Director of Communications

Director of Communications

Coro California (Coro) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization focused on cultivating the next generation of diverse leaders through hands-on, collaborative, cross-sectoral learning. With programs for youth, recent college graduates, established professionals, and executives, Coro develops leaders at all stages of their lives and careers. Graduates leave Coro with a deeper understanding of how their communities and organizations work, the leadership skills to contribute to its success, and a network of engaged alumni to help them reach their goals.

This newly created role, reporting to the Chief of Staff, is critical to unifying our brand identity, amplifying our impact across California, and ensuring seamless stakeholder engagement as we grow from two regional organizations into one statewide for leadership development. The timing could not be more crucial - as we integrate operations, expand programs, and strengthen our position as California's premier leadership development organization, we need a strategic communications leader to tell our evolving story and build momentum for our unified mission.

The Director of Communications is a strategic leadership position responsible for elevating Coro California's visibility, strengthening our brand identity, and ensuring effective communication with all stakeholders across the state. This position will oversee all aspects of the organization's communications strategy, including digital infrastructure, internal and external communications, marketing collateral, media relations, and executive communications. As a one-person communications team supporting a statewide nonprofit, this role requires a versatile professional who can both develop high-level strategy and execute tactical implementation across multiple channels and platforms.

The ideal candidate will be a creative storyteller, strategic thinker, and skilled project manager who can translate Coro's mission and impact into compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences throughout California. This position is crucial to advancing Coro's strategic goals of expanding program reach and strengthening our position as California's premier leadership development organization. As Coro California evolves, this role may assume additional duties and responsibilities appropriate to the position and consistent with organizational needs and applicable law.

Your Opportunity for Impact

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Strategic Communications Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive statewide communications strategy aligned with organizational goals and strategic priorities
• Create and maintain brand standards, messaging frameworks, and communication guidelines to ensure consistency across all channels and regions
• Lead the brand transition work during statewide integration, including updating materials, managing co-branding strategies, working groups and thoughtfully stewarding legacy identities
• Conduct regular communications audits and analyze metrics to assess effectiveness and inform strategic adjustments
• Partner with senior leadership to position Coro California as a thought leader in leadership development and civic engagement
• Develop crisis communications protocols and serve as primary spokesperson when appropriate
• Create annual communications calendar coordinating and/or collaborating on major campaigns, program launches, and organizational milestones

Internal Change Communications

• Lead internal change communications to support statewide staff alignment post-merger
• Develop communication strategies and campaigns to maintain morale and ensure consistent messaging during organizational transition
• Create communication channels and protocols that foster collaboration between Bay Area and Los Angeles teams
• Design collateral, communications and processes that help the Coro Community understand our unified culture and values
• Facilitate transparent communication about organizational changes, priorities, and celebrations
• Build internal ambassadorship by equipping staff with tools and talking points to represent Coro externally

Executive & Fundraising Communications

• Prepare speeches, talking points, and strategic messaging for the CEO, organizational spokespeople, and board members
• Support executive thought leadership through various medium including but not limited to op-eds, interviews, and public speaking opportunities
• Partner with Development team to craft compelling donor campaigns, impact reports, and stewardship materials
• Support major gift proposals and grant narratives to articulate Coro's value proposition (as needed)
• Design and produce annual reports that celebrate achievements and inspire continued support

Digital Infrastructure and Content Strategy

• Oversee and maintain all digital properties including website, social media channels, email marketing platforms, and CRM systems
• Partner with program, growth and development teams to implement compelling marketing and communications campaigns across multiple platforms.
• Lead website updates and ongoing optimization efforts to improve user experience, SEO performance, and conversion rates
• Manage relationship with web developer/s
• Manage social media strategy across all platforms, creating engaging content calendars and community management protocols
• Implement and maintain digital analytics tools to track engagement, reach, and ROI across all digital channels
• Ensure digital accessibility compliance and best practices across all platforms
• Research and implement new digital tools and technologies to enhance communication effectiveness

Storytelling & Media Relations

• Write, edit, and produce high-quality content including press releases, newsletters, blog posts, and impact stories
• Develop compelling narratives that showcase program participant success stories, alumni achievements, and organizational impact
• Create multimedia content including videos, podcasts, infographics, and interactive presentations
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with media contacts throughout California
• Pitch stories and coordinate media coverage for programs, events, and organizational announcements
• Prepare leadership and program participants for media interviews and public speaking opportunities
• Monitor media landscape for opportunities to insert Coro's voice into relevant conversations
• Manage relationships with freelance writers, designers, photographers, and videographers as needed
• Coordinate photoshoots and photography engagements
• Develop systems and processes to collect and organize impact stories from the Coro community including but not limited to those from teammates, board members and alumni.

Brand, Collateral & Design Management

• Develop, maintain, and enforce a comprehensive communications handbook including brand style guide and communication guidelines
• Create and maintain templates for organizational materials including presentations, reports, and program materials
• Design and coordinate production of printed materials including brochures, program posters, and event collateral
• Ensure brand consistency across all internal and external materials throughout the statewide organization
• Support program and growth teams in developing recruitment materials and participant communications
• Coordinate event design elements and materials that reflect our unified brand identity
• Maintain inventory of marketing collateral and coordinate reprinting as needed
• Develop systems to collect and maintain photos and videos, for ongoing use and archival purposes
• Develop internal training and documentation processes for staff to effectively utilize communication tools and resources

Who Will Thrive in This Role?

• Curious & Empathetic Leader: Leads with curiosity and empathy, approaching each story and stakeholder interaction with genuine interest and cultural humility
• Brand Unifier: Demonstrates strategic brand leadership through your ability to evolve and unify organizational identity while honoring legacy traditions during times of change
• Systems Architect: Champion systems thinking by designing digital workflows and communication processes that enhance efficiency, consistency, and team alignment across our statewide operations
• Graceful Multi-Tasker: Master the art of juggling by managing multiple priorities and deadlines with grace, humor, and meticulous attention to detail in our fast-paced environment
• Results-Driven Executor: Execute with ownership and accountability, consistently delivering high-quality content on schedule while measuring and optimizing for engagement goals
• Strategic & Scrappy: Makes smart decisions about when to spend money and when to get creative with limited budgets, always focused on getting the best return on investment while building partnerships and finding cost-effective solutions that still deliver quality results
• Data Champion: Embraces data-informed decision making, leveraging analytics tools to guide strategy, evaluate outcomes, and tell the story of our impact
• Versatile Communicator: Ability to adapt voice skillfully across diverse audiences - from youth participants to major donors, from social media to formal reports - while maintaining authentic connection
• Inclusive Narrator: Practices inclusive storytelling that reflects California's rich diversity and Coro's commitment to equity, ensuring all communities see themselves in our narrative
• Resilient Innovator: Brings adaptability and resilience to navigate the dynamic landscape of nonprofit communications, seeing challenges as opportunities for creative problem-solving
• Tech-Forward Explorer: Stays curious about emerging technologies and communication trends, continuously exploring new platforms, tools, and methods to keep our communication infrastructure modern, relevant, and ahead of the curve

Success Measures

Performance in this role will be evaluated based on:

• Achievement of communications reach and engagement targets across all channels.
• Increased website traffic, social media followers, and email newsletter engagement rates.
• Growth in media coverage and earned media value metrics.
• Expansion of brand awareness and recognition throughout California.
• Successful support of fundraising campaigns and events through compelling marketing and communications materials.
• Consistent use of data and tracking systems to measure and report communications outcomes.
• Timely delivery of high-quality communications materials aligned with organizational priorities.
• Positive stakeholder feedback on communications effectiveness and brand consistency.

Position Logistics

This is a full-time role based in the Bay Area or Greater Los Angeles, CA. The salary range for this role is $105,000 - $115,000 annually, depending on experience. Coro benefits include medical, dental, 401k match, and a generous PTO policy. This position is classified as exempt.

Coro has a hybrid work policy with employees expected to work in-person from their regional office every Wednesday and on-site as needed for program, development, and event-related activities. Regular travel within the region and occasional statewide travel may be required to support in-person programming and events.

Coro is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, and practices. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability or religious practice, please contact us at ejavey@coronorcal.org.

We are committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of experiences, perspectives, and communities across our region.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Ready to take the next step?

To apply, please complete this application form. You must sign into the application form using a valid Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can sign up for a free one here. Only applications submitted through the application form will be considered.

If you are moved forward after submitting an application, our process will involve a multi-step interview process.

Applications will be reviewed as received, with priority given to those received before November 30, 2025.

Coro benefits include medical, dental, 401k match, and a generous PTO policy.