Annie Wright is seeking a Marketing and Communications Manager to begin as soon as possible. This is a full time, exempt position that reports directly to the Assistant Head of Schools.

Annie Wright’s strong community cultivates individual learners to become well-educated, creative and responsible citizens for a global society.

Position description

Annie Wright has a unique story and we are looking for a creative storyteller to help us share it! No day will be the same in this role. One day the Marketing and Communications Manager may be working on Strength magazine inspiration and layouts, the next day the Marketing and Communications Manager may be developing admissions advertisements and music recital posters or auction programs and signage. In between that, the Marketing and Communications Manager might swing by the Grade 2 Egg Drop to snap some photos - then they will head back to their desk to produce a branded post about the event to share on social media and send to Admissions so they can blast an email to potential Preschool-Grade 2 families.

In short, the Marketing and Communications Manager is the digital and print voice of Annie Wright Schools, working with the Head of Schools, Development, and Admissions to develop and implement the marketing and communications strategy, to promote and preserve the brand identity, and to share the story and mission of the Schools. The Marketing and Communications Manager proactively seeks and shares the day-to-day threads that together weave the story of the students and the school community. 

The Marketing and Communications Manager is a strong and engaging writer and editor, a creative thinker who deeply supports and cares about telling the story of Annie Wright Schools, its Mission and Key Characteristics, including our Mission in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and our Mission on Health & Wellness. The Marketing and Communications Manager effectively and proactively manages the Schools’ social media calendar, its channels, websites and microsites to maximize and measure their impact in supporting enrollment and development goals across all constituents.

As a key and highly visible member of the Marketing and Communications team, the Marketing and Communications Manager is a leader of a small communications team which consists of a Marketing Designer, a Digital Communications Associate and external partners including photographers and digital marketing consultants. The Communications team works closely with and across many internal departments and is deeply involved in campus life. The Marketing and Communications Manager is responsible for project managing and, in some cases, producing, media (e.g., photography, video) and collateral that supports the telling of our story in support of admissions and development initiatives for Annie Wright Schools. This position also oversees and manages the strategy and execution of contracted digital and marketing work with external partners. 

Position overview: duties & responsibilities

The Marketing and Communications Manager:

• maintains and enhances an annual communications calendar for all school internal and external communications;
• manages and communicates the process for keeping all digital content current and accurate;
• continually monitors the effectiveness of all marketing strategies and makes recommendations on changes;
• manages external partners to ensure they contribute to the team’s ability to meet all organizational needs as outlined below;
• as primary storyteller for the Schools, is knowledgeable about school traditions and is often present at school events to ensure understanding, which may sometimes involve evenings and weekends;
• oversees the Schools’ External Communications & Brand Management, Digital Communications and Marketing and Marketing and Communications Analytics efforts as outlined below:

• External Communications & Brand Management

• generates press releases and cultivates media relationships;
• works with the designer and digital media associate to develop, create, and produce multimedia collateral, advertisements, large-scale and environmental media, Strength magazine, brochures, newsletters, templates, fundraising and development pieces, and more;
• works with external partners to manage strategic distribution, plan & manage media buying and increase & innovate social media presence & networking;
• manages and oversees school–family connections and communications (from Head of Schools and Division Directors to Admissions, Development, and Classroom teachers) to ensure consistency of strategic message throughout the school & throughout the year;
• serves as internal Brand Manager, managing and enforcing brand standards and logo usage;
• works with communications team and external partners to produce videos for web, social media, and email; 
• manages photographers, photo needs and archiving, as well as production & vendor relationships;
• fulfills editorial tasks including proofreading and updating & maintaining the Annie Wright style guide;
• as needed, is able to work during non-traditional hours to manage social media messaging.

• Digital Communications and Marketing

• develop, manage and proactively maintain all website content including strategic messaging, master schedule, content accuracy, site optimization and analytics, as well as proactively recommending and executing mission-relevant updates and design changes;
• manage, optimize and grow the School’s social media presence, including the creation and delivery of copy and design for social media ad campaigns. Channels include, but are not limited to: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. 
• oversee and provide metrics/reporting on external digital marketing partners and advise on: SEO/SEM best practices to optimize the website, social media and other content to generate exposure, engagement and enrollment, defining and executing PPC strategy, and digital ads and implementation of any A/B and multivariate testing;
• proactively brainstorm, identify, and execute creative social media and web content campaigns, including identifying and reporting on success metrics;
• research and participate in training on new technologies and/or industry trends and make recommendations.

