communications associate
The Chicago Academy for the Arts (chicagoacademyforthearts.org), Illinois’ premier visual and performing arts high school, seeks a full-time Communications Associate to start immediately.
About The Academy
The Academy’s educational model is co-curricular: students engage in rigorous academic classes for five hours each day before immersing themselves in 3-5 hours of professional-level training in dance, filmmaking, animation, writing, music, musical theatre, theatre, or visual arts. (Note: The Chicago Academy for the Arts is a different school than “ChiArts,” a CPS school.)
Students at The Academy are characterized by an extraordinary sense of purpose and community. Most continue with the arts after high school: alums include hit songwriters, Grammy Award nominees and winners, Broadway stars, internationally acclaimed dancers and visual artists, and award-winning filmmakers and writers. Students also pursue degrees and careers outside of the arts: many alums are successful professionals in the fields of science, mathematics, technology, business, law, healthcare, and many more.
Job Description
Position Title: Communications Associate
Department: Advancement, Communications
Reports to: Director of Advancement
Work Hours: Full-time, Onsite, & In-person Work
Anticipated Salary Range: $42,000 - $50,000, Commensurate with Experience
The Communications Associate is responsible for leading and organizing the ideation, development & design, production, and delivery of communications materials in support of academic and administrative operations, special events & activities, and other related duties as assigned. The Associate will also be responsible for managing The Academy’s social media channels, website, and general copywriting needs. This position is expected to be a self-starting and self-guiding professional with the capacity to operate independently with minimal supervision.
This position description describes the most common duties, responsibilities, and accountabilities and is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities.
Primary Accountabilities
Communications Materials Management
The Communications Associate will own and execute, in collaboration with the Director of Advancement, the planning, design, scheduling, production, and delivery of print and electronic communication materials as needed by The Academy. Ownership will include, but is not limited to:
Maintain The Academy’s brand standards across all channels, ensuring visual and narrative consistency. Update and enforce the brand style guide and templates
Academic information that may include department descriptions, admissions & recruiting information, course catalogs, course schedules, and promotional items
Building signage, notifications, directories, and similar operations-related materials
Management of collateral and supply inventories, such as stationery, envelopes, business cards, etc.
Academy annual report, viewbook, and other academic-related materials
Special event and show signage, playbills, programs, and related materials
Serving as The Academy’s primary point of contact for internal resources and external vendors used in the production of communications materials
Communications Planning & Management
The Communications Associate, in collaboration with the Director of Advancement, will support the planning and execution of a comprehensive communications plan for The Academy. This support will include, but is not limited to:
Production, formatting, sending, and reporting of data for electronic newsletters, daily and weekly email notes for families and faculty/staff, donor-specific communication touchpoints, and similar communication pieces
Maintenance of an active and engaging social media presence for The Academy
Maintenance of an accurate and current Academy website
Maintain and optimize the Academy’s digital presence through SEO, social media advertising, and analytics tracking to ensure increased visibility and engagement
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for digital communications and campaigns, track analytics for social media, website, and email communications to assess and refine effectiveness
Collaborate with the Advancement and Admissions teams to create targeted campaigns that drive enrollment, donor engagement, and community visibility
Audience Services
The Communications Associate will, in collaboration with the Director of Advancement and Faculty Chairs, serve as the primary staff person for all front-of-house needs for public and ticketed events. Such events may include but are not limited to: Theatre & Musical Theatre performances, Visual Arts gallery shows, Dance performances, departmental exhibitions, the All-School Showcase, Prom, Graduation, and off-site events. This work will include, but is not limited to:
Create and manage promotional campaigns for The Academy events, including digital announcements, print collateral, photography coordination, and post-event content sharing
Box office management and show ticketing
Process credit card payments and report sales to the Director of Advancement and Business Office
Coordination of concessions sales at events
Schedule and train volunteers for events
Provide on-site and day-of support for events, programs, and activities
Merchandise Services
The Communications Associate will, in collaboration with the Director of Advancement, support the design, inventory, ordering/reordering, and sales or distribution of Academy-branded merchandise. This work will include, but is not limited to:
Oversee sales or distribution of branded merchandise at all Academy events, and reporting sales to the Director of Advancement and Business Office
Report on current branded merchandise inventory
Coordinate the ordering/reordering of branded merchandise with external vendors
Administrative Support, Advancement Department
Provide administrative assistance to the Advancement Department that will include, but is not limited to, the preparation and distribution of meeting agendas, minutes/notes, electronic and hardcopy file management
Maintain, inventory, and reorder office and printing supplies for the department
Provide phone and email support for all Department communications
Attend departmental and other meetings as requested by the Director of Advancement
Meet with Academy faculty and staff, as needed, to address any communications requests
Qualifications
The Communications Associate will possess the following minimum qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in communications, graphic design, marketing, or similar relevant field
Minimum of two (2) years’ previous experience as a communications assistant/associate, marketing assistant/associate, graphic design assistant/associate, or similar relevant position
Demonstrated proficiency in Adobe Suite products, Google Workplace products, Microsoft Office products required
Experience with email marketing products, ticket sales & box office services, web CMS, Veracross, and Salesforce (or similar CRM) preferred
Demonstrated knowledge of email campaign management platforms
Demonstrated experience in event planning and management, especially donor engagement and prospecting events
Experience working in an educational environment with faculty and students
This position requires occasional evening and weekend work to support workflows, events, and performances. The role involves extended periods at a computer and may include light physical tasks such as event setup
Characteristics
The Communications Associate will possess and apply the following work-related characteristics:
Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication abilities
Strong problem-solving and critical thinking abilities
Strong ability to work independently, sometimes under pressure and without direct supervision
Ability to make sound decisions based on available information and best practices
A success-oriented attitude and outlook
An accountability-focused approach to scheduling, prioritizing, and managing individual and team workflows
Understanding and appreciation that the work cannot always be done between regular business hours
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and appropriate supporting materials via email to Dr. Scott Stewart, Director of Advancement, at employment@chicagoartsacademy.org.
The Chicago Academy for the Arts is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a culturally diverse faculty and staff and maintaining an inclusive community. All qualified applicants — regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law — are strongly encouraged to apply.
