The School is seeking a Marketing and Admissions Manager with proven prior experience within an independent school, to play a key role in developing and delivering a core marketing plan to increase pupil recruitment and retention and strength the School’s reputation. Central to the role is the ability to understand the needs of current and prospective parents, and to identify strategies and initiatives which enable Copthorne Prep to meet these needs in the short and long term.

All staff are expected to:

• Follow the School’s Safeguarding policy and procedures and to ensure the well-being of all pupils in their care is their highest priority.
• Contribute to the day-to-day running of the School and follow its policies and procedures.
• Take an active role in ensuring the realisation of the School Development Plan.
• Treat each pupil and each other as an individual with courtesy and respect.
• Have due regard for Health & Safety within the School.

Management and delivery of marketing plan

• Create a marketing plan in conjunction with the School Development Plan.
• To lead delivery of the marketing plan against agreed objectives.
• Develop and manage an annual budget to underpin the marketing plan.
• Undertake all tasks, on a day to day basis, to deliver the plan.
• Responsible for regular internal strategic marketing meetings.

External communications

• Adept at producing engaging and distinctive promotional materials and have experience of creating, maintaining and developing digital and social platforms.
• Develop the School’s social media presence including creating engaging content to support the School’s message and positioning.
• Responsible for producing the weekly newsletter to parents, handbooks etc.
• Develop and deliver the School website in line with the School’s strategic objectives as well as running a CRM database such as Wordpress.
• Develop knowledge of parent needs and local market trends and developments to inform school marketing strategies.
• Implement advertising, communications and event activities to support recruitment and retention.
• Produce marketing materials in line with marketing plan objectives using such software as Photoshop, InDesign and Canva.
• Agree external communication policy and oversee all external communications.
• Work closely with School office, providing guidance on external communications.
• Develop and manage the school’s brand and guidelines, ensuring they are used appropriately by all members of the school community.
• Develop and manage relationships with feeder schools to support enrolment growth.
• Develop local outreach initiatives.

Liaise with class reps regarding meetings and events

Accountable for admissions

• Accountable for the planning and promotion of School events such as open days, induction events, and parent events.
• Ensure maximum enquiry generation and conversion.
• Oversee the effective admissions and on-boarding process.
• Responsible for competitor research and analysis to benchmark the school.
• Assist with the planning and delivery of the annual scholarship process.

Internal communications

• Communicating internal updates regarding new pupils or staff.
• Circulate consistent templates for letterheads, compliments, email signatures slips etc.
• Ensure no photo guide is kept up to date
• Categories photos in the #photodropbox
• Support the Marketing & Admissions manager to keep the handbooks up to date.

Person Specification

The successful candidate will have the following attributes:

Skills and experience

• Experience of marketing within academic environment essential.
• As a standalone marketing professional, you will be self-starter bringing your ideas and experience.
• Professional marketing experience with a proven range of marketing skills including both strategic and tactical marketing delivery essential.
• Marketing qualification and evidence of CPD desirable, but not essential.
• Strong website management and social media marketing experience
• Previous experience of other CRM systems and database is essential.
• Experience of iSam’s beneficial but not essential as training can be given.
• Good understanding of GDPR and how to operate within its requirements.

Personal attributes

• Strong communication skills with high degrees of proficiency in verbal, written and visual media communications.
• A creative and strategic thinker, able to bring new ideas.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to effectively quality control one’s own work output.
• A positive attitude with the ability to work on your own initiative.
• An empathy with the ethos and values of schools.
• Flexibility, adaptability and a general willingness to get involved in school life.

Copthorne Prep School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and the successful candidate will be subject to checks by the DBS and past employers.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you in this process under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) please do not hesitate to contact [email protected]