Communications Director

Remote (California)

Job Type

Full Time

Employment Classification

Exempt

Compensation

$160,000 per year

Reporting Relationship

This position reports to the Co-Executive Director.

About the Role

This opportunity is for an experienced Communications Director to own and execute communications and brand strategy across all channels, audiences, and organizational touchpoints. The role is responsible for turning strategy into clear, consistent, and compelling communications for partners, funders, leaders, and the broader field.

The Communications Director will lead brand execution, narrative development, communications planning, editorial systems, external messaging, executive communications, digital channels, and communications infrastructure. This role requires strong judgment, excellent writing, and the ability to translate complex movement, infrastructure, and social impact work into accessible stories grounded in people, outcomes, and impact.

What You’ll Do

Brand and Narrative Execution

• Own and execute communications and brand strategy across organizational channels, audiences, and touchpoints.
• Operationalize brand strategy, messaging platforms, and narrative positioning across communications channels, initiatives, and visibility opportunities.
• Develop narratives that support case-making for organizational frameworks and strategies.
• Ensure consistent tone, voice, and framing across programs, leadership communications, convenings, written materials, and digital presence.
• Serve as an internal steward of the brand by setting clear standards and helping staff, board members, and partners communicate in alignment without sounding scripted or generic.
• Translate complex and often abstract infrastructure work into clear, compelling stories grounded in impact, people, and outcomes.

Communications Planning and Infrastructure

• Develop, manage, and implement annual and quarterly communications plans aligned with organizational priorities, program timelines, and capacity realities.
• Build and maintain scalable systems for content production, approvals, and distribution across a growing organization.
• Build and manage a communications technology stack that supports execution, collaboration, and performance tracking.
• Create templates, playbooks, and guidance that help staff and leadership communicate effectively and efficiently.
• Anticipate narrative risks and opportunities in a fast-changing political context and adjust plans, messaging, and execution as needed.
• Work directly with co-executive leadership, program deputies, and program directors on day-to-day workflows and implementation.
• Provide limited, targeted technical support, including training and tools, to help program teams align program messaging with broader organizational messaging.
• Manage a cross-program communications team and collaborate with internal teams developing narrative infrastructure.
• Collaborate with internal teams on data management related to audience engagement.

Communications Execution

• Own and manage a cross-organizational editorial calendar.
• Manage external communications channels, including email, website, and social media platforms.
• Coordinate communications with strategic partners during shared initiatives and campaigns.
• Develop and oversee key communications assets, including reports, toolkits, social media content, and email newsletters.
• Partner closely with executive leadership and program deputies to shape executive voice, positioning, and public-facing communications as part of the overall communications strategy.
• Prepare talking points, speeches, op-eds, presentations, and external messaging as needed.
• Support board members and leadership council members with aligned messaging tools, guidance, and preparation as needed.
• Manage vendors and consultants who provide communications support and creative capacity.

Qualifications

• 7 to 10+ years of experience in communications, narrative strategy, or brand execution within movement, nonprofit, advocacy, or adjacent sectors.
• Experience working within or alongside organizing, power-building, or movement infrastructure organizations.
• Proven ability to manage up, across, and down within an organization.
• Proven ability to execute and evolve a brand or narrative strategy across multiple channels and stakeholder groups.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to make complex ideas accessible and compelling.
• Experience supporting and preparing senior leadership for executive communications.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.
• Strong alignment with mission-driven, values-centered, and movement-centered work.
• Familiarity with California’s movement ecosystem and regional dynamics is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing vendors, consultants, or creative partners is strongly preferred.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity while building structure, clarity, and momentum for others is strongly preferred.

Trial Period

This position includes a 90-day trial period for all new hires. During this period, performance, adaptability, and cultural alignment are assessed through ongoing feedback and a formal review.

Benefits

• 100% organization-funded medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees, spouses or domestic partners, and children.
• Health coverage begins on the first day of employment.
• 15 days of paid vacation per year for full-time employees.
• 12 paid sick days per year.
• Generous paid family leave policy.
• Paid time off accrual begins on the first day of employment and becomes available after completion of the 90-day trial period.
• 21 paid holidays total, including a 10-day winter break overlapping with Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• 4 floating holidays available after completion of the 90-day trial period.
• 403(b) retirement plan.
• Employer-paid retirement contribution equal to 5% of salary.
• Immediate vesting for the employer retirement contribution.
• Default 3% employee personal retirement contribution, which may be adjusted at any time.
• Retirement benefits become available after the 90-day trial period.