal and external audiences.
Develop, implement, and evaluate an annual marketing and communications strategy that supports the overall school objectives, advances the school’s strategic priorities, and effectively engages the school’s diverse communities (students, families, alumni, faculty, staff, and others).
Lead a team of 3 communications professionals to effectively execute the strategy.
Maintain an up-to-date understanding of current and emerging tools, relevant research, data mining, demographic information, market analysis, and competitive analysis to support strategic planning.
Work alongside the Directors of Enrollment Management, Advancement, and the Leadership team to provide proactive, hands-on communications and marketing support and advance shared priorities.
Oversee and manage external agency support as well as the departmental budget.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities
Oversee and manage all aspects of our brand, including strategic communications, advertising and marketing, and public relations, as well as our website, online profile, and social media.
Develop a proactive media relations strategy to promote YHS and tell the school’s unique stories locally and nationally and build strong, collaborative relationships with the media.
Identify new opportunities to promote student and alum achievements, donor philanthropy, and other stories that showcase the unique strengths and attributes of the York House School community.
Develop and manage communications and marketing materials that reflect the school’s brand and tone of voice across print and digital media
Conduct regular audience research, including school surveys and assist with analyzing and communicating the results.
Support the Enrollment Management and the Director of Enrollment Management to ensure their outreach materials for prospective students and families represent the YHS brand and tell our story.
Support the Head of School and Leadership team with drafting speaking notes, messages to the community, and other content as required.
Assist with monitoring emerging issues and developing communications plans to respond to unexpected events and crises as needed.
Provide media training and preparation for the Head of School and Senior Leadership team.
Collaborate with faculty and staff to enhance their understanding of the school’s brand and how it can and should be applied.
Work in consultation with the Advancement team to provide communications support related to fundraising, alum, and parent relations.
Be an active member of the school community and foster relationships with students, families, alumni, and others.
Supervise the communications team, including regular check-ins, reviews, goal setting, professional development, and providing leadership and guidance to ensure a highly engaged and effective team.
Work together with the Executive Director of Advancement to oversee event management (with a focus on schoolwide events).
Oversee Facilities Rentals.
Other duties as required.
Skills and Qualifications:
A Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, or related field.
10+ years of experience, including experience leading high-performing teams, ideally in an educational setting.
Demonstrated experience running campaigns and using research and data to inform decisions. Experience with Meta and search ads preferred.
Understanding of how to develop an annual budget, including planning and monitoring.
Highly proficient in developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating marketing and communications strategies, including digital marketing, media relations, and more.
Organized and focused on the big picture and the details.
The ability to work with different stakeholders and build positive and effective relationships.
Demonstrated initiative and resourcefulness, with the ability to make decisions and adjust priorities as needed.
Excellent time management skills demonstrated in the ability to prioritize complex objectives and multiple priorities with overlapping deadlines.
Understanding social media and digital channels – what works and what doesn’t, and how to utilize current and emerging tools to advance the school’s communications goals.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
A sense of humour is essential.
Qualities:
Strategic mindset and a passion for telling compelling stories.
An outstanding writer, able to tailor messaging for diverse audiences and channels.
Strong relationships with local (Vancouver) media.
Digital marketing experience (search ads, Google analytics, SEO, insights, data).
A brand ambassador who is able to articulate and share the brand and values of the school.
An effective and highly organized project manager.
Motivated to improve and strive for growth and excellence.
A lifelong learner who enjoys staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends in marketing and communications.
Mission-driven.
Experience working within independent schools a plus.
Review our Career Page for more information about benefits and programs for staff.
Please apply online here.
We will review applications as soon as they are received. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. The posting is ongoing until filled. All employees of YHS must be able to provide a passed vulnerable sector screening criminal record report. We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
About York House School
York House School, located in the heart of Vancouver, is one of Canada’s leading independent schools for girls. Founded in 1932 by seven progressive and insightful women, York House provides an outstanding education for approximately 650 girls from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. For more information about York House School, please visit our website at yorkhouse.ca.
