Director, Institutional Communications

California Endowment•Los Angeles, CA

6d•$173,000 - $259,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The California Endowment is seeking a Director, Institutional Communications to lead its institutional communications strategy and ensure a clear, consistent, influential voice across internal and external audiences. The Director shapes and advances the organization’s narrative, strengthens its reputation and influence, and aligns communications with enterprise-wide priorities and strategic goals. The role oversees executive and Board communications, media relations, public affairs, crisis communications, brand stewardship, and communications planning, ensuring efforts advance equity, community partnership, and systems change. The Director also manages external communications partners and consultants and establishes frameworks to measure communications effectiveness, influence, and organizational impact. Serving as a thought partner and strategic advisor to leadership and departments, the Director develops integrated communications strategies that amplify The Endowment’s mission, priorities, and impact. The position reports to the Vice President, Strategic Communications and Narrative. It is hybrid, with two days per week on-site at a Los Angeles office; other office locations in Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno, or San Diego may be considered for the right candidate. The California Endowment is a private, statewide health foundation established in 1996. Its mission is to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. It envisions California as a powerful and conscientious voice for wellness, inclusion, and shared prosperity, and believes health is shaped in neighborhoods, schools, and through prevention, not solely by medical settings and individual choices.

Requirements

At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in communications or a related field; experience in philanthropy, nonprofit, or public sector organizations is preferred.
At least five years of staff management experience.
A bachelor’s degree in communications or a related field; the posting states that a bachelor’s degree is equivalent to four years of relevant experience.
Experience with media relations, digital communications, and brand management.
Experience working in California’s health and/or social impact ecosystem.
Ability to articulate a strategic vision and align team efforts with organizational goals.
Deep understanding of advancing equity through communications.
Ability to work toward shared goals with teammates, departments, and external partners.
Ability to represent a communications team with authority and credibility to leadership, staff, media, and stakeholders.
