Writer/Content Strategist

Durham Academy (DA) is accepting applications for a full time Writer/Content Strategist to begin in July 2024. The person in this position serves as Durham Academy’s primary brand journalist —  a key member of the Marketing & Communications team and a seasoned storyteller who advances the mission of the school. They produce compelling and strategic content to create emotional connections that help attract and retain students and their families, inspire philanthropic support for the school, reflect the school’s diverse culture and maximize engagement with students, parents, prospective families, faculty/staff, donors and alumni. This person is fluent in writing, editing and proofreading best practice and storytelling trends and can also apply those skills to a school environment in creative, fun ways. Projects vary widely in scope, but mainly include storytelling/photography/videography for the school’s website, e-newsletters and an annual print magazine, as well as marketing to support admissions, fundraising and alumni engagement. The person in this role is both a content strategist and a content creator — developing strategies for engagement and contributing to communications plans that support departmental and institutional goals, but also executing those plans through the articulation of key messages and themes across constituency groups and via various digital and print platforms. They will join a dynamic, inclusive, deadline-driven team that sets a high bar in the pursuit of excellence in a fast-paced environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Content Creation

• Generate story ideas and write content for the weekly digital newsletter for families and employees, quarterly alumni digital newsletter and annual magazine that accentuate the school’s values, faculty and staff, innovative facilities, academic departments, student and alumni accomplishments, athletics and the arts, in order to highlight Durham Academy as a leader among K-12 educational institutions.

• Collaborate with fellow members of the MarComm team to plan content and publish the weekly all-school newsletter; coordinate with other content contributors.

• Conduct research and interviews with members of various school constituencies for use in original content.

• Assist with producing content for and editing/proofreading various digital and print marketing materials and creative collateral (Enrollment Management, Philanthropy, Athletics, strategic initiatives, DA Summer, Family Association), as well as school-wide communications, website-related projects, infographics or school resources.

• Establish KPIs for content, track engagement and measure effectiveness of original content in ways that inform overall strategy.

• Bring an inclusive lens to storytelling.

Collaboration

• Work with the Assistant Director to review, revise and refresh website content annually and edit/proofread the annual magazine.

• Collaborate with the Digital Content Specialist to create content for strategic social media  campaigns and amplify original storytelling. 

• Work with Enrollment Management, Philanthropy and Alumni to develop themes and story ideas to support their communications.

• Collaborate with the Assistant Director and Creative Services Manager to maintain and update the DA Brand & Style Guide, ensuring consistency of style, voice, language and grammar across the school. Update guide annually.

Community

• Develop a deep understanding of the DA community — its mission, vision and values — in order to reflect a “one school” brand voice for target audiences.

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with faculty/staff across the school, attend school activities and events to reflect the life of the school and support newsgathering/storytelling purposes.

• Attend school events occasionally on evenings or weekends to cover stories, including photography or videography as needed.

• Engage in annual professional development and ongoing Diversity, Equity and Engagement training.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, journalism, or other related field or equivalent experience.

• 3-5 years of professional experience in communications or marketing environment as a writer, journalist or content producer. 

• Independent school, nonprofit experience or prior work in an educational setting preferred.

• Excellent copy editing skills.

• Experience interviewing and editing.

• Portfolio/recent examples of mid-form, long-form, online and multi-channel content required.

• Knowledge of photography, videography, website CMS/content management and basic HTML, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), email marketing, Google Workspace and Adobe Creative Suite.

• Experience with project management software.

DA Employees

• Are culturally competent and believe in the central importance of diversity and equity in the life of a school community.

• Can work independently with minimal supervision and routinely prioritize multiple tasks.

• Have the ability to work in complex environments with a high degree of organizational effectiveness and attention to detail.

• Are personable, collaborative and able to develop rapport quickly with a variety of individuals.

• Use technology thoughtfully and creatively.

• Innovate and experiment to find novel and efficient ways to complete tasks and solve problems.

Our School

Founded in 1933, Durham Academy is an all-gender, independent day school with 1,247 students in Pre-kindergarten through grade 12 on three campuses. The purpose of a Durham Academy education is to prepare each student to live a moral, happy and productive life. DA’s Strategic Vision commits to preparing students for life, meeting the needs of our learners and innovating more boldly, with a foundation broadening and deepening our work with diversity, equity and engagement. Our DA is accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS). Durham Academy is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). 

Diversity, Equity and Engagement Mission Statement
Diversity enlivens, improves and enriches the intellectual and social environment of an academic community and encompasses all aspects of humanity including racial identity, sex, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, ability, age and gender identity. We are committed to an ongoing process to increase the diversity of our community and to implement policies, programs and practices under which all members of our community feel welcomed, empowered, responsible and safe. Amidst our diversity we stand united in the pursuit of academic excellence and development of individual capabilities. Find out more about DA’s commitment to diversity, equity and engagement here.

(Adopted by the Durham Academy Board of Trustees in 2004 and updated in 2008)

Our Employment Policy

It is the policy of Durham Academy to make employment decisions on the basis of qualifications for a specific job without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national or ethnic origin, age, veteran status, or the presence of a disability, except where such is a bona fide occupational qualification.