Job Description

Effective communication is essential to building understanding and support for the strategic direction of Singapore American School from a diverse range of stakeholders. The Associate Director of Communications is a leadership role in the communication department tasked with managing both the internal and external communication for the school. The role oversees the day-to-day operation of the department and serves as a direct advisor to the Director of Communication. This role requires collaboration with senior leaders across the organization to ensure all stakeholders receive timely, concise, and effective messages that build understanding and positive sentiment.
Success in this role will require exceptional project management skills, a nuanced understanding of the strategic plan and support priorities, creativity, the ability to manage conflicting priorities and deadlines, and strong relationship-building and collaborative skills.
Position Responsibilities
Department leadership and project management
Serve as department project manager, overseeing daily workflow, priorities, and timelines across the communications team
Conduct employee appraisals and provide ongoing coaching, support, and performance feedback
Meet regularly with team members to monitor progress, resolve challenges, and ensure deadlines and quality standards are met
Report weekly to the Director of Communication on project status, risks, and upcoming needs
Represent the Director of Communication at leadership and external stakeholder meetings, as needed
Strategic planning, content, and editorial oversight
Oversee the editorial calendar, ensuring alignment with school priorities and strategic goals
Develop content strategies and recommendations informed by data and analytics
Edit and approve copy for print and digital collateral, including newsletters, correspondence, press materials, and advertising
Direct the production of major publications, including Journeys, annual report, and other key content pieces
Work in partnership with school leadership--including the superintendent, principals, and deputy principals--to develop strategic, responsive content (videos, letters, etc.) that addresses community needs and advances schoolwide priorities
Lead the multi-lingual translation/interpretation work for strategic messaging across campus
Major initiatives and campaign leadership
Lead admissions communications in partnership with the Admissions Director to support enrollment goals
Develop and oversee integrated marketing campaigns across print, digital, and branding channels
Manage advertising for admissions events and recruitment initiatives
Lead communications for the SAS Reimagined campus upgrade project, overseeing messaging, website development, and launch events to ensure clarity, alignment, and strong community engagement
Develop and oversee written, visual, and multimedia content
Manage messaging and storytelling for advancement and the capital campaign
Manage related web pages and ensure timely, accurate community updates
Collaborate regularly with facilities and construction teams to align messaging
Operations, budget, and vendor management
Recommend and implement improvements to communications processes and workflows
Manage external vendors, including marketing, advertising, photographers, and videographers
Collaborate on department budgeting and recommend effective use of resources
Maintain and update analytics dashboards to inform decision-making
Digital and brand stewardship
Apply expertise in design, layout, web, social media, and related technologies to ensure a consistent, professional, and engaging school presence across platforms
Perform other duties as assigned in support of schoolwide communications goal
Skills & Requirements
Position Requirements & Qualifications
Exceptional communication skills
? A passion for storytelling
? Ability to write for diverse audience segments in different formats (feature article, news items, principal/superintendent letters)
? Understanding of current industry trends and best practices for sharing messages across traditional and digital platforms
? Sharp eye for how design impacts messaging
Minimum of a bachelor's degree required
10+ years of communication experience working in a large complex environment, preferably with a portion of that experience in education
? Understanding of the PS-12 American curriculum and the challenges faced by international schools is a plus
Chinese and additional language skills are a plus
Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously
Experience in a multicultural, high-performance, educational environment
Proven ability to lead a diverse team in day-to-day operations
? Strong leadership skills, demonstrating the ability to motivate, engage, and influence stakeholders
Ability to work successfully alone and in a team environment
Ability to work collaboratively with other senior-level leaders on projects tailored to the needs of various stakeholder groups
Flexibility to work nights, weekends, and during school vacations
Competence in current school systems and technology (Google Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, FinalSite, Veracross) and the ability to quickly learn new systems as they are introduced
Strong understanding of principles of persuasion, marketing, and advertising
Working knowledge of policies, procedures, and operations at SAS is a plus
Working requirements
Evening and weekend commitments to support school events
Active engagement in the curricular and co-curricular life of the school
Attending and supporting overseas academic school trips

Skills Required