Communications & Marketing Manager

Reports to: Deputy & Creative Director, and the Chief Advancement Officer

Department: Communications

Employment Status: Full-time, exempt

Supervision: Digital Media Editor

FLSA Status: Exempt

Start date: TBD

Last Updated: December 18, 2025

Who We Are

Penland School of Craft is an international center for craft education offering residential workshops, residencies, community education programs, and exhibitions. Located on 420 acres in the NC Mountains, Penland has 16 teaching studios and 60+ historic and contemporary buildings. We are an equal-opportunity employer with a staff of 50+. Penland operates with a $54 million endowment and an annual operating budget of $8.4 million. We are located about an hour northeast of Asheville, NC. Our mission is to make lives meaningful through making.

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

At Penland School of Craft we believe that fostering a climate of equity, inclusion, diversity, and antiracism are essential to our work. We are committed to creating an educational environment grounded in these values and we welcome everyone who supports this commitment.

Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, and other people who identify as people of color or BIPOC individuals are encouraged to apply, as are people holding other marginalized identities related to gender, sexual orientation, ability, and class background.

Position Summary

Penland School of Craft is a place where creativity is lived, not just learned—where artists, students, instructors, and staff come together in a spirited community rooted in craft, curiosity, and connection. Our campus is a lively ecosystem of ideas, traditions, and hands-on discovery, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Every day here is shaped by collaboration, experimentation, and the belief that craft can change people and communities.

The Communications & Marketing Manager serves as Penland’s storyteller-in-chief—capturing the rhythm of our studios, the brilliance of our instructors, the excitement of our workshops, and the warmth of our community. This role translates the magic of Penland into messages and visuals that resonate with audiences near and far.

As we approach our 100th anniversary, this position offers a rare opportunity to help shape how Penland honors its past and imagines its future. This will be a key role as we celebrate a century of craft education and expand how we communicate our mission, values, and impact for the next hundred years.

We’re seeking a highly skilled, well-organized communicator who feels energized by Penland’s story and who sees our campus and programs not just as content, but as inspiration; someone who can bring the texture of our craft traditions into writing, visuals, and strategy—and share them meaningfully with students, staff, donors, partners, the media, and our growing network of supporters.

Success in this position means Penland’s voice is clear and strong, our opportunities are widely known, and our reputation continues to grow regionally, nationally, and internationally within the craft world.

This position is co-managed by the deputy & creative director and the chief advancement officer and works closely with the deputy & director of operations and the executive director. It manages the digital media editor and contractors. This exempt, full-time, year-round, benefits-eligible position sits on the executive team and plays a pivotal role in shaping Penland’s public identity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a related field, plus five years of professional experience in public relations or marketing.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with strong editing and storytelling abilities—especially the ability to draw out emotion, context, and meaning.
• Strong planning, administrative, and organizational skills.
• Commitment to deal sensitively and confidentially with works in progress and institutional knowledge.
• Experience with managing a small team or navigating contractors.
• Fluency in computer, design, editorial, social media, and marketing platforms; experience with website content management systems and graphic design software is required.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a creative community while remaining self-directed when needed.
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, adapt to flexible hours, and thrive in a dynamic, non-traditional work environment where art and daily operations often intersect.
• Experience managing multiple projects at once and clearly communicating big picture goals and minute details with collaborators and vendors.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all communications and marketing activities for internal, external, and online audiences. Ensure communications reflect Penland’s culture of creativity, hospitality, inclusivity, and excellence.
• Manage and direct the annual calendar of communications and marketing activities and initiatives. Ensure priorities are clear, deadlines are met, and best practices are followed.
• Oversee the design, production, and editorial integrity of all written, visual, and digital publications; maintain final editorial authority for all school communications.
• Supervise the digital media editor and oversee any contractual work to optimize efficiency and impact.
• Build and nurture media relationships to grow Penland’s visibility regionally and nationally, sharing the stories of our artists, students, instructors, supporters, and programs.
• Maintain the Penland website as an engaging, intuitive, and accurate reflection of who we are. Collaborate with programs, registration, development, and other department staff to support a seamless enrollment and website experience.
• Manage, edit, and approve work produced by project collaborators; ensure that expectations are met in editing and proofreading, branding and graphic design, photography and video, printing and press checks, digital communications, and large-scale mailings.
• Work with school leadership to audit, strengthen, and maintain Penland’s brand identity, design standards, and style guide; ensure their consistency across campus.
• Serves as the point person and advisor for external interviews, press visits, conference kits, and other external public relations.
• Direct the documentation of campus life, programs, and events, and maintain a well-organized archive of current and historical images and materials that reflect Penland’s vibrant community. Occasional evening and weekend work will be required.
• Manage the annual communications budget and complete all required financial reporting.
• Participate in executive team meetings and represent communications and marketing in relevant committees. Provide crisis communications support to the executive team as needed.
• Perform additional duties as needed.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• This position requires the ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods while working at a computer or reviewing materials.
• Must be able to move throughout campus, including navigating between studios, offices, galleries, and outdoor spaces across varied terrain.
• Occasional lifting and carrying of materials up to 25 pounds may be required.
• Visual acuity is required to perform proofreading and editing, design review and color accuracy, computer work, photography, and archival oversight tasks.
• Occasional evening and weekend work is required for events, documentation, or time-sensitive communication needs.
• This role may involve standing, walking, and being on-site for extended periods during events or campus activities.

Benefits

Penland is proud to offer a comprehensive and thoughtfully designed benefits package for our staff. We provide a selection of medical plans along with vision, dental, long-term disability, life insurance, retirement options, and an employee assistance program to support your overall wellness. Our generous leave programs include paid time off (PTO), sick, and extended sick time. Employees also enjoy limited access to studios, free classes after two years of employment, meals during programming, and additional discounts. We look forward to sharing more about our full range of benefits during the interview process.

Compensation

This is an exempt, full-time, year-round, benefits-eligible position. The salary range for this position is $73,384 - $86,334 annually and negotiable within this range based on the skills and experience an applicant brings to the position.

Apply at, https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/penlandschoolofcraft/jobs/5045175008

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $73,384.00 - $86,334.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person