Manager, Communications & Strategic Marketing

Position Summary

CIS seeks an exceptional, experienced candidate for the position of communications and strategic marketing manager. The successful candidate will be a native English speaker and will lead effective, integrated marketing campaigns aligned with school-wide goals. As the schools primary writer and editor, they will capture engaging stories, control output quality and establish a consistent brand voice across print and digital media. The manager will work closely with the senior leadership, as well as with the admissions and parent engagement teams, to showcase CIS in support of the schools enrollment objectives. This position would be suitable for a strategic, highly collaborative marketing-communications specialist who is able to operate in a high-volume, fast-paced environment. They will be able to handle precise editorial details whilst keeping the schools broader mission, vision and values in mind. An ability to work respectfully and effectively with diverse constituencies is essential.

Responsibilities

Leadership

• Under the umbrella of enrollment management, design, implement and execute a communications and marketing plan for the school
• Oversee the division of labour, effectively guide and mentor, and hire new members of the Communication and Marketing Team
• Oversee the communications and marketing budget
• Offer communications and marketing expertise to the school community, and build interest around possibilities for inter-departmental collaboration on related initiatives
• Present communications and marketing reports to the senior leadership team and to the Board of Directors 

Communications

• Produce engaging content and capture stories for multiple platforms that are responsive to the expectations and interests of prospective families through all stages of the inbound marketing funnel
• Serve as the schools main researcher, copywriter and editor for external communications, including newsletters, social media channels, the school website, letters, press releases, brochures and ads, and for external media outlets as needed
• Update and maintain the CIS English-language editorial style guide, including CIS terminology, inclusive language directives, brand voice and tone samples, etc.; serve as an advisor to other staff writers on CIS editorial style
• Manage the production of the weekly parent e-newsletter by soliciting and editing submissions and ensuring it is distributed on time; update the layout and design aesthetic
• Play an advisory and implementation role in emergency communications
• Collaboratively develop a Khmer, Mandarin and Korean translation and interpretation bureau that supports the schools overarching enrollment management strategy, school-wide Education Plan and expectations of high-quality communications
• Lead internal communications at CIS by producing staff newsletters, compiling photo galleries, creating event graphics, issuing urgent email updates, etc. 

Marketing

• Revisit the CIS brand identity and propose a rebranding initiative to reflect the schools newly adopted mission, vision and values at the time of its 10th anniversary; orient the school community to the updated brand identity guidelines
• Clarify the schools value proposition, augment its marketing personas, and typical family journey
• Gear the school website for prospective families, restructure the website as needed, and maintain website content
• Oversee the schools social media channels, including content creation and scheduling
• Develop strategic marketing campaigns (involving digital marketing, special events, public relations, advertising, and other strategies), and analyze their efficacy
• Establish a consistent visual/graphic design aesthetic for reports, letterhead templates, advertising materials, posters, infographics, social media graphics, etc. in line with the revised brand identity; serve as the schools lead graphic designer
• Manage multimedia (photography and video) production, either by creating content or by commissioning work, ensuing very high standards and consistent branding; maintain an in-house photo library
• Build strategic corporate and community partnerships and initiatives to support enrollment; attend networking events in Phnom Penh

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelors degree in communications, journalism or marketing
• At least 6 years of management-level communications, PR or marketing experience, ideally in a top-tier international school; agency candidates will be considered
• Experience developing and maintaining a brand identity, and delivering innovative and effective marketing campaigns across multiple channels essential
• Experience as a copywriter with a published body of professional work essential
• Experience working with diverse communities and in high-context cultures essential

Knowledge, Competencies and Attributes

• Native English speaker; Mandarin or Korean language skills an advantage
• Exceptional written communication skills; able to produce consistently high-quality content for print and digital media that engages diverse constituencies
• Outstanding creative visual and presentation skills, and advanced knowledge of layout and graphic design principles; able to translate core concepts into highly compelling visuals using graphic programs such as the Adobe Creative Suite
• Comfortable using the Google Workspace for document production and file sharing
• Knowledge of digital photography and recording/editing video a strong advantage
• Knowledge of strategies for online presence improvement, including search engine ranking and
  pay-per-click advertising
• Knowledge of the broader enrollment management umbrella both in theory and practice
• Committed to and inspired by collaborative work processes
• Knowledge of the logistics of managing multilingual translation and/or interpretation workflows in a professional setting
• Excellent interpersonal, time management and project management skills
• Willingness to engage in ongoing professional development, follow trends in communications and marketing in the international school sector, and share knowledge and expertise with others
• Willingness to work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends, if necessary

Child Safeguarding

CIS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The successful candidate will be required to:

• Fulfil their role in promoting and safeguarding the welfare of all students in the school
• Attend regular professional development child protection and safeguarding programs and sign a Code of Conduct
• Report to the Designated or Deputy Safeguarding Lead any concerns they have for the welfare of a student