Director, Marketing and Strategic Communications

The expected salary for this role is $105,000 - $125,000, with flexibility based on experience

and qualifications.

Job Title: Director, Marketing and Strategic Communications

Department: Advancement

Reports To: Vice President of Advancement

FLSA Status: Exempt

Organization Overview: Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical

illnesses – many of whom go on to beat their illnesses and credit the wish with giving them the

physical and emotional strength they need to persevere. Working at the #1 national charity

operating locally, you will have the opportunity to help children with critical illnesses to reclaim

their childhood, families to experience life beyond illness, and entire communities to rally

together in moments of transformational joy. Make-A-Wish is the only organization with such a

unique ability to restore hope for children and families who have experienced the emotional and

mental trauma of fighting pediatric critical illness.

Position Summary: The Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications is a revenue-

driven, conversion-focused leadership role responsible for shaping and executing an integrated

marketing and communications strategy that fuels donor growth and acquisition, brand

engagement, and mission-driven awareness for Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles. The

Director will focus on driving earned revenue and donor conversion as well as brand visibility

through data-informed campaigns, paid/organic media, and audience segmentation strategies.

The role requires strong digital acumen, storytelling expertise across platforms, and campaign

execution while providing strategic counsel to Programs and Executive Leadership.

Essential Responsibilities:

Revenue Focused Marketing Strategy

• Lead annual marketing strategy aligned with fundraising campaigns, donor journeys, and audience engagement and conversion goals.
• Design and execute full-funnel digital campaigns (social, email, paid media) to drive donor growth and acquisition, event attendance and engagement, and sponsorships of wishes.
• Ensure all fundraising campaign assets support donor conversion and revenue growth for the chapter.
• Lead segmentation and A/B testing strategies to improve engagement and response rates, retention, and ROI.
• Ensure brand consistency across all touchpoints (collateral, signage, press, events, digital formats) and source and manage a pipeline of high-impact content including wish stories, wish reveals, photos, video (short and long form) in coordination with Program team.
• Develop campaign messaging, scripting, speaker prep, and internal communications as needed.Paid, Earned, and Owned Media
• Oversee and manage agency relationships (PR, ads, creative, graphic design) to optimize campaign performance.
• Develop and pitch story angles to local media outlets, in partnership with PR agency.
• Manage, analyze, and report out on performance of paid ads (google ads, meta, etc.) including sharing CPC, CTR, etc.

Social Media and Content strategy

• Own and manage chapter-wide content calendar across digital platforms (website, social, email).
• Create and curate compelling visual and written content in support of fundraising initiatives, mission driven storytelling, events, and corporate/community partnerships.
• Manage social media publishing, growth, and engagement.
• Establish brand voice and tone for all external communications and campaigns.

Contractor Oversight

• Manage external contractors (graphic designers, videographers, copywriters) as needed.
• Set creative direction, approve work, and ensure all deliverables and timelines are met and brand standards are adhered to in alignment with revenue objectives.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university
• 7+ years in nonprofit or cause-related marketing with direct experience in a fundraising and revenue driven environment.
• Proven track record of managing paid media, PR strategy, and integrated marketing goals.
• Experience creating and executing digital marketing campaigns that drive conversions.
• Advanced proficiency in social media strategy, email marketing – growth and conversion, web platforms, and creative tools.
• Strong copywriting, storytelling, and editorial planning skills.
• Familiarity with analytics, CRM integrations, and performance metrics/dashboards.
• Self-starter with ability to work across departments and manage multiple priorities.

Benefits include: health, vision, dental, short and long-term disability insurance; paid time off,

and paid holidays.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that

must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the

essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to

sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is frequently required to talk or hear.

The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must be able to

occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job

include close vision.