Director of Marketing and Communications

Director of Marketing and Communications

Start Date : July 2025

All Candidates MUST apply through CARNEYSANDOE.COM

OverviewLocated on a bucolic 26-acre campus on Philadelphia's Main Line, The Agnes Irwin School (AIS) is anational leader in girls; education. Home to over 630 bright and engaged girls in grades PK-12, the schoolis known for its commitment to academic excellence, empowerment, and a supportive environmentwhere relationships are nurtured and valued. When spending time at AIS, one quickly senses thepalpable warmth of a supportive community, the bold ambition of a renowned institution that is future-focused, and decision-making that starts and ends with what is best for the girls. While steeped in richtraditions and history, Agnes Irwin is committed to continued growth and evolution. In 2022, the schoolannounced its 5-year strategic plan, Boundless, which is focused on 4 key strategic commitments : intellectual curiosity, personal well-being, authentic inclusivity, and courageous leadership. To supportthe strategic plan and its initiatives, the school and the Board of Trustees are envisioning its future plansfor the campus and its community. The atmosphere on campus is joyful and energetic.

The school's origin can be traced to 1869 when Agnes Irwin, a groundbreaking educator, and the great-great granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, was appointed Head at the West Penn Seminary for YoungLadies in Philadelphia. Soon renamed Miss Irwin of Philadelphia, the school was one of the first in thecountry to solely focus on the education of girls. In 1915, following the death of Agnes Irwin, who haddeparted earlier to serve as the first Dean of Radcliffe College at Harvard, the School was renamed in herhonor. The school moved to Wynnewood in 1933 and eventually relocated to its permanent home inRosemont in 1961. The school continued to flourish as a leader in girls' education and, in 2011, officiallylaunched the on-campus Center for Advancement of Girls, an innovative program that conductsresearch on girls leadership and implements best practices on campus to support the learning andgrowth of the girls. AIS has exclusively been led by female educators and in 2020, Sally Keidel, who hadpreviously led the enrollment program for the School, was enthusiastically welcomed back to the schoolto serve as 14 th Head of School.

Now, Agnes Irwin seeks an experienced, strategic marketing and communications professional to serveas the school's next Director of Marketing and Communications. Reporting to the Head of School, theDirector of Marketing and Communications is charged with the creation, implementation, andevaluation of Agnes Irwin's comprehensive communications and marketing program. As a member ofthe senior leadership team, the Director of Communications will develop strong partnerships withadministrative colleagues and work closely with the School's Enrollment and Development teams tosupport enrollment and fundraising goals and initiatives. As the leader of the Communications Office,which includes the Associate Director of Communications, Associate Director of Marketing, and SocialMedia Specialist, the Director will establish goals and utilize data and metrics to ensure they are met.

Compelling candidates will show leadership experience in marketing and communications and anunderstanding of the independent school market.MissionThe Agnes Irwin School empowers each girl to learn, to lead, and to live a legacy.Core Values- Strive for Excellence- Lead with Character- Nurture Passions and Wellbeing- Foster Trust and Community- Respect and Celebrate All

Opportunities and ChallengesLooking ahead, the priorities, opportunities and challenges for the Director of Communicationsinclude : Leading the Communications TeamThe Director of Communications and Marketing will lead a talented and experienced team ofprofessionals, who are eager for strategic vision, leadership, collaborative goal setting, and feedback toensure that they are able to produce high quality and effective collateral that advances the mission ofAIS. The Director will serve as an ambassador for the Office, engaging in the school community to helptell the story of The Agnes Irwin School.Partnering with Administrative ColleaguesA healthy independent school communications and marketing program partners strategically andsuccessfully with the schools other programs, academic, athletic, and operational. In particular, theDirector of Marketing and Communications will strengthen the communication and partnerships withboth the Enrollment Management and Development Offices, ensuring thoughtful collaboration on bothgoal setting and project management execution as well as brand consistency. To ensure that AISachieves its goals for both student enrollment and retention, the Director of Marketing andCommunications will partner closely with the Director of Enrollment Management and the team to

develop successful marketing and outreach. In addition, given the vital role of philanthropy at AIS andthe near term initiatives, the Director will closely strategize with the Development Office on the creationof print and digital fundraising materials, and targeted, compelling appeals for all constituencies.Ensuring brand consistency throughout all communications, digital and print, is crucial.Serving as Thought Partner to Head of School & Board of TrusteesThe Director of Marketing and Communications reports to Sally Keidel, Head of School. Sally is astrategic thinker who is authentically interested and actively engaged in advancement strategy at theSchool. AIS is also fortunate to have a Board of Trustees who is supportive and appropriately engaged inthe governance of the School. The Director of Marketing and Communications will work closely andstrategically with both Sally and the Board on internal and external communications and serve as atrusted thought partner on sensitive matters and crisis response.

Understanding the Marketplace and Implementing StrategyAgnes Irwin enrolls students in a robust academic market full of excellent choices, competing both withimpressive peer schools and some of the nation's best public schools. The Director of Marketing andCommunications will be charged with evaluating the market, recommending and implementingmarketing and communication strategies, and demonstrating the value proposition of an Agnes Irwineducation. By highlighting innovative programs, student achievements, and exceptional teaching thecommunications will better align the public perception with the true academic excellence of an AgnesIrwin education.

Qualifications and Personal Attributes- A masters degree, preferably in English, journalism, communications, or marketing or significantequivalent experience;- Demonstrated experience in marketing, managing web content, and analytics and reporting in anon-profit or educational setting;- Proven experience in leading and strengthening teams;- Significant knowledge of the latest digital and integrated marketing tools and the ability to serveas technical lead on projects;- Superb oral and written communication skills including presenting to school community andBoard of Trustees;- A proven record of delivering compelling and persuasive messages to key constituencies;- Excellent project management and implementation skills;- Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Finalsite and Blackbaud; Comfort and familiarity withdatabases and platforms utilized in independent schools is preferred;- Demonstrates a dedication to continuous growth and development in areas of diversity, equity,inclusion, and belonging and commits to AIS' DEIB Philosophy;- A joyful and collaborative spirit and the appreciation for a fast-paced and lively schoolenvironment.

To ApplyInterested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants in confidence. Candidates willultimately need to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents : - A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;- A current résumé;- A list of five professional references, including current supervisor, with name, relationship,phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without thecandidate's permission) to : Sara ShulmanPractice Leader - Development and Finance / Senior Consultantsara.shulman@carneysandoe.comJonathan BallManaging Associatejball@carneysandoe.com