Head of Marketing and Communications

We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic

Head of Marketing and Communications

The Head of Marketing and Communications is a strategic leadership role responsible for the vision, development, and execution of GISSV’s internal and external communication strategies. This individual serves as the primary guardian of the school’s brand, ensuring that our mission as a premier bilingual international school is articulated clearly and consistently across all platforms. The Head will lead to drive enrollment, enhance community engagement, and manage the school’s public profile. This role requires a sophisticated storyteller who can balance the cultural nuances of a German-American community with the competitive landscape of Silicon Valley independent schools.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and oversee a multi-year marketing and communications strategy that aligns with GISSV’s strategic plan, mission, and core values.
• Serve as a strategic partner to the Head of School and CAO on all matters involving public relations, reputation management, and community sentiment.
• Directly manage, mentor, and evaluate the Marketing and Communications Manager, fostering a high-performing and creative team environment.
• Architect and manage the departmental budget, ensuring high-ROI allocation across digital advertising, print collateral, and community events.
• Partner closely with the Admissions Department to design and execute data-driven lead generation campaigns that drive enrollment.
• Oversee the school’s brand architecture, ensuring all materials, publications, and online presence reflect GISSV’s style guide and professional image.
• Act as the school’s primary "Editor-in-Chief," ensuring the highest standards of bilingual (German/English) accuracy and narrative consistency.
• Define and oversee the school’s internal communication strategy, establishing the standards for tone, frequency, and platforms used to engage with the community to ensure a consistent and professional voice across all internal touch points.
• Lead the strategic development of the school’s official website, SEO/SEM architecture, and social media footprint.
• Develop and maintain the school’s crisis communication plan and serve as the primary point of contact for media inquiries.
• Analyze media trends and market research to provide senior leadership with recommendations for institutional positioning.
• Set the creative vision and storytelling direction for multimedia content.
• Coordinate with various school committees and functional leads to ensure brand alignment for outreach events and publications.
• Solicit and analyze ongoing feedback from key constituencies to improve communication effectiveness and community engagement.
• Manage relationships with external vendors, including agencies, printers, and graphic designers.
• Support the Head of School and CAO on special projects and executive communications as needed.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Professional fluency in both English and German is required.
• 7-10 years of progressive experience in marketing, communications, or public relations, preferably within an independent school or non-profit environment.
• At least 3 years of experience in a leadership or managerial role with direct reports.
• Proven track record of developing and executing successful brand and recruitment strategies.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Proficiency with website content management systems (CMS), CRM/Student Information Systems, and Social Media analytics.
• Advanced skills in the Microsoft Office suite and Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).
• Experience with video production and editing software (Adobe Premiere, Final Cut, etc.).
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to navigate a multicultural, cross-functional environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or a related field; a Master’s degree or MBA is a plus.
• Ability to work nights and weekends for school events as necessary.

Strategic KPIs:

• Enrollment Growth & Lead Generation: Achieve an average annual enrollment increase of 10% over a 5-year period, ensuring a net gain in Mountain View and San Francisco in Year 1.
• Brand Awareness & Sentiment: Measured growth in brand recognition and positive community sentiment (via surveys and media monitoring).
• Strategic Milestone Completion: Percentage of objectives met within the multi-year marketing and communications strategy.
• Budget Efficiency (ROI): Effectiveness of departmental spending relative to lead generation and enrollment outcomes.
• Website SEO Performance: Improvements in organic search rankings and high-level traffic growth for key institutional pages.
• Internal Communication Standards: Effectiveness and consistency of the school's "voice" across all community touch points.

FLSA Classification: Exempt (Salaried)

Reports To: Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

Location: Mountain View, San Francisco (as needed)

Direct Reports: Marketing and Communications Manager
 

Base Pay: $140,000.00

Variable KPI Bonus Potential: Up to $50,000.00

Total Potential Compensation (OTE): $190,000.00

The variable component of this compensation package is designed to reward the successful attainment of GISSV’s strategic institutional goals. This incentive is earned through a weighted scorecard based on the Strategic KPIs outlined above, including enrollment growth targets, brand sentiment improvements, and departmental ROI. A detailed scorecard and information on how it is weighted will be provided upon job offer. Performance is reviewed annually by the Chief Administrative Officer and the Head of School.

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