Communications Manager

Yellowstone Academy

Reports to:         Chief Advancement Officer

Qualifications:    Bachelor’s degree; 5+ years’ experience in communications and marketing, including public relations, advertising, graphic design and stakeholder communications; nonprofit and development experience a plus.

 

Position Type:    Exempt

Calendar:           12-month

 

Organizational Overview

Founded in 2002, Yellowstone Academy is a unique Christian private school for 250 students in preK3 through 5th grade.  As a faith-based private school, we serve students from communities where there is no access to strong educational opportunities. With an average class size of 16 to 18 children, our students experience a rich academic and co-curricular model, while receiving bus transportation, two meals a day, and access to a comprehensive student support program.

Yellowstone Academy operates on a beautiful Third Ward campus built in 1927 that is less than half a mile from downtown Houston. As part of its unique program, the Academy is co-located with Yellowstone College Prep, a public charter that is growing to serve students in 5th-12th grade. This innovative public/private model is the first of its kind in the state of Texas. These two schools will operate through a shared services agreement as they leverage the Academy’s nearly 20 years of success and expand to serve nearly 800 students in pre-K through 12th grade within the next five years.

 

Primary Responsibilities

The Communications Manager creates and manages external and internal communications for Yellowstone Schools, including but not limited to: marketing materials, website, social media presence, emergency communications, and press releases. The purpose of these responsibilities is to engage and educate the community on the work of Yellowstone Schools while maintaining brand standards and building awareness. This position is responsible for creating clear, meaningful, and informative communications across the school, Greater Third Ward, donor community, and city.

 

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• In collaboration with the Chief Advancement Officer and advancement team, establish and drive a multi-channel communications and marketing strategy
• Work to define and grow Yellowstone Schools’ brand, including establishing an identity as a unified school that includes the Academy and College Prep
• Write and edit compelling content for both print and digital platforms including agency website, collateral materials, newsletters, email marketing, stakeholder communication, social media, and event-related content
• Create and approve all communication materials for both schools, including, but not limited to:
  • Email and social media campaigns
  • External advancement and outreach communications: appeals, letters, mailers, etc.
  • External communications from school administration and admissions
  • Crisis communications
• Design and create internal and external materials as-needed, and/or coordinate creation and design with outside vendor
• Work interdepartmentally to establish and implement a communications and brand-approval process
• Manage presence at external events, trade shows, and conferences
• Create, manage and maintain school’s websites in their entirety, including revamping, receiving timely updates from all departments, functionality, and continuous review of effectiveness and relevance
• Manage social media accounts, including the design and creation of paid advertisements
• Photograph and video school events and classroom activities for marketing purposes
• Maintain up-to-date list of students with opt-out preferences regarding media
• Create and order business cards, letterhead, name badges, and other printed materials
• Engage with stakeholders through phone calls, emails, handwritten notes, written marketing materials, in-person and virtual meetings, and events

 

Competencies & Attributes:

• Excellent communicator; excels in delivering ideas, concepts, and information
• Fantastic written and verbal communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills; the ability to work with diverse groups of people and forge relationships
• An eye for photography and design
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic setting
• Meets internal and external deadlines
• Collaborates with advancement team members to meet shared objectives
• Self-motivated and directed
• Expert skills with Adobe Creative Suite preferred
• Adept at Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to be “on call” and highly responsive during emergencies
• Ability to work some nights and weekends

 

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

The work environment can be very active and dealing with a wide variety of challenges, deadlines, and a varied and diverse array of contacts. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The employee will primarily work in a traditional climate-controlled office environment. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Occasionally, the employee may work intermittently in outside weather conditions, including extreme heat and cold; specifically for events. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

 

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Yellowstone Academy offers a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, a SIMPLE IRA program with employer matching, supplemental life and short-term disability insurance, and paid sick leave.

 

Application Process

To apply for this position, please complete an online application which can be accessed through the “employment” tab on the Yellowstone website at www.yellowstoneschools.org. Yellowstone will notify candidates if they are selected for the next round of the application process. This process will include participating in a comprehensive interview process and teaching a sample lesson on campus.

 

Yellowstone Academy is a non-denominational Christian school and all employees must be professing Christians.  Yellowstone Academy does not refuse to hire and does not release any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of the individual’s race, color, sex, or national or ethnic origin.  Nor does Yellowstone Academy limit, segregate, or classify its employees or applicants for employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect the status as an employee because of the individual’s race, color, sex, and/or national/ethnic origin.