Director of Marketing & Communications

Sinai Akiba Academy is a preeminent private Jewish day school in Los Angeles, serving students in Early Childhood through Grade 8.

Sinai Akiba Academy is undergirded by our school mission to engage students in the joy and discipline of learning, and nurture a community of ethical, critical thinkers who, shaped by our evolving Jewish tradition, walk through the world with confidence and humility.

Make sure to apply with all the requested information, as laid out in the job overview below.

POSITION SUMMARY

A member of the highly collaborative senior administrative team, the Director of Marketing & Communications works to strategically advance communications within and beyond the School community, focusing on the School’s mission and philosophy, developing and enhancing the School’s presence within the concentric circles of Sinai Akiba Academy students, administrators, educators, donors, current and alumni families and friends, and in the larger educational and Jewish communities.

The Director of Marketing & Communications works with every member of the School community and reports directly to the Head of School (HOS).

A graceful writer and creative thinker with regard to messaging and relationships, the Director of Marketing & Communications anticipates opportunities for communications and proactively puts ideas and plans into motion (in consultation with the HOS).

In collaboration with the Admission team, this role is also responsible for helping to envision and implement a strategic and comprehensive marketing plan to advance the SAA brand across Los Angeles.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Demonstrate commitment to and model Sinai Akiba’s Core Values of : kehillah kedoshah (sacred community), Talmud Torah (academic excellence), derech eretz (kindness, empathy and respect), tzedek, tzedek tirdof (ethical responsibility), avodat halev (soulful intention), and ahavat Yisrael (love for Israel)
• Serve as lead for development and implementation of the School’s strategic messaging and brand identity
• Strategize, create, and deploy all aspects of the School’s electronic and print communications (internal and external), ensuring the continuity of the School’s brand and message
• Oversee the work of design, video, and / or PR / marketing vendors in the production of materials and deliverables
• Manage photo release process and questions
• Review and approve any and all external photo / video projects done at or in partnership with SAA
• Oversee SAA Design Director
• Partner with Sinai Temple clergy, leadership and communications department to cross-promote events and initiatives, respond to major, community-wide events (celebrations, sorrow, political, crisis, disaster, etc.

and develop and maintain aspects of unified message and branding

• Oversee and manage all content and program aspects of the annual State of the School event (not catering or decor)
• In collaboration with the Design Director, provide communication tools and resources across school departments and program areas (templates, style guide, branding elements, mission-based phrasing, etc.

and work to ensure editorial and visual consistency across all communication pieces and mediums

• Produce and distribute SAA’s email newsletters, all mass emails, and other pertinent correspondences to create consistent and timely school-wide messaging
• Manage the School’s social media strategy, content, and presence across all relevant platforms
• In collaboration with the Design Director, work closely with photographers and videographers to capture key school events and activities, and develop plans for strategic usage
• Oversee the content, design, maintenance, and performance of SAA’s front-facing website and front facing aspects of the secure student / parent portal platform (JagNet)
• Monitor and improve the performance and growth of the School’s digital communication channels, including the website, email newsletters, social media channels, and additional advertising vehicles
• Promote and market all internal and external school events
• Collaborate closely with the senior administrative team, admission team, development team, School Board, and Design Director to produce outreach materials for various needs including fundraising, admissions, events and broader school initiatives
• Coordinate and manage all advertising, publicity, and public relations efforts (including crisis management) with media and partner organizations
• Work with the SAA Parent Association on streamlining communications
• Oversee and manage the Communications budget
• Help guide and consult with the Head of School, division directors, the School Board, and other School leaders as it pertains to marketing and communications within the Sinai Akiba and greater Los Angeles and Jewish communities
• Serve as ghost writer if / as needed for the Head of School and division directors
• Edit, review and approve any communications shared by entities outside of the Marketing & Communications office
• Oversee the annual calendering process. This includes publishing, managing, and maintaining the SAA family front-facing School calendar
• Perform other duties as assigned by and in support of the Head of School

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree; Master’s Degree preferred
• Minimum 7 years of experience successfully managing marketing functions; Jewish institution, non-profit or community-oriented experience preferred
• An understanding of Jewish identity, holidays, practices, traditions, culture and life cycle events
• Deep experience with marketing, communications and thought leadership, online marketing, digital and social media, and public relations
• A natural strategist, who can lead and guide, while also maintaining the skills of a creative
• Exceptional branding, writing, messaging, editing, and storytelling abilities / skills
• Experience with Blackbaud Pushpage system and Constant Contact a plus
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Experience collaborating with a leadership team
• Highly energetic, positive, and flexible with a good sense of humor

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Annual Salary Range : $115,000-135,000
• Excellent benefit package with a portion of medical paid by SAA
• Generous paid time off and holidays
• 403b and employer funded retirement plans

In the spirit of pay transparency we share the base annual salary range for this position : $115,000 - $135,000. Annual base salary is exclusive of fringe benefits, retirement plan employer contributions or potential stipends (for eligible employees).

Pay ranges at SAA are reasonable estimates of what the School anticipates paying for a role but are not guaranteed. If hired at SAA, your final annual base salary will be determined by factors such as skills, education, experience, job level, part-time status and number of months of work per academic year.

In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity with our current employees as a part of any final offer.

Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the full annual base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range is not typical for SAA in order to allow for future and continued salary growth.

Applicants may submit their cover letter and resume for consideration to Wendy Psalms at [email protected].

Sinai Akiba Academy provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and strictly prohibits any type of harassment or discrimination in regards to race, religion, age, color, sex, disability status, national origin, genetics, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, gender expression, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, and / or local laws.

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