Employment Type: Full Time (40 hrs/wk), Benefits Eligible

Months Per Year: 12

Start Date: Immediately

Position Summary:

The Director of Communications plays a central role in shaping how Paideia is understood, experienced, and celebrated across all of its audiences — current families, alumni, prospective families, donors, and the broader community. Paideia is an age three through 12th grade school of more than 1,000 students in Atlanta’s Emory University neighborhood, with a distinctive progressive culture that is alive in every corner of school life.

This position is responsible for giving that culture a consistent, compelling voice across all channels: the weekly newsletter, print magazine, website, social media, and media relations. The Director leads a team of two — a communications and marketing manager and a webmaster — and balances strategic leadership with hands-on execution. This position reports directly to the Director of Advancement and works in close collaboration with the Head of School, level principals, and senior administration.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Communications Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and steward an integrated communications strategy that reflects and reinforces Paideia’s culture, voice, and values across all channels
• Set the tone for all school communications — serving as writer, editor, and standard-bearer for how Paideia speaks to its community and the wider world
• Act as a trusted advisor to the Head of School on communications and crisis management
• Manage the communications budget

Storytelling & Content

• Compile, write, and edit Paideia’s weekly electronic newsletter and print magazine; provide direction and support to volunteer contributors
• Understand the many audiences within and beyond the Paideia community — current families, alumni, prospective families, donors, media — and shape communications accordingly
• Work collaboratively with teachers and administrators to understand the depth of Paideia’s programs and translate that depth into compelling stories
• Build authentic relationships with parents and students that strengthen communication and foster community

Digital Presence & Media

• Oversee the school’s internal and external website, including content development, updates, and ongoing improvements
• Oversee Paideia’s social media presence and ensure the school’s digital voice is consistent and authentic
• Serve as the school’s primary contact with local, regional, and national media
• Oversee photography at on- and off-campus events; manage digital image databases, photo archives, and digital assets for print and digital publications

Team Leadership

• Lead and support a communications team of two, including a communications and marketing manager and a webmaster
• Balance high-level strategic leadership with hands-on execution across a wide range of projects and timelines

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills — this is a writing-forward role and candidates should be prepared to share examples of their work
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage multiple creative projects simultaneously
• Gifted communicator who writes clearly, warmly, and well; curious about people and skilled at drawing out their stories
• Proficiency with Google Workspace; willingness to learn tools including Veracross
• Strong working knowledge of digital communications, website content management, social media, and media relations
• Genuine enthusiasm for Paideia’s progressive educational mission and community values

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree, ideally in communications, journalism, English, or a related field
• A minimum of five years of experience in communications, journalism, public relations, or a closely related field

Application Notes:

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references via our online application.

Salary is commensurate with education and experience. A benefits package is offered for benefits-eligible positions. The Paideia School is an equal opportunity employer.

For more information about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, our focus on both social and emotional learning with rigorous academic offerings and opportunities for extra curricular learning, please visit our website at www.paideiaschool.org.

About The Paideia School

Paideia is a K-12 college preparatory school of 999 students in the Emory University area of Atlanta; the elementary school enrolls 333 students. The elementary program includes twelve full-day, self-contained classrooms grades K-6. There are two teachers in each class of twenty-six to twenty-eight children. Teachers work together as lead teacher and assistant or as two co-lead teachers. Other than classes with specialists including art, music, physical education, and library, children remain with their own teachers throughout the day. We believe the constellation of relative strengths and weaknesses among any group of students can differ widely; teachers decide when and how to offer extra help, when and where to augment a task to provide extra challenge, and when and why to take a step back to allow a child to process information. Social development is an integral part of a child’s maturation. Teachers help children learn how to work together cooperatively and effectively.

Connections working at The Paideia School