Vice President, Marketing and CommunicationsCalifornia Community Foundation (CCF) is one of the largest philanthropic institutions in the Greater Los Angeles region. CCF connects donor generosity with community wisdom to create lasting, equitable change, mobilizing resources, building civic infrastructure, and amplifying the voices of the communities most impacted by systemic inequity. CCF's 2025–2035 Strategic Framework centers transformational philanthropy, and every function – including marketing, communications, and storytelling – helps advance that mission.The OpportunityReporting to the Chief Philanthropy Officer and working closely with the President/CEO and senior leadership, the VP of Marketing and Communications will serve as CCF's most senior brand and narrative leader and Chief Storyteller. The role will elevate how CCF tells its story, communicates its impact, and engages donors, community partners, civic leaders, media, and the broader public. The VP will bring greater clarity, cohesion, strategy, and brand discipline to ensure communications consistently reflect CCF's mission, values, philanthropic leadership, and distinctive regional role.Enterprise‑wide responsibility for institutional voice, messaging, and brand strategy includes setting the standard for how CCF communicates across channels, audiences, and high‑profile moments. Leading a multidisciplinary team across earned media, brand, digital marketing, and storytelling, the leader will develop and execute integrated strategies that amplify CCF's mission, sharpen its value proposition, strengthen brand continuity, and deepen engagement across diverse constituencies.Key ResponsibilitiesExecutive Communication and Cross‑Foundation LeadershipServe as the primary communications advisor to the President/CEO, supporting speeches, public remarks, op‑eds, and high‑visibility messaging that shape CCF's civic and philanthropic standing.Extend executive communications support beyond the Office of Philanthropy, partnering with senior leaders to ensure consistent voice and quality across all CEO‑ and SLT‑facing communications.Act as a foundation‑wide resource on communications strategy, counseling senior leaders across divisions on positioning, audience, and messaging risk for initiatives, launches, and public moments.Build and maintain trusted working relationships with the Senior Leadership Team, becoming the go‑to partner for cross‑departmental initiatives, Board matters, and organization‑wide announcements.Ensure executive and Board‑facing communications reflect a single, coherent institutional voice consistent with CCF's strategic framework and brand standards.Develop scalable systems (templates, style guides, review workflows) that allow other departments to draft strong first versions while preserving centralized quality control and institutional consistency.Strategic Leadership & Departmental ManagementDesign and lead the department's integrated communications, marketing, and storytelling strategy, aligned with CCF's 2025–2035 Strategic Framework.Serve as a senior institutional spokesperson, representing CCF with media, donor audiences, and civic partners.Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team of directors and officers spanning earned media, storytelling, brand, digital, and content operations.Oversee contracted support, including photographers, Spanish‑language translators, and specialized consultants.Own the department's budget, vendor relationships, and operational infrastructure.Hold enterprise‑wide decision rights over institutional voice, messaging, and communications standards, ensuring consistency, quality, and mission alignment across CCF divisions.Serve as a close strategic partner to the President/CEO, advising on positioning, narrative framing, and communications approach in high‑stakes moments.Brand, Messaging & Institutional VoiceDevelop and steward CCF's brand identity, ensuring consistent, mission‑aligned messaging across all external touchpoints.Craft compelling institutional messaging that reflects commitment to systemic change and the advancement of all Angelenos.Lead executive communications for the CEO and senior leadership, including speeches, op‑eds, and thought leadership content.Oversee development and execution of keynotes, remarks, talking points, and Board communications for donor convenings and public platforms.Direct and assign institutional writing, ensuring consistent voice and strategic alignment across authors.Own reputation management strategy, anticipating risks, navigating sensitive dynamics, and acting as senior decision‑maker in crisis communications.Develop and maintain a master content and editorial calendar coordinating keynotes, publications, campaigns, and internal communications.Editorial Direction & Writing ManagementManage a writing roster of staff and contracted writers, providing editorial direction and quality control.Assign and oversee writing across the department, distributing work based on capacity, expertise, and strategic priority.Establish and uphold editorial standards, style guidelines, and approval workflows for all written outputs.Storytelling & Community‑Centered NarrativeChampion storytelling across philanthropy, impact, and marketing.Collaborate with Impact Team and Office of Philanthropy to surface and amplify grantee and community stories.Lead internal communications strategy, translating departmental priorities into clear, timely staff‑facing messages.Ensure storytelling