Director of Communications

Description

TITLE: Director of Communications

DEPARTMENT: Communications

REPORTS TO: Chief of Staff

SALARY: $85,000-$92,000 annually

FLSA: Exempt

HOURS: Full-time, 40+ per week; some evening or weekend work may be required

START DATE: As soon as possible

Heart of Los Angeles (Heart of LA) provides underserved youth with free, exceptional programs in academics, arts, and athletics within a nurturing environment, empowering them to develop their potential, pursue their education and strengthen their communities.

Our Core Values are: Respect, Responsibility, Support, Positive Communication and Inclusion.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This is an opportunity to join the Leadership Team of a well-established non-profit organization at a pivotal moment of growth, visibility, and expansion. The Director of Communications will work closely with the CEO and Chief of Staff to shape and lead Heart of LA’s external voice, brand strategy, and storytelling across all platforms. This role is responsible for elevating Heart of LA’s public profile by articulating the organization’s impact with clarity, discipline, and emotional impact. They will work to ensure our mission, values, and outcomes are consistently reflected in every external engagement.

The Director of Communications will steward relationships with strategic partners, media, and institutional stakeholders to amplify Heart of LA’s work, strengthen brand validation, and support organizational growth. They will guide the development of compelling narratives and public-facing content that positions expanded learning youth programming as essential resources, while ensuring Heart of LA remains responsive, authentic, and connected to the communities it serves.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Brand Strategy, Media & Partnerships

• Design and lead an innovative, cohesive communications strategy to elevate the Heart of LA brand, leveraging digital media platforms, emerging technologies, strategic partnerships, and key stakeholders to expand reach, deepen engagement, and reinforce brand credibility.
• Represent Heart of LA in select external forums, convenings, and coalitions as a senior brand ambassador and advise executive leadership on representation when appropriate.
• Translate community insights, listening efforts, and partner feedback into clear narrative guidance that informs communications strategy and messaging.
• Collaborate with internal teams to elevate the storytelling and visibility of Heart of LA’s public-facing events, including concerts, exhibitions, fundraising events, performances, and community celebrations.

Communications & Storytelling Leadership

• Lead the development of Heart of LA’s public-facing narrative, ensuring consistent, compelling storytelling that positions out-of-school-time programming as a solution to the opportunity gap.
• Work closely with the Development team to ensure alignment between general communications, fundraising materials, and donor-facing storytelling.
• Oversee the creation of communications and marketing assets, including brand identity elements, annual reports, pamphlets, website content, social media, and visual storytelling in collaboration with executive leadership.
• Establish and enforce message discipline, tone, and brand standards across platforms and departments.
• Partner with program leadership to ensure communications support, program recruitment, accessibility, and community understanding.
• Provide supervision and strategic direction of Marketing and Communications Coordinator, and supervise digital content activities to ensure alignment with brand priorities and public education goals.
• Manage Heart of LA related content for CEO’s Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.

Organization Leadership

• Serve as a member of the Leadership and Executive Teams in organizational strategy, planning, and decision-making.
• Act as a strategic advisor to leadership on communications, reputation management, and brand considerations.
• Identify opportunities, practices, and improve internal systems with an eye toward future needs and budget realities.
• Maintain a visible and collaborative leadership presence in the organization and a thought partner to staff across the organization.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS | TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS DESIRED:

The Director of Communications brings 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in communications, brand strategy, storytelling, or external relations. This role is responsible for leading Heart of LA’s communications strategy and strengthening organizational visibility, voice, and reputation.

Strong candidates will:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree; relevant advanced degrees are a plus.
• Be deeply aligned with Heart of LA’s mission and values, and motivated by advancing work rooted in equity, community, and opportunity.
• Be a strategic and creative communicator who can set direction while remaining engaged in execution.
• Demonstrate strong leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to coach, motivate, and support staff in a team-oriented environment.
• Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, including editing and high-level content development.
• Be comfortable representing Heart of LA to internal and external stakeholders, including community partners, funders, and media.
• Bring strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, and adapt in a fast-paced environment.
• Use metrics and reporting to track engagement and assess communications impact.
• Be flexible and available to travel locally and work occasional evenings or weekends as needed.
• Must pass a CA DOJ background check.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

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 the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls.

The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The building environment may not provide air conditioning and heat in all areas. Outdoor work is expected in some cases.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills or abilities.

As an equal opportunity employer, Heart of LA values having a diverse workforce and continuously strives to maintain an inclusive and equitable workplace. We encourage people with a diverse range of backgrounds to apply. We do not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, gender, handicap, pregnancy, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.

BENEFITS

• Employer-paid medical benefit
• Employer-paid vision and dental benefit
• Employer-paid life insurance benefit
• 403b retirement plan available with employer contribution
• Paid holidays benefit in excess of 20 days annually with birthday off, including 1 week of summer break and winter break between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day
• Paid vacation benefit to include one week during the first year, 2 weeks during 2nd year, and increasing to 3 weeks by 3rd year
• Paid sick time benefit of 10 days annually
• Paid parking or transportation stipend