Villa Maria Academy is a Catholic college preparatory school for girls in grades 9-12, rooted in the charism of the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, empowering young women to lead lives of spiritual growth, intellectual inquiry and Christian service.

Position Overview

Villa Maria Academy High School seeks a visionary, creative, and mission-driven communications leader to serve as its next Director of Communications. This is an exciting opportunity to shape and share the story of a vibrant Catholic college preparatory school where faith, academic excellence, leadership, and sisterhood inspire young women to grow with confidence and purpose.

The Director of Communications leads the development and execution of a comprehensive communications strategy that reflects the heart of the Villa Maria experience. Through compelling storytelling and thoughtful engagement across print, digital, social, and emerging media, the director brings to life the many dimensions of the school—from its rigorous academics, exceptional athletics, and thriving fine arts programs to its commitment to service, cherished traditions, and welcoming community.

As a collaborative member of the Marketing and Communications Group, the Director of Communications serves as a steward of the Villa Maria brand, ensuring that every message reflects the school's mission, values, and vision. The director builds meaningful connections with prospective and current families, alumnae, faculty, staff, donors, and the broader community while strengthening the school's reputation and advancing its strategic priorities. The successful candidate embraces the mission and core values of Villa Maria Academy High School and is passionate about sharing the transformative impact of a Villa education with authenticity, creativity, and purpose.

Key Responsibilities:

Plan, create, and analyze communications for electronic, social, print, and web media to promote Villa Maria and engage prospective and current families and students, alumnae, staff, and the community.

·        Maintain the strategic design, content, and user experience of the school’s website and digital platforms including school app. Utilize data analytics to evaluate performance and continually optimize digital, advertising, and social media strategies.

·        Create and maintain online Finalsite registration/payment forms and lists for groups utilizing the website for events on campus.

·        Develop and execute a comprehensive digital and social media strategy aligned with the school's mission, values, and enrollment goals. Collaborate with leadership to maintain and protect brand identity across all marketing materials, platforms, and public-facing publications.

·        Design and manage multi-channel digital advertising campaigns (Facebook, Instagram, Google) and develop inbound marketing capabilities to attract and convert prospective families. Maintain listings on Google My Business, Bing, Niche, Malvern Patch, Main Line Neighbors, and other websites to increase traffic to the website.

·        Monitor all Villa social media channels, engage with followers as appropriate, and respond to messages and comments in a timely manner.

·        Partner with faculty, staff, and students to discover, produce, and amplify compelling narratives (classroom highlights, student achievements, alumnae spotlights) that drive engagement across all media channels.

·        Curate and write/create content for and author Hurricane Happenings weekly e-newsletter for timely community information and updates.

·        Act as the main liaison between the school and the press, cultivating media relationships to secure positive coverage for school news, major events, and school or program milestones.

·        Serve as a trusted advisor to school administration; draft when requested, review, and deploy critical communications for internal and external constituents. In partnership with the President and Principal, lead the school’s public relations response and media management during crisis situations.

·        Project manages the concept, copywriting, and editing of school publications (Admissions Viewbooks and At-A-Glance, Blueprint, Advancement materials/pamphlets, Conservatory, school profiles), creating written content and design/layout as needed.

·        Take photos/videos and curate the creation and archiving of high-quality visual assets (photography/videography) to support all school marketing efforts. 

·        Serve as lead communications contact for school crisis and information events.  Serve on safety team to contribute best practices for external communications for safety plan. 

Qualification & Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years of professional experience in communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field.
• Work experience with communications in K-12 and/or independent school setting a plus.
• Exceptional written, verbal, editing, and storytelling skills with the ability to communicate effectively across diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing strategic communications, media relations, and crisis communications.
• Strong understanding of branding, digital communications, social media strategy, website content management, and communications analytics.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, Finalsite (or comparable website content management systems), Google Analytics, Microsoft Office Suite, and social media management platforms.
• Experience with print and digital publication design, photography, and visual content development.
• Knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, and digital marketing best practices.
• Strong organizational, project management, and analytical skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Proven ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with colleagues, school leadership, and external partners.
• Confidence and professionalism in representing the school, building relationships with the media and community, and serving as a trusted communications advisor.
• Commitment to supporting and advancing the mission and values of Villa Maria Academy High School.

If interested, please submit a cover letter, resume and school application found on the school website (https://www.vmahs.org/about-villa-maria/employment) to Mrs. Josephine Zabat, Director of Human Resources, Villa Maria Academy HS, hrvma@vmahs.org.