reflects the full diversity of Los Angeles communities, with particular attention to historically underserved populations.Marketing, Donor Engagement & Audience DevelopmentDesign and execute marketing strategies that engage donors and support fundraising goals.Drive brand visibility and digital growth through audience targeting, social media strategy, content campaigns, and channel optimization.Advance visibility opportunities for CCF leadership and the donor community, including thought leadership placement, events, and earned media.Partner with Philanthropic Impact Advisors and the CPO to align communications strategies with donor cultivation and stewardship.Media Relations & External EngagementCultivate relationships with journalists, editors, and media outlets across Greater Los Angeles and national platforms.Lead proactive earned media strategy, including press releases, rapid response, media pitching, and editorial placement.Maximize external engagement opportunities, ensuring CCF is visible, credible, and shapes public understanding.Monitor market trends, audience feedback, and media landscape to inform strategy and adapt positioning.First Year Priorities (Months 1–12)Months 1–3: Listen, Learn & Establish PresenceConduct a comprehensive communications audit, assessing brand presence, media relationships, content performance, and digital metrics.Build trusted relationships with senior leadership and establish clear communication protocols and decision‑rights frameworks.Assess team structure, capabilities, and culture; identify capacity or talent gaps and develop a plan to address them.Months 4–6: Build, Align & ActivateDevelop and begin executing an integrated communications and brand strategy aligned to CCF's 2025–2035 Strategic Framework.Strengthen and activate media relationships, securing earned media placements that advance visibility and mission narrative.Establish or refresh editorial standards, approval workflows, and a master content calendar.Months 7–12: Demonstrate Impact & Set the StandardDemonstrate measurable growth in media placements, digital audience growth, donor engagement rates, and brand awareness.Deliver a cohesive donor engagement communications strategy, supporting fundraising and cultivation outcomes.Be recognized as CCF's institutional voice authority, a trusted leader and cultural steward for reputation and narrative.Leadership Competencies and QualificationsThe ideal candidate has at least 10 years of progressive experience in communications, marketing, public affairs, or a related discipline, including five years in senior leadership roles managing multidisciplinary teams in complex organizations. A bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Public Affairs, or a related field is required; a master's degree is preferred.Candidate must demonstrate strong strategic judgment, regional fluency, and management experience needed to elevate CCF's voice, visibility, and engagement across Los Angeles.Strategic Communications, Brand, and Reputation LeadershipTrack record of developing and leading integrated communications and marketing strategies across digital and traditional channels.Experience with brand management, institutional messaging, earned media strategy, press relations, rapid response, and analytics‑informed audience engagement.Experience in reputation management and crisis communications in politically or civically sensitive environments.Sound judgment, discretion, and ability to anticipate issues and prepare leaders.Storytelling, Executive Communications, and Audience EngagementExceptional writer, editor, and verbal communicator capable of producing executive‑level messaging, media pitches, public speeches, and donor communications.Strong storytelling instincts, tailoring messages for varied audiences and translating complex work into accessible content.Preferred experience developing donor or stakeholder communications in a fundraising or philanthropic context.Los Angeles Civic, Community, and Media FluencyDeep knowledge of Greater Los Angeles communities, civic landscape, media ecosystem, and socio‑economic dynamics.Understanding of how institutions operate in Los Angeles, building trust, and positioning civic leaders.Preferred experience in philanthropy, nonprofit, community development, or civic sector; familiarity with philanthropic trends.Equity, Cultural Competency, and Community‑Centered PracticeProfessional working proficiency in Spanish; ability to review and guide Spanish‑language content.Commitment to racial equity, social justice, and community‑centered communications practice.Demonstrated humility, care, and intentionality in work, ensuring communications reflect served communities.Digital Strategy, Systems, and Marketing TechnologyExperience with digital content strategy, social media platforms, audience analytics, and marketing tools.Proficiency with content management systems, CRM platforms, and marketing automation tools is preferred.Team Leadership and Cross‑Functional CollaborationExperience managing in‑house staff and contracted talent, fostering cross‑functional relationships across CCF departments.Ability to build inclusive team culture, collaborate across the Foundation, and coordinate communications consistently and mission‑driven.Compensation and BenefitsSalary range is $244,000 – $258,000 with a generous benefits package.Equal Opportunity EmployerCalifornia Community Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.#J-18808-Ljbffr