Director of Marketing and Communications
Overview
Located on a bucolic 26-acre campus on Philadelphia’s Main Line, The Agnes Irwin School (AIS) is a
national leader in girls education. Home to over 630 bright and engaged girls in grades PK-12, the school is known for its commitment to academic excellence, empowerment, and a supportive environment
where relationships are nurtured and valued. When spending time at AIS, one quickly senses the palpable warmth of a supportive community, the bold ambition of a renowned institution that is future-
focused, and decision-making that starts and ends with what is best for the girls. While steeped in rich traditions and history, Agnes Irwin is committed to continued growth and evolution. In 2022, the school
announced its 5-year strategic plan, Boundless, which is focused on 4 key strategic commitments:
intellectual curiosity, personal well-being, authentic inclusivity, and courageous leadership.
To support the strategic plan and its initiatives, the school and the Board of Trustees are envisioning its future plans for the campus and its community. The atmosphere on campus is joyful and energetic.
The school’s origin can be traced to 1869 when Agnes Irwin, a groundbreaking educator, and the great-great granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin, was appointed Head at the West Penn Seminary for Young
Ladies in Philadelphia. Soon renamed Miss Irwin of Philadelphia, the school was one of the first in the country to solely focus on the education of girls. In 1915, following the death of Agnes Irwin, who had departed earlier to serve as the first Dean of Radcliffe College at Harvard, the School was renamed in her honor. The school moved to Wynnewood in 1933 and eventually relocated to its permanent home in Rosemont in 1961. The school continued to flourish as a leader in girls education and, in 2011, officially
launched the on-campus Center for Advancement of Girls, an innovative program that conducts research on girls leadership and implements best practices on campus to support the learning and growth of the girls. AIS has exclusively been led by female educators and in 2020,
Sally Keidel, who had previously led the enrollment program for the School, was enthusiastically welcomed back to the school
to serve as 14 th Head of School.
Now, Agnes Irwin seeks an experienced, strategic marketing and communications professional to serve as the school’s next Director of Marketing and Communications. Reporting to the Head of School, the
Director of Marketing and Communications is charged with the creation, implementation, and evaluation of Agnes Irwin’s comprehensive communications and marketing program. As a member of
the senior leadership team, the Director of Communications will develop strong partnerships with administrative colleagues and work closely with the School’s Enrollment and Development teams to
support enrollment and fundraising goals and initiatives. As the leader of the Communications Office, which includes the Associate Director of Communications, Associate Director of Marketing, and Social
Media Specialist, the Director will establish goals and utilize data and metrics to ensure they are met.
Compelling candidates will show leadership experience in marketing and communications and an
understanding of the independent school market.
Mission
The Agnes Irwin School empowers each girl to learn, to lead, and to live a legacy.
Core Values
Strive for Excellence
Lead with Character
Nurture Passions and Wellbeing
Foster Trust and Community
Respect and Celebrate All
At a Glance
Established: 1869
Enrollment: 635
Students of color: 26%
Zip codes represented: 75
Total faculty: 115
Faculty of color: 8.7%
Faculty with advanced degrees: 80%
Student/teacher ratio: 6:1
Financial aid budget: $5.3M
Students receiving aid: 32%
Endowment: $33M
Annual operating budget: $25M
Campus size: 26 acres
Opportunities and Challenges
Looking ahead, the priorities, opportunities and challenges for the Director of Communications
include:
Leading the Communications Team
The Director of Communications and Marketing will lead a talented and experienced team of professionals, who are eager for strategic vision, leadership, collaborative goal setting, and feedback to
ensure that they are able to produce high quality and effective collateral that advances the mission of AIS. The Director will serve as an ambassador for the Office, engaging in the school community to help
tell the story of The Agnes Irwin School.
Partnering with Administrative Colleagues
A healthy independent school communications and marketing program partners strategically and
successfully with the school's other programs, academic, athletic, and operational. In particular, the
Director of Marketing and Communications will strengthen the communication and partnerships with
both the Enrollment Management and Development Offices, ensuring thoughtful collaboration on both
goal setting and project management execution as well as brand consistency. To ensure that AIS
achieves its goals for both student enrollment and retention, the Director of Marketing and
Communications will partner closely with the Director of Enrollment Management and the team to
develop successful marketing and outreach. In addition, given the vital role of philanthropy at AIS and
the near term initiatives, the Director will closely strategize with the Development Office on the creation
of print and digital fundraising materials, and targeted, compelling appeals for all constituencies.
Ensuring brand consistency throughout all communications, digital and print, is crucial.
Serving as Thought Partner to Head of School &; Board of Trustees
The Director of Marketing and Communications reports to Sally Keidel, Head of School. Sally is a strategic thinker who is authentically interested and actively engaged in advancement strategy at the School. AIS is also fortunate to have a Board of Trustees who is supportive and appropriately engaged in the governance of the School. The Director of Marketing and Communications will work closely and strategically with both Sally and the Board on internal and external communications and serve as a
trusted thought partner on sensitive matters and crisis response.
Understanding the Marketplace and Implementing Strategy
Communications will be charged with evaluating the market, recommending and implementing marketing and communication strategies, and demonstrating the value proposition of an Agnes Irwin
education. By highlighting innovative programs, student achievements, and exceptional teaching the communications will better align the public perception with the true academic excellence of an Agnes
Irwin education.
Qualifications and Personal Attributes
A master's degree, preferably in English, journalism, communications, or marketing or significant equivalent experience;
Demonstrated experience in marketing, managing web content, and analytics and reporting in a non-profit or educational setting;
Proven experience in leading and strengthening teams;
Significant knowledge of the latest digital and integrated marketing tools and the ability to serve as technical lead on projects;
Superb oral and written communication skills including presenting to school community and Board of Trustees;
A proven record of delivering compelling and persuasive messages to key constituencies;
Excellent project management and implementation skills;
Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Finalsite and Blackbaud; Comfort and familiarity with
databases and platforms utilized in independent schools is preferred;
Demonstrates a dedication to continuous growth and development in areas of diversity, equity,
inclusion, and belonging and commits to AIS’ DEIB Philosophy;
A joyful and collaborative spirit and the appreciation for a fast-paced and lively school environment.
To Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants in confidence. Candidates will
ultimately need to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents:
A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;
A current résumé;
A list of five professional references, including current supervisor, with name, relationship,
phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the
candidate’s permission) to:
Sara Shulman
Practice Leader – Development and Finance/Senior Consultant
Jonathan Ball
Managing Associate
