Director of Institutional Communications

Shady Side Academy seeks a Director of Institutional Communications, a senior leader within the Marketing & Communications Office with exceptional judgment, editorial authority, and collaborative instincts. This role reports directly to the Chief Marketing Officer and is responsible for stewarding the Academy’s institutional voice across internal and external communications. Working with a high degree of discernment, the Director of Institutional Communications exercises editorial judgment while ensuring clarity, consistency, and strategic alignment in how Shady Side communicates with its stakeholders.

The Director of Institutional Communications leads complex, high-visibility initiatives that support Academy-wide marketing and communications priorities, the President’s Office, Alumni and Development, Admissions, and School Heads. This position is both strategic and hands-on, requiring a confident writer, thoughtful editor, and disciplined project manager who can translate institutional strategy into compelling, mission-aligned communications. The Director operates as a trusted partner to senior leadership, owning projects from concept through execution within a high-functioning Marketing & Communications team. While the Chief Marketing Officer sets overarching strategy and priorities, the Director of Institutional Communications is expected to lead day-to-day editorial decision-making and execution with confidence, initiative, and sound institutional judgment.

Shady Side Academy provides a unique and valuable education that is relational and robust, cultivates a balanced and informed worldview, and leverages real-world learning experiences. To articulate that value, the Director of Institutional Communications implements institutional storytelling and communications strategies that reflect the Academy’s values, aspirations, and forward momentum. This role is a full-time, in-person position.

Responsibilities:

Institutional Storytelling and Voice —

• Uphold and advance the Academy’s brand voice, tone, and editorial standards across all institutional communications.
• Serve as a lead writer and editor for Academy-wide communications, including messaging for Alumni and Development, Admissions, School Heads, the President’s Office, and strategic marketing initiatives.
• Act as lead editor and project manager for flagship institutional publications, including the Academy’s alumni magazine, in partnership with the Chief Marketing Officer and key stakeholders.
• Write and edit news stories, features, and leadership communications for the Academy website and institutional newsletters.
• Ghostwrite high-impact written content, including speeches, announcements, campaign messaging, event invitations, print materials, and narrative storytelling that reflect institutional priorities.
• Ensure messaging is audience aware, strategically differentiated, and aligned with Academy goals.

Leadership and Departmental Collaboration —

• Provide leadership within the Marketing & Communications Office, modeling clarity, accountability, and collaborative practice.
• Partner closely with the Director of Web and Digital Marketing to ensure narrative cohesion across platforms and alignment between content, digital strategy, and audience engagement.
• Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications Manager to support parent communications, newsletters, calendars, and community-wide messaging, providing editorial guidance and strategic oversight.
• Work closely with the Alumni & Development Office, Admissions Office, School leadership, and administrative departments to translate institutional priorities into clear, compelling communications.
• Build strong working relationships across departments, balancing responsiveness with strategic discipline.
• Serve as a key thought partner to the Chief Marketing Officer on narrative development, messaging strategy, and reputational communications.
• Support and guide stakeholders in best practices for institutional communications and brand alignment.

Project Management and Execution —

• Lead communications projects from concept through execution, managing timelines, workflows, and deliverables across multiple stakeholders.
• Use project management tools to coordinate work efficiently and transparently within the department and with partners.
• Apply an understanding of inbound content strategy and search optimization principles to ensure communications are relevant, discoverable, and responsive to audience needs.
• Balance long-range planning with real-time responsiveness in a dynamic school environment.
• Contribute to departmental planning, prioritization, and process improvement in partnership with the Chief Marketing Officer.