Marketing & Communications Specialist

Job Summary

Highland Prep Academies (HPA) is in search of a dynamic, creative, and driven Marketing & Communications Specialist to become a valuable member of our team of passionate, talented, and dedicated professionals. This is a full-time position with a focus on advancing our brand, expanding our digital footprint, growing student enrollment, and strengthening our connection with families and community partners. The ideal candidate possesses a genuine interest in storytelling, a strong creative eye, and a passion for using marketing and communications to support student success.

Highland Prep Academies is a network of schools serving Central Phoenix, Surprise, and Avondale. HPA's College Preparatory program is designed for students aspiring to pursue four-year college degrees. HPA schools offer an array of STEM, Honors, and Advanced Placement coursework to support this mission. In this role, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the overall mission by expanding our reach, telling our story, and deepening engagement with our stakeholder communities. The position travels regularly between Highland Prep Surprise, Highland Prep West, and Madison Highland Prep, with attendance expected at evening and weekend events throughout the school year, including graduation, open house nights, signing days, and signature program events.

Duties:

• Photography and professional photo and video editing across all three campuses
• Design and implement integrated marketing campaigns across digital and print platforms to maximize reach and engagement.
• Manage social media marketing efforts on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter, creating engaging posts that resonate with diverse audiences.
• Optimize website content using SEO best practices to improve search engine rankings and increase organic traffic.
• Develop compelling copy for email marketing, product descriptions, advertisements, and promotional materials that align with brand voice.
• Utilize marketing automation tools to streamline campaigns, nurture leads, and analyze performance metrics for continuous improvement.
• Conduct research on market trends, competitor activities, and customer insights to inform strategic decisions.
• Oversee advertising sales initiatives by creating persuasive proposals and managing relationships with media partners.
• Use Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) to produce visually appealing marketing collateral.
• Track campaign performance using Google Analytics and other analytics tools to measure ROI and optimize future efforts.
• Collaborate with product management teams to support e-commerce initiatives through targeted content marketing and performance marketing strategies.
• Manage budgets for advertising campaigns ensuring efficient allocation of resources across channels such as Google AdWords and print advertising.
• Maintain a consistent brand voice across all communications while ensuring messaging aligns with business objectives.

What We Are Looking For:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Digital Media, Journalism, Film, Public Relations, or related field
• Proven expertise in SEO techniques to enhance online visibility and organic search rankings.
• Strong social media marketing skills with experience managing multiple platforms simultaneously.
• Knowledge of multichannel marketing strategies integrating digital advertising, email campaigns, social media, and print media.
• Experience in advertising sales including proposal development and client relationship management.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite for designing engaging visual content.
• Deep understanding of digital marketing tactics including content marketing, performance marketing, email marketing, and analytics.
• Ability to develop compelling copy for various formats including web pages, emails, ads, and brochures.
• Knowledge of HTML basics for website updates and content formatting within WordPress or similar CMS platforms.
• Competence in budgeting for campaigns while maximizing ROI across channels like Google AdWords and print advertising.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data from Google Analytics and other tools to optimize ongoing campaigns. Join us in shaping impactful communications that inspire action! This role is perfect for a motivated marketer eager to bring creative ideas to life while driving measurable results across diverse channels—helping us connect meaningfully with our audiences every day!

Applications must include:

• Letter of interest
• Resume
• Links to past work (social accounts you have managed, ad campaigns, video samples, or a portfolio site)
• Arizona DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card or ability to obtain one

Benefits:

HPA offers a comprehensive benefits package, including employer-paid medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; a 403(b) retirement plan with automatic 5% employer contribution; career longevity bonuses; paid time off; and a full school holiday calendar including summer, winter, and spring breaks. A full equipment stack, including camera kit, laptop, and Adobe Creative Cloud license, is provided.

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan with automatic 5% employer contribution
• Career longevity bonuses
• Equipment and software stack provided

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Evening and weekend events as scheduled (12+ per school year, including graduation, open house, signing days, and signature program events)

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
• Travel between all three campuses (Central Phoenix, Surprise, Avondale) required

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Photography and video production: 2 years (Required)
• Paid digital advertising (Meta, Google, YouTube): 2 years (Required)
• Social media management: 2 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Arizona DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card (Required)
• Valid Driver's License (Required)

Work Location:

• In person

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Highland Prep Academies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.