DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND ADMISSIONS Salary circa £60,000 per annum plus bene f its
Sir William Perkins’s School, Guildford Road, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 9BN T: 01932 574900 | email: recruitment@swps.org.uk | www.swps.org.uk
THE SCHOOL
Academic success is a priority and entrance to the School is by competitive examination, but education should be about far more than just top grades. We believe in educating the whole person and equipping our students to have the confidence t o make their mark on the world. Therefore significa n t emphasis is placed on the broad and balanced curriculum, the wide-ranging co-curricular activities and the caring and supportive environment. The latest inspection report said of our students: “Pupils demonstrate excellent social awareness and they grow up to be poised, confide n t and articulate young women.” The ISI regulatory compliance inspection in September 2016 recorded that all eight parts of the standard were met and our report in the Good Schools Guide describes our “excellent results achieved with a big dollop of humour, humanity and freedom of thought”. The School has a Christian foundation and our ethos of integrity underpins the way we operate. We value that the Sir William Perkins 's community is diverse and students of all faiths, or none, and their families are warmly welcomed The School is continually developing, with building and equipment extended and updated regularly.
Sir William Perkins’s School is a high-performing independent girls’ school for approximately 600 students aged 11 – 18 years. The Head is both a member of HMC and GSA. It was founded in 1725 by a wealthy local Chertsey merchant to educate the town’s children. The School moved to its present site in 1819 and became fully independent in 1978. It is located on an attractive 12-acre site situated on the outskirts of Chertsey, a two minute walk from the railway station and very near to the junction of the M3 and M25. The School’s Aims are to: • Inspire excellence in academic standards • Give the student the confidence t o enjoy learning, the resilience to learn from mistakes and to cultivate good habits of work • Help each student: • develop fully as an individual with integrity • refine creative and practical skills • gain the qualifications they need to embark on, and succeed in their chosen career • think independently • be a confident, responsible and unselfish member of the community
ROLE SUMMARY
Reporting to the Head, and a key member of the Sir William Perkins’s School Senior Leadership Team, this role is an exciting opportunity for an experienced marketing and communications professional. The Director of Marketing and Admissions will be responsible for a team encompassing pupil admissions, marketing, alumnae, events and digital communications. While the role is a strategic one, it will also require an aptitude for the process and detail that are part of the successful management of an independent day school. The Director of Marketing and Admissions will take the lead in developing and delivering innovative marketing, communications and student recruitment strategies for the School, providing inspiring and motivational leadership for the marketing, communications and admissions team.
The ideal candidate will have a demonstrable track record in strategic marketing, communications and brand management gained from within or outside the education sector. The individual will have sound knowledge of the independent educational landscape and a keen understanding of the factors which drive parents/ carers to consider and invest in an independent education for their children. The successful candidate will be an articulate, persuasive and credible ambassador for the School and be able to work with a wide range of people to lead and manage change. The individual will have the ability to apply sound marketing and communications principles to the School’s particular context by thoroughly researching both target audiences and the dynamics of the highly competitive south-east and national marketplace.
PRIMARY PURPOSE
• Work with the Head to develop the strategic plan for the School as a whole. • Devise and implement an innovative marketing and communications strategy which effective l y differentiates the School and which will deliver agreed long-term student roll targets – increasing the number, calibre and diversity of the applicants. • Work with the Head of Admissions, to ensure the optimum fil l for the School, monitoring and, where necessary, responding to key market trends via effective s trategies and tactical marketing plans. • Act as custodian of the Sir William Perkins’s School brand, assuming primary accountability for articulating and enhancing the School’s brand and values to a wide range of audiences, to further its regional and national profile and t o widen its student recruitment reach.
