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