• MarComm Analytics
  • • • Monitor marketing campaigns, web, and social media analytics on a defined timeline, generate reports and provide recommendations for optimization.

Salary & benefits

This position offers a salary range between $70,000 - $80,000, depending on qualifications and experience. Benefits available to the hired candidate include the following, subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plan:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Life insurance
• Accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Up to four weeks vacation accrued per year. 
• Paid sick leave (known as Wellness Days): Each regular full-time employee earns 80 hours of Wellness leave per accrual year
• Seventeen (17) paid Holidays in 2024
• Fifty percent (50%) Tuition remission in accordance with school policy. All fees and incidental expenses are the sole responsibility of the employee-parent
• All children of benefited employees of AWS, who are currently enrolled at AWS, are eligible for extended day services at no charge when school is in session. Charges apply for faculty in-service days or similar days  
• A 403(b) retirement plan with a 6% company match with a 3% employee contribution

Application process

Annie Wright Schools remain firmly committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. Annie Wright shall hire, promote, transfer, terminate, and make all other employment related decisions without regard to an employee’s race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, political ideology, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or any other basis prohibited by law. Annie Wright Schools are actively seeking to create a more culturally diverse school community and accordingly, applicants of color and underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply. 

To apply, email a cover letter, resume, email and telephone contact information for 3-5 professional references, and this completed and signed application, all in PDF format, to Mrs. Erin Gann, Executive Assistant to the Head of Schools, at erin_gann@aw.org. In accordance with Annie Wright Schools’ strategic focus on issues related to social justice, candidates should anticipate being asked to address how their past work, as well as future contributions, might serve to advance Annie Wright’s commitment to a more diverse and inclusive community. Applications for this position will be accepted until filled.

Qualifications

The Marketing and Communications Manager will demonstrate key elements of the listed expertise and experiences. This is an aspirational list and Annie Wright Schools encourages candidates to apply who may not currently possess, but are working on building, all of these qualities. The Marketing and Communications Manager:

• holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Design, Marketing, Communications or a related field;
• has a minimum two years related work experience, preferably in nonprofit or education settings, including broad experience with communications and marketing strategies, tools, and best practices;
• demonstrates expertise in related technical skills, including: Canva, digital photography and editing, web publishing applications, Microsoft Office suite, Google apps and a thirst and ability for continued learning of new technologies; InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator experience is desired;
• has a strong command of social media communication strategies;
• has excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communications skills including copy-editing and proofreading skills; 
• is able to articulate and communicate complex issues to a variety of audiences; 
• has a track record of initiative, creativity and a passion for education, students and community; 
• shows strong networking, relationship-building, and organizational skills;
• demonstrates project management expertise including the ability to plan comprehensively, work independently and collaboratively, and prioritize and manage projects to satisfy competing project deadlines; 
• is able to work evenings and weekends, and travel as required;
• practices cultural humility in personal interactions;
• and, is eligible to work in the United States. Note: Under our current employment policies, we are unable to sponsor work visas and do not offer positions to candidates who are not yet eligible to work in the United States.

Physical Requirements

The Marketing and Communications Manager:

• must be able to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods of time;
• must be able to use a computer and a phone for extended periods of time;
• must be able to lift up to 25 pounds and move up and down many flights of stairs a day.

About Annie Wright Schools

Tradition meets innovation at Annie Wright Schools, where we honor our rich history and traditions, embrace the present, and continue always to move forward. Founded in 1884, Annie Wright Schools serve students from age three through high school. The Lower and Middle Schools offer co-ed programs in Preschool through Grade 8, while separate Upper Schools for boys and girls offer day and boarding options in Grades 9 through 12, welcoming students from Tacoma and around the world. We are proud to be an International Baccalaureate World School, delivering IB programs in every division.

Connections working at Annie Wright Schools