• Oversee marketing and communications across the entire Sir William Perkins’s School community, with a view to strengthening the overall standing and reputation with all key stakeholders and to harness their advocacy and support. • Build excellent relationships with key press and PR outlets regionally and nationally to ensure the School is effective l y represented and its reputation managed and enhanced. • Seek opportunities for the School to contribute to and comment on relevant educational debates. • Lead, inspire, motivate and professionally develop the Marketing, Communications and Admissions team.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Keep abreast of and advise the Senior Leadership Team on trends in the independent education sector in the UK. • Develop and implement the communications and public relations strategy by raising awareness and differentiation across key markets – local, regional and national, developing appropriate strategies for both offline a nd digital media. Pupil Recruitment and Admissions • Ensure seamless customer journeys for all key stakeholder groups via direct and digital channels; working closely with the Head of Admissions to automate the Admissions process to allow for paperless admissions. • In close liaison with the Head of Admissions, develop the School’s feeder school strategy via a targeted outreach programme. • Assume overall responsibility for all recruitment-led activities and events, including open days, taster days and feeder school events while encouraging significant input from the Head of Admissions.
Strategy and Planning • Develop, manage and implement the School’s strategic marketing and communications plans in conjunction with its strategic priorities. • Develop and implement an innovative marketing and communications strategy that builds and differentiates Sir William Perkins’s core strengths and which develops new opportunities in a highly competitive and dynamic market place. • Develop and manage a detailed action and resource plan to support the marketing strategy. • Monitor and report all high-level metrics,
proactively commissioning research and using data to devise appropriate
interventions, revising strategies and tactical marketing and communications plans as required. • Develop and communicate the Sir William Perkins 's brand and associated aims and messages, ensuring consistency across the School community.
Leadership & Management
• Oversee the delivery of successful and well- attended entrance examinations and scholarship applications. • Work closely with the Head of Sixth Form to develop an effective strategy for sixth form retention/recruitment. • Along with the Head of Admissions, ensure accurate forecasting, statistical review, trend analysis and reporting of all enquiry and admission data, and oversee the regulatory aspects of the registration and admissions procedure, including the Admissions Register, CIME and GDPR.
• Lead, inspire and motivate the team, ensuring best practice is consistently followed and supported by appropriate professional development. • Report to the Senior Leadership Team and the Board of Governors and attend Marketing Strategy Committee meetings. Provide verbal updates when required. • Establish and monitor plans to meet agreed objectives. Plan, oversee and report on expenditure, income and budgets in support of marketing communications activities. Note: The successful candidate will be required to carry out additional duties outside normal working hours in accordance with the demands of a busy independent school, and a full marketing events programme
• Manage, promote and protect the School’s brand guidelines providing overall editorial and design control across all communications and advertising media, with particular emphasis on all mass communications that are sent out from the School. • Maximise PR opportunities via strong relationships with local and, where appropriate, national media and develop opportunities for the School to engage in and comment on relevant debates within education. • Manage all aspects of our alumnae body the ‘Perkonian Network’, maintaining relationships via enews and social media campaigns, and ensuring engagement between former students and our current student body via a series of networking events. The post holder should also seek opportunities for fundraising potential. Monitor and report all high-level metrics, proactively commissioning research and using data to devise an appropriate tactical marketing response when required.
Marketing & Communications
• Collaborate with the Head and the Senior Leadership Team to develop the strategic plan for the School. • Implement and develop our innovative marketing and branding strategy, currently in its early stages, to differentiate SWPS effectively and deliver agreed long-term student roll targets. • Work closely with our newly appointed creative agency to deliver effective campaigns on time and on budget. • Act as custodian for the Sir William Perkins’s brand, assuming primary responsibility for articulating and promoting the School’s brand values to a wide range of audiences. • Maintain and increase the reputation of the School among the entire SWPS community, harnessing the support and advocacy of all key stakeholders: staff, students, parents and governors. • Review and develop the School’s print and online marketing material in close collaboration with the Head and provide strategic oversight of the SWPS website while directing the Digital Communications Officer in its evolution and management. • Develop a comprehensive Digital Marketing Strategy, working with the Digital Communications Officer to manage digital marketing channels, including SEO, PPC, CRM, social media and email marketing. Strategy should have a focus on tracking and analysis in an effort to drive enquiries.
