Manager, Marketing & Communications - Early Learning Network

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Job Type

Full-time

Description

Start Early is a champion for early learning and care from a child's very first moments, so every child has the opportunity to thrive in school and life. Our desire to close the opportunity gap and create more inclusive experiences for our youngest learners guides everything we do. As a leader in early learning and care, we scale our deep expertise across program, policy, and research through partnerships nationwide.

We are recruiting individuals who want to join us in this mission and share a commitment to our core values of appreciation & respect, empowerment, diversity, excellence, learning and communication. Become part of our rewarding, mission-driven culture! We want our employees to feel empowered, motivated, energized, and passionate about the work they do.

The Manager of Marketing & Communications for the Early Learning Network (ELN) leads network-wide paid marketing and family communications strategies that support recruitment, enrollment and engagement across Start Early's subrecipient programs. This role manages digital recruitment funnels, oversees network-level web content and enrollment pathways and builds the communications capacity of subrecipient partners through shared tools, guidance and technical marketing assistance. The Manager collaborates closely with network leadership, subrecipient liaisons, external digital agencies and the Start Early marketing and communications team to strengthen recruitment outcomes, improve the family experience and ensure consistent, family-centered communications practices across the network.

This role also elevates network program activity, successes and family impact into organizational internal and external communications channels, supporting Start Early's editorial calendar and contributing to statewide and organizational storytelling efforts. This position is part of a two-role structure designed to strengthen marketing and communications strategy and execution across Start Early Illinois. Working in close partnership with the Manager of Marketing & Communications for Directly Operated Programs, this role ensures that network-wide paid marketing and subrecipient communications strategies align with program-level storytelling and family engagement efforts.

The Manager of Marketing & Communications for the Early Learning Network must reside in Illinois and must be available for in-person meetings in the Chicagoland area.

Reporting to the Director of Marketing & Communications, Start Early Illinois, you will:

1. Lead network-wide paid marketing strategy and digital optimization plan. Execute and continuously optimize paid digital campaigns to drive enrollment and community awareness across the Early Learning Network and Start Early's directly operated programs (Educare Chicago, Healthy Parents & Babies, Lake County Early Learning Centers), including social advertising, search and exploratory digital channels. Partner with a digital media agency to manage budgets, establish KPIs, monitor performance and adjust strategies based on data and enrollment trends.

Support program leaders in using analytics and insights to strengthen recruitment efforts.

2. Inform and support network communications strategy with subrecipient partners, ensuring timely, clear and consistent information sharing across the network.

Responsibilities include:

* Developing and managing network-wide communications to subrecipients related to enrollment priorities, marketing campaigns, timelines, policy or system changes and operational updates

* Supporting coordinated messaging during time-sensitive situations, including enrollment shifts, program changes or emerging issues requiring rapid communication

* Partnering with network leadership and internal teams to align messaging and maintain consistent communications across the network

3. Manage ELN website content on Start Early.org and user pathways. Oversee network site pages, landing pages and enrollment-related digital pathways to ensure clarity, accessibility and conversion optimization. Partner with internal and external teams to improve user experience and reduce barriers for families…