Director of Marketing & Community Relations

Job Description

Job Description

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Director of Marketing & Community Relations

Role Overview

We are seeking a highly relationship-driven and community-focused Director of Marketing & Community Relations to lead our local marketing, community engagement, partnership development, and student enrollment initiatives.

This role is primarily focused on local market development and offline marketing , with an emphasis on building strong relationships with families, community organizations, educational partners, local businesses, and other key stakeholders.

The ideal candidate has a strong local network, excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills, and proven experience developing partnerships and executing community-based marketing initiatives.

* This is not a primarily digital marketing or paid advertising role. Candidates whose experience is predominantly focused on digital advertising, SEO/SEM, social media management, or online campaign optimization may not be the best fit for this position.

Key Responsibilities

Local Market Development & Enrollment Growth

• Develop and execute local marketing strategies to increase school visibility, family inquiries, campus tours, and student enrollment
• Identify high-potential local communities, organizations, events, and partnership opportunities
• Build sustainable local referral and enrollment channels
• Work closely with the admissions team to convert community relationships and local outreach into enrollment opportunities
• Develop strategies tailored to the needs and characteristics of the local parent and student market

Community Relations & Partnership Development

• Build and maintain strong relationships with local families, community leaders, businesses, educational organizations, and other strategic partners
• Identify and develop partnerships that can generate referrals, enrollment opportunities, and greater brand awareness
• Represent the school in local community organizations, networking opportunities, and partnership meetings
• Maintain long-term relationships with key community stakeholders rather than focusing solely on short-term campaigns
• Develop a strong network of referral partners within the local market

Offline Marketing & Community Outreach

• Plan and execute local marketing initiatives, including:
  • Community events
  • School fairs and education fairs
  • Open houses
  • Parent workshops and seminars
  • Local sponsorships
  • Community partnership events
  • Networking events
  • Referral programs
  • Local promotional campaigns
• Identify opportunities for the school to increase its physical presence and visibility within the community
• Evaluate the effectiveness of offline marketing activities based on leads, inquiries, tours, applications, and enrollments

Parent & Family Relationship Development

• Develop strong relationships with prospective and current families
• Understand parent needs, concerns, and decision-making factors
• Build trust with families throughout the enrollment process
• Gather feedback from parents and the community to improve messaging, programs, and outreach strategies
• Develop referral and word-of-mouth strategies through existing parent relationships

Local Brand Awareness

• Strengthen the school's reputation and visibility within the local community
• Ensure that the school's positioning and messaging resonate with local families
• Identify opportunities for local media exposure, community sponsorships, and strategic collaborations
• Work with internal teams to develop marketing materials that support local outreach and enrollment efforts

Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain a structured pipeline of community partners and referral sources
• Regularly engage with existing partners to maintain strong relationships
• Track partnership activities, referrals, leads, and enrollment outcomes
• Identify high-value relationships and develop long-term engagement strategies
• Serve as a key external representative of the organization

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Admissions, School Leadership, Operations, and other departments
• Lead or coordinate staff involved in community outreach and local marketing
• Establish clear goals and KPIs for local marketing and partnership development
• Provide regular updates to leadership regarding community relationships, market opportunities, and enrollment pipeline development

Market & Competitive Intelligence

• Maintain a strong understanding of the local education market
• Monitor competing schools, educational programs, and community trends
• Identify underserved communities and new opportunities for student recruitment
• Gather insights directly from families, partners, and community organizations

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, Education, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in local marketing, community relations, partnership development, business development, enrollment, or a related field
• At least 1–2 years of leadership or management experience
• Experience in private schools, K-12 education, education services, community organizations, or other relationship-driven industries strongly preferred
• Proven experience developing and maintaining local partnerships and referral networks
• Strong experience with offline marketing, events, community outreach, and relationship management
• Excellent interpersonal, networking, communication, and negotiation skills
• Comfortable representing the organization at community events, meetings, and networking opportunities
• Strong understanding of how to convert relationships and community engagement into measurable enrollment or business results
• Existing relationships or professional networks within the local community are highly preferred
• Ability to work independently and proactively identify partnership and growth opportunities