THE PERSON
The Director of Marketing and Admissions will have a high profile within the School and will carry significant responsibilities. They will thrive on the opportunity to define clear strategy and implement and monitor its effectiveness skil l fully. The individual will have con fi dence and presence but demonstrate fl exibility and subtlety, in order to successfully engage sta ff and others in the delivery of the strategic aims. This will have many of the following key skills, experience and attributes: Quali fi cations and Experience • Good university degree • Recognised marketing qualific a tion or equivalent relevant strategic-level marketing or related commercial experience. • Strong leadership and management experience combined with good commercial awareness. • Genuine interest in educational issues and empathy with the independent sector. • Demonstrate experience of engaging and building relationships with stakeholders. • Experience of developing, implementing and monitoring strategic plans, combined with a good array of technical marketing skills
including digital marketing experience. • Experience in leading and managing sta ff and development of an open and supportive working environment. • Prior professional experience in a School environment, whilst helpful, is not essential. Leadership & Management skills • Ability to translate an ambitious vision into meaningful plans and objectives and gain commitment from the staff c ommunity. • Capable of systematically analysing performance, the market and competitors. • Highly articulate communicator with outstanding interpersonal skills. • Ability to manage projects with conflicting demands and timescales. • Strong team leader with a fl e xible, hands-on attitude to work and meticulous attention to detail. • Highly numerate with excellent IT skills, including understanding of social media, digital marketing and modern website design.
Personal Attributes • Dynamic, innovative strategic thinker able to embrace and drive change. • Self-motivated to set and achieve ambitious goals. • Flexible and pragmatic with a high level of emotional intelligence. • An excellent networker and team player. • Robust in tackling issues head on. • Able to act as a highly credible ambassador for the School. • Confide n t and charismatic but with the subtlety of approach needed to bring all members of the community on board with new ideas. • Meticulous with a good eye for detail.
BENEFITS
We are a friendly, exciting and supportive place to work and we hope that you will want to join us. The school offe r s an attractive range of benefits as outlined below: • Competitive salary which recognises the qualific a tions, skills and experience of the candidate. The School has its own salary scale. • 28 days’ annual holiday entitlement which must be taken during School holidays, plus Bank Holidays. • Teachers’ Pension Scheme for teaching staff and membe r ship of group personal pension scheme (with life assurance) for non- teaching staff • Private Medical Insurance with AXA PP for Senior Leadership Team members. • Free lunches, tea and coffee and ca r parking on site. • Enhanced sickness and family friendly policies. • Free use of School Gym at specified times • Strong tradition of on-going financia l investment and development. • Opportunities to travel the world through domestic and international trips and tours.
• Library facilities open to all. • Scholarships and bursaries as a registered charity from our own school fund. • Staff Socia l Committee. • Warm welcome and an excellent staff r oom. Sir William Perkins’s School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS
Application To arrange a confidential conversation to discuss the opportunity in more depth, please contact: Hayley Mintern Hayley.Mintern@mrgpeople.co.uk, Applications should consist of a comprehensive C V ( of not more than 4 pages ) and a covering
Location Full details are available at http://www.swps.org.uk/Location By Road
The school is conveniently situated on the A320 between Staines and Woking, with easy road access and Junction 11 of the M25 is within a few minutes’ drive of the school. By Rail Chertsey Train Station is a two minute walk away from the school.
letter ( of not more than 2 pages ) . Applications should be sent to : Hayley Mintern Hayley.Mintern@mrgpeople.co.uk,
If you would like to arrange to tour the School before making an application or if you have any questions then please contact Mrs J Field, Director of Human Resources, Compliance and Risk on 01932 574955 or at recruitment@swps.org.uk The closing date for applications is Sunday 24th October
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