Who we are?
Ethical Culture Fieldston School is a progressive PreK-12 independent school that has been serving students from throughout New York City and the surrounding suburbs since 1878. ECFS offers a rich curriculum in the arts, sciences, and humanities. A co-ed, nonsectarian school, it serves a diverse community of about 1,700 students on two campuses -- one in the Riverdale section of the Bronx and the other in Manhattan.  

What is essential about working at our school?
The Ethical Culture Fieldston School has a long history of equity and inclusion deeply rooted in our mission and the educational philosophy of our founder, Felix Adler. We embrace diversity of ancestry, family, identity, culture, and beliefs and seek a student body and faculty that reflect the pluralism and socio-economic diversity of metropolitan New York. We affirm both our differences and commonalities and strive to balance individuality and community. In keeping with our progressive tradition, we are dedicated to increasing our students’ cultural literacy to help them understand multiple perspectives and see the world beyond the self.

We expect members of our community to engage in open dialogue about living and learning in a diverse environment inside and outside the classroom. We see this work, with its creative tensions, as a catalyst for individual and collective growth. On a daily basis, we are committed to making this vision of a democratic, pluralistic, and progressive school a reality.

Position Summary
Ethical Culture Fieldston School seeks a seasoned and creative marketing and communications professional with a strong track record of executing visions across a multidimensional organization. 

The Director of Communications leads all external and internal communications activities, manages a high-functioning team, and works to increase and diversify visibility, funding, and enrollment, while elevating the School’s brand recognition.

This is an onsite role and not performed remotely. Ethical Culture Fieldston School retains its right to modify job duties in accordance with changing operational needs.

The hiring rate for this position is $175,000-$200,000. When determining the salary for an offer of employment, ECFS considers factors including, but not limited to: the scope and responsibilities of the position, internal peer equity, key skills required for the role, the candidate’s work experience, education and training, as well as market and organizational considerations.

Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities of the Director of Communications will include:

• Developing and executing strategies to promote the School’s vision through multimedia, events, and print publications, as well as visual, verbal, and printed messages to ensure that ECFS is recognized as a leader in progressive education;

• Monitoring the current landscape of media coverage and industry events within progressive education to analyze opportunities for the School, including liaising with external media and reporters in the education press and greater NYC media;

• Driving creative, editorial, and strategic direction for all ECFS communications to promote the mission of the School and alignment with core values, including our website, social media, the School magazine, design materials, advertising, and digital messaging; 

• Working with the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Trustees to craft messaging to families, faculty/staff, alumni, and the overall external community;

• Continually evaluating the communications strategy to ensure messaging is effectively meeting the intended audiences at the appropriate cadence to minimize “information fatigue”, and adjusting/streamlining when necessary; 

• Working with our Executive Director of Technology, principals, and key department leaders to determine the best communication mechanisms and tools for different School constituencies and sharing best practice norms and protocols; 

• Collaborating with the Chief Advancement Officer and relevant team members to develop marketing materials and strategies for capital campaigns, milestone celebrations (including the ECFS 150th Anniversary), strategic plans, and other high-level initiatives; 

• Writing and editing a variety of messages for School divisions/departments including digital newsletters, parent correspondence, magazines, marketing materials, and emergency alerts;

• Partnering with the Director of Admissions to create and execute enrollment marketing campaigns;

• Preparing speeches and talking points for ECFS leadership;

• Sourcing and managing relationships with external vendors including marketing and advertising, public relations, and graphic design; 

• Devising and implementing a communications plan for newly enrolled families in partnership with ECFS principals and key department leaders; 

• Designing and maintaining a public relations strategy and crisis communication plan in partnership with the School’s General Counsel and assisting in crisis response and management as necessary;

• Supervising a team of communications professionals whose work includes divisional communications, graphic design, website management, and advancement-focused comms;

• Providing regular reports to the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Trustees on activities and key performance indicators; 

• Maintaining copy and design style guides that ensure a clear, concise, and consistent voice across all communications; 

• Maintaining a press kit for public relations, establishing relationships, creating content, and distributing to local and national media outlets as needed; and

• Handling other responsibilities, initiatives, and key projects as needed.