Associate Director of Communications

SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL LIMITED; Singapore; On-site; SGD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A premier educational institution in Singapore is seeking an Associate Director of Communications. This leadership role involves managing the internal and external communication strategies while overseeing the communications department. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in a complex environment, preferably education, and strong project management skills. Exceptional communication abilities, a passion for storytelling, and the ability to lead diverse teams are crucial for this position. This role supports a thriving educational community and engages with various stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of communication experience in education preferred.
• Fluency in Chinese and other languages is a plus.
• Experience managing diverse teams in a multicultural environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily workflow and priorities of the communications team.
• Lead communications for admissions and campus upgrade projects.
• Develop content strategies informed by data and analytics.

Skills

Exceptional communication skills

Project management

Storytelling

Leadership skills

Cultural adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Google Suite

Adobe Creative Suite

FinalSite

Veracross

Job description

Effective communication is essential to building understanding and support for the strategic direction of Singapore American School from a diverse range of stakeholders. The Associate Director of Communications is a leadership role in the communication department tasked with managing both the internal and external communication for the school. The role oversees the day-to-day operation of the department and serves as a direct advisor to the Director of Communication. This role requires collaboration with senior leaders across the organization to ensure all stakeholders receive timely, concise, and effective messages that build understanding and positive sentiment.

Success in this role will require exceptional project management skills, a nuanced understanding of the strategic plan and support priorities, creativity, the ability to manage conflicting priorities and deadlines, and strong relationship-building and collaborative skills.

Position Responsibilities

Department Leadership and Project Management

• Serve as department project manager, overseeing daily workflow, priorities, and timelines across the communications team
• Conduct employee appraisals and provide ongoing coaching, support, and performance feedback
• Meet regularly with team members to monitor progress, resolve challenges, and ensure deadlines and quality standards are met
• Report weekly to the Director of Communication on project status, risks, and upcoming needs
• Represent the Director of Communication at leadership and external stakeholder meetings, as needed

Strategic Planning, Content, and Editorial Oversight

• Oversee the editorial calendar, ensuring alignment with school priorities and strategic goals
• Develop content strategies and recommendations informed by data and analytics
• Edit and approve copy for print and digital collateral, including newsletters, correspondence, press materials, and advertising
• Direct the production of major publications, including Journeys, annual report, and other key content pieces
• Work in partnership with school leadership—including the superintendent, principals, and deputy principals—to develop strategic, responsive content (videos, letters, etc.) that addresses community needs and advances schoolwide priorities
• Lead the multi-lingual translation/interpretation work for strategic messaging across campus

Major Initiatives and Campaign Leadership

• Lead admissions communications in partnership with the Admissions Director to support enrollment goals
• Develop and oversee integrated marketing campaigns across print, digital, and branding channels
• Manage advertising for admissions events and recruitment initiatives
• Lead communications for the SAS Reimagined campus upgrade project, overseeing messaging, website development, and launch events to ensure clarity, alignment, and strong community engagement
• Develop and oversee written, visual, and multimedia content
• Manage messaging and storytelling for advancement and the capital campaign
• Manage related web pages and ensure timely, accurate community updates
• Collaborate regularly with facilities and construction teams to align messaging

Operations, Budget, and Vendor Management

• Recommend and implement improvements to communications processes and workflows
• Manage external vendors, including marketing, advertising, photographers, and videographers
• Collaborate on department budgeting and recommend effective use of resources
• Maintain and update analytics dashboards to inform decision‑making

Digital and Brand Stewardship

• Apply expertise in design, layout, web, social media, and related technologies to ensure a consistent, professional, and engaging school presence across platforms
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of schoolwide communications goal

Position Requirements & Qualifications

Exceptional communication skills

• A passion for storytelling
• Ability to write for diverse audience segments in different formats (feature article, news items, principal/superintendent letters)
• Understanding of current industry trends and best practices for sharing messages across traditional and digital platforms
• Sharp eye for how design impacts messaging

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree required
• 10+ years of communication experience working in a large complex environment, preferably with a portion of that experience in education
• Understanding of the PS-12 American curriculum and the challenges faced by international schools is a plus
• Chinese and additional language skills are a plus

• Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously
• Experience in a multicultural, high-performance, educational environment
• Proven ability to lead a diverse team in day-to-day operations
• Strong leadership skills, demonstrating the ability to motivate, engage, and influence stakeholders
• Ability to work successfully alone and in a team environment
• Ability to work collaboratively with other senior-level leaders on projects tailored to the needs of various stakeholder groups
• Flexibility to work nights, weekends, and during school vacation
• Competence in current school systems and technology (Google Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, FinalSite, Veracross) and the ability to quickly learn new systems as they are introduced
• Strong understanding of principles of persuasion, marketing, and advertising
• Working knowledge of policies, procedures, and operations at SAS is a plus