Director of Marketing and Communications

About Waynflete

Founded in 1898, Waynflete is a prestigious independent, coeducational day school located in the historic West End of Portland, Maine. The school serves approximately 550-600 students across a comprehensive age range, from Early Childhood (starting at age 3) through Grade 12. Known for its commitment to progressive education and a low student-to-teacher ratio, Waynflete provides a rigorous yet supportive academic environment that draws families from over 50 communities across Southern and Coastal Maine. The school's mission focuses on engaging the imagination and intellect of its students while guiding them toward self-governance, self-knowledge, and responsible participation in the world.


Every Waynflete employee is expected to embrace and be guided by the values represented in the school's Statement of Mission, Beliefs, and Goals. Every employee is expected to demonstrate civil behavior that is characterized by kindness, courtesy and respect for all members of the school community.

Job Summary / Essential Duties
The Director of Marketing and Communications is a strategic leadership position responsible for strengthening Waynflete's brand and bringing to life the school's mission through effective storytelling. This position oversees all facets of marketing and communications for Waynflete, creating content that cultivates external audiences, informs internal audiences, and inspires every community member. Serving as the primary steward of the school's voice, brand, and institutional messaging, this role works closely with school leadership to engage key audiences and support the school's mission and strategic priorities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary steward of Waynflete's institutional voice, brand identity, messaging standards, and public-facing narrative across all channels and audiences.
• Establish departmental priorities and workflows to ensure that high-impact institutional needs are addressed effectively within available staffing, time, and budget resources.
• Manage cross-functional communications projects from concept through completion, coordinating timelines, approvals, vendors, budgets, and competing priorities across multiple departments and constituencies.
• Lead enrollment marketing strategy in close partnership with Admission, including audience segmentation, campaign planning, inquiry-generation efforts, event promotion, digital advertising, print materials, and messaging for prospective families at different stages of the admission funnel.
• Use data and analytics to assess the effectiveness of marketing and communications efforts, including website traffic, digital advertising, email engagement, social media performance, and admission funnel activity.
• Develop and execute advancement and campaign communications in partnership with Development, including annual giving, major-gift, stewardship, campaign, event, and donor-facing materials that support fundraising goals while maintaining the school's institutional voice.
• Draft, edit, and advise on executive and leadership communications, including Head of School messages, board-related materials, sensitive community updates, institutional announcements, and communications requiring careful judgment, tone, and confidentiality.
• Support internal communications across the school by helping leadership, divisions, and departments communicate clearly and consistently with parents, students, alumni, trustees, and other community members.
• Develop messaging for complex, sensitive, or high-visibility institutional issues, helping the school explain decisions clearly, anticipate audience concerns, and maintain trust across constituencies.
• Ensure that communications are accurate, accessible, inclusive, and consistent with school policies regarding privacy, student information, and image use.
• Lead the school's editorial and storytelling strategy, including overseeing the annual Waynflete Magazine, identifying story opportunities, conducting interviews, writing and editing feature articles, shaping publication themes, and ensuring that stories advance institutional priorities.
• Lead website strategy, content governance, and ongoing optimization, ensuring that the site effectively serves prospective families, current families, alumni, donors, and other key audiences while reflecting current institutional priorities.
• Provide creative direction for print, digital, photo, video, and design projects, ensuring visual consistency, high production quality, and alignment with Waynflete's brand identity. Conduct on-campus photography as needed.
• Champion innovative approaches to social media and short-form video, translating emerging trends into content strategies that resonate with prospective families while reflecting the school's voice.
• Manage public relations and reputation-related communications, including media inquiries, external announcements, community-facing statements, and opportunities to strengthen the school's visibility and credibility.
• Manage the Marketing and Communications departmental budget, including responsible fiscal planning, tracking expenditures, and determination of scope of work of independent contractors.
• Develop, maintain, and execute a comprehensive crisis communication plan, ensuring timely and clear institutional messaging during critical events.
• Prepare regular reports and presentations for the Board of Trustees' Advancement Committee.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate one direct report (Communications Specialist).
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Position Classification and Schedule
This role is classified as Exempt under FLSA guidelines and is situated at Level I within the organization's employment structure. The position is eligible for benefits. Regarding the operational schedule, the role follows a 12-month position calendar , with standard work hours typically occurring during standard daytime business hours. Additionally, this position may be considered for partial remote work eligibility, subject to school policy, supervisor approval, and performance requirements.

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, or a related field required (Master's degree preferred).
• Minimum of 7 - 10 years of experience in marketing, communications, or enrollment management (experience within an independent school framework is highly desirable).

Technology Skills

• Proficiency in Google Suite.
• Direct experience employing project management systems (e.g., Asana) and navigating CRM databases (e.g., Veracross). Familiarity with student/school management tools such as Ruvna and Magnus is an asset.
• Graphic design and digital photography familiarity, including basic photo editing and image management skills; experience with Canva is an important asset, and basic knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud applications (Photoshop, InDesign) and basic video editing skills is preferred.

Desired Attributes / Skills
The ideal candidate will be a collaborative and mission-driven professional who possesses the following qualities:

• Exceptional Communication: Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate clearly, empathetically, and effectively with students, parents, and colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
• Organizational Excellence: Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with high attention to detail, maintaining a focus on both quality and efficiency.
• Adaptability and Growth Mindset: A creative problem-solver who remains flexible and motivated by challenges; someone who is comfortable navigating the dynamic environment of a thriving school community.
• Relational Approach: Displays a patient, approachable, and empathetic demeanor, consistently prioritizing the building of healthy, supportive professional relationships.
• Proactive Self-Starter: Shows a high degree of initiative and self-motivation, with the ability to work independently while remaining deeply committed to the collective goals of the team.
• Cultural Competency: A commitment to the school's values of equity and inclusion, with the emotional intelligence to navigate complex social and professional dynamics with grace.
• Confidentiality: High level of discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive student or institutional information.

Physical Demands
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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Compensation and Benefits
Waynflete offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the well-being of our employees. This is a Level I position, eligible for a variety of benefits, including health and dental insurance, life insurance, and participation in the school's retirement plan. This position may also be eligible for tuition assistance and tuition benefits for children enrolled at Waynflete.

All employees are hired on an at-will basis. For more specific information regarding the benefits associated with this position, please refer to the current Employee Handbook or contact the Human Resources Coordinator.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Waynflete School is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

Disclaimer
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

To apply, please click below and upload a resume and cover letter. If available, letters of recommendation and unofficial transcripts are also appreciated. Applications will be reviewed immediately and the position will remain open until filled. No phone calls, please.