Director of Communications

Established in 1689 by William Penn and members of the Religious Society of Friends, William Penn Charter School (Penn Charter) is a community guided by Quaker values and the central belief that there is "that of God" in every person. Today, Penn Charter is a leading, all-gender, independent day school offering a vigorous pre-K through 12 program in academics, arts, and athletics, all within the context of the Quaker values that have guided the school for more than three centuries.

We invite nominations and applications from seasoned, detail oriented, analytical, and strategic administrators with strong interpersonal skills and deep leadership and strategic acumen for the position of Director of Communications.     

ABOUT WILLIAM PENN CHARTER SCHOOL 

Penn Charter is the fifth-oldest school in America and the oldest Quaker school in the world. Over three centuries, even as we have honored tradition, the school has advocated for change. Our curriculum embraces a plurality of cultures and celebrates an array of voices, instilling in us a deeper understanding and empathy for individuals in this community and the world.

The Penn Charter educational program exposes students to a breadth of content and ideas as well as opportunities for deep exploration in the pursuit of personal passion. Guided by research and best practices, faculty collaborate across divisions and disciplines to design and deliver engaging and relevant learning experiences. We provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a complex and changing world.                            

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & BELONGING

Penn Charter seeks to build a community representing diversity in race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, gender, sexual orientation—as well as learning style, opinion, and hometown. When you walk through Penn Charter's red doors, there is a reason our formal-looking school suddenly feels down to earth: the people. Penn Charter was founded not for some people but for all people. That is as true today as it was in 1689. Penn Charter was one of the first schools to open to children of all religions and races, and among the first to educate girls and to offer financial aid. Despite that history, our community is not immune from the racism, sexism, homophobia, and intolerance that challenge this city and nation. Our diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) work is ongoing, and unfinished.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Penn Charter seeks a talented, collegial, and multi-faceted leader to serve as its next Director of Communications. The Director must be able to think strategically at the highest level and shift seamlessly and effectively among a variety of different roles. In addition to managing and supervising a four-person team, the Director will serve as a trusted advisor and thought partner to Head of School, Karen Warren Coleman and will be responsible for the development and implementation of a marketing communications strategy and a broad and diverse range of community, media, public relations, and crisis communications. The successful candidate will be able to both develop and implement strategic priorities while partnering across campus at the ground level with colleagues, including Admission and Enrollment Management, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Advancement, and the three School Directors to carry out initiatives that will distinguish Penn Charter regionally and nationally.

The Director of Communications will be asked to embrace the following opportunities and challenges:

• Further elevate the visibility and prominence of Penn Charter as it enters a new era of success through creative, sophisticated, and judicious application of best practice strategies in communications, marketing, and technology across a wide range of platforms, constituencies, and audiences;
• Develop trust, rapport, and partnership with the leadership and staff of key divisions and departments across campus (Division Heads, Advancement, and Enrollment) as well as faculty, staff, and students, in order to tell Penn Charter’s story to the world to maximum effect;
• Assess the existing tools used for internal and external campus-wide communications and collaboratively develop plans to optimize both their efficacy and their content with the goal of more effectively sharing important information;
• Curate and manage the school's website as well as social media accounts;
• Partner closely with faculty to better understand and highlight their accomplishments and priorities, while demonstrating an understanding of Quaker education;
• Mentor, manage, and support the talented Communications team, both individually and collectively, through professional development and other opportunities;
• Act as media spokesperson and respond to members of the media in a timely manner, compose and distribute press releases, and develop positive professional relationships with various members of the media, and
• Function as an essential member of the School’s crisis management team.   

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

• An appreciation for the Quaker mission of Penn Charter and commitment to the theory and practice of equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Superior oral and written communication skills and a demonstrated capacity to collaborate with community stakeholders.
• Multiple years of experience in content development and management for print and web, and comprehensive marketing experience along with a willingness to embrace new technologies and developing trends.
• Strong strategic vision combined with excellent supervisory skills, and a demonstrated ability to manage, mentor and motivate an effective team.
• Demonstrated project management skills and understanding of digital media tools, social media, video, and website design. 
• Attention to detail combined with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a deadline-driven environment.
• A high degree of professionalism, collegiality, sound judgment, awareness, and discretion while maintaining complete confidentiality.
• Capable of building collaborative relationships and effectively navigating across a highly engaged school community.
• The ability to work calmly and competently in fast-moving, high stress situations.
• A strategic mind, a collaborative spirit, and the desire to become a visible, approachable, and fully engaged member of the Penn Charter community.
• Experience working in an independent school and reporting directly to a Head of School is preferred but not required.         

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience and the position must be performed on site, in Pennsylvania. Penn Charter offers a generous benefits package as well, including 90% tuition remission for up to two children at a time for grades K-12 and a 20% discount for Pre-K.