Communications Manager - Chicago, United States - Near North Montessori School

Description

Company Description

We are an independent, Montessori school in Chicago serving 560+ students and their families, starting at a parent-infant class and up to 8th grade. We are a community of shared values working to fulfill a meaningful mission. NNM faculty, staff and parents strive for an equitable and inclusive school culture through intentional, reflective practice. We work together to challenge all students to think for themselves, pursue their ideas and become real learners for the real world.

Learn more about us on our website:

Job Description

We are a seeking a full-time, year-round Communications Manager to join the Near North Montessori team here in Chicago.

Schedule: 40 hours per week, typically Monday through Friday, with shifts falling between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, with adjustments or additional time as needed. This position may also require evening, weekend, and/or holiday work to match with the communications schedule of the school. This is a year-round, 12-month role, and we are searching for someone to start in July 2024 for our 2024/25 school year

The Communications Manager is responsible for the development and coordination of the Near North Montessori (NNM) internal and external communication efforts, while also providing administrative support to school leadership. This position implements big picture strategies for communications activities, using their experience in strategic planning and promotion across a wide range of platforms/channels/methods of communication, ensuring all efforts are built out appropriately and in alignment with the NNM mission, core values, and overarching goals. This Manager will report directly to the Head of School, working closely with the Associate Head of School and the Finance & Operations Director, and providing administrative support where needed to all three, while also working to cultivate and advance comprehensive and cohesive communication plans cross-departmentally and organization-wide, using a coherent and structured approach to cultivate NNM's voice.

• Understands NNM's past, current, and desired future programming to spearhead development and enhancement of communications plans, using a corresponding budget. This programming should promote NNM's mission, vision, and impact, while prioritizing communications opportunities that lead to growth and engagement. This person is expected to become intimately familiar with the NNM brand in order to understand its core community, mission, and impact, and serve as the School Storyteller.
• Creates copy and content for communications assets, including, but not limited to: social media, websites, recurring newsletters, internal & external emails and technological platforms, pitch decks, and reports.
• Works cross-departmentally to ensure brand identity is present and consistent across all platforms, including the above assets, and including the following, but not limited to: parent & family events, employee-facing events, student events, partnership campaigns, volunteer opportunities, speaking engagement, fundraising events, seminars, professional development activities, etc.
• Attends NNM events, whether in-person or virtual, developing a rapport with all faculty & staff, students, parents & families, the Board of Directors, community providers, and brand partners. May be asked to be the School Photographer at these events.
• Coordinates design, production, distribution, and subsequent correspondence of marketing, brand, PR, and related materials to ensure growth efforts are properly supported by cohesive communication; coordinates design, production, and distribution of all branded materials.
• Oversees process for developing content, mission decks, recurring newsletters, website, social media platforms, and presentations, both internal and external.
• Manages overall schedule & calendar of communications efforts on all fronts, including, but not limited to: tracking stewardship submissions, cause-awareness/giving holidays calendar, coordinating meetings with Head of School or a designee with appropriate existing or potential donors, and networking/speaking opportunities.
• Oversees NNM's website & social media platforms - identifying trends, fielding outreach, keeping content fresh and information current, and managing community engagement.
• In coordination with the Finance & Operations Director and other NNM leaders, develops and manages the annual revenue & expense budgets for communications. Will also support the school's annual audit of finances by providing documentation, reports, and other information upon request as it relates to the communications department.
• Assists the Head of School, the Director of Finance & Operations, and/or a designee in special projects as assigned. Will manage calendars, appointments, and related items for the Head of School & the Director of Finance & Operations in order to best streamline all communications and marketing efforts, including, but not limited to: coordinating meetings, phone calls, presentations, and updating school calendar to reflect personal calendars.
• Maintains positive relations with all staff and assists employees when needed.
• Ability to proofread and type accurately.
• Ability to comprehend written and oral instructions, communicate effectively, and work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to learn and adhere to state and local laws relevant to the school as well as NNM policies and procedures.
• Regular, predictable, and punctual attendance.
• Collaborates frequently with staff across departments to establish or improve operations, and supports interdepartmental and NNM wide projects, initiatives, and services.
• Creates, organizes and maintains manual and electronic file systems of highly confidential data.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as required, assigned, or requested.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree required; an advanced degree in a related field is preferred.

Years of Experience: 5+ years of full-cycle communications experience, preferably in an independent, educational and/or non-profit setting.

Specific Skills Required:

• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple activities, demands, and/or projects simultaneously, while maintaining a high degree of effectiveness as it relates to an organization's mission and programs to prospective and current donors, community leaders and more
• Strong and effective written, presentation, and oral communication and interpersonal skills.
• Possesses the ability to motivate and influence others.
• Demonstrated ability to use strong interpersonal skills when working with various school constituent groups.
• Demonstrated excellence in communication in all forms.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple, changing workloads appropriately, and to lead and develop team members as assigned.
• Ability to travel if needed as well as attend events on evenings and weekends.
• Demonstrated initiative and self-starting capacity.
• Ability to work with leadership, trustees, volunteers, all stakeholders, and top donors in an effective and sophisticated manner.
• Ability to work autonomously with constituents as needed, and, as needed, recognizing when the situation necessitates following up with the appropriate supervisors and colleagues.
• Experience working with sensitive information and strong capability to maintain strict confidentiality, as well as transferable or related experience may include marketing, admissions, public relations, alumni relations, or sales.
• Knowledge of regulatory (state and federal) compliance issues and laws relative to areas of responsibility.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; as well as Google Suite.
• Experience working with CRM systems a plus (Blackbaud a plus).
• Understands and acts in accordance with NNM mission and values
• Ability to be a team-player working effectively with all students, families, staff, supervisors, and others
• Prioritize and work to ensure student safety throughout the school, both individually and as part of the greater community
• Ability to independently function efficiently in a changing and varied environment with frequent interruptions
• Ability to exercise good judgment and focus on details, demonstrating appropriate planning, preparation and execution of work
• Ability to follow all NNM policies and procedures, asking for clarification or support if needed
• Actively practices a commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in all areas of work
• Maintains professional skill level pursuing and/or attending professional development and training opportunities required for the position

Additional Information

Full-time employment to start in July of 2024; however, we'd like to have this position filled by April of 2024.

• Pay Information: Eligible for an exempt salary, starting at $60,000 per year.
• Benefits Information:
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision packages available for both you and your dependents. HSA (health savings account) available as a tie-in to one level of medical plan.
  • Both individual and dependent FSA (flexible spending accounts) available.
  • Fully-funded short term disability and individual life insurance available, with option to upgrade to long term disability and group life insurance for an additional cost.
  • Robust paid time off policy that includes at least 10 paid days off per school year.
  • Paid school holidays can add up to 25 extra paid days off per year.
  • 403b retirement planning available, with a company match of 100% up to 6%.
  • Access to an EAP (employee assistance program) that provides up to 6 free consultations per year on a variety of life concerns.
  • Suite of voluntary benefits available, such as pre-tax transit deductions, pet insurance, accident & critical illness insurance, and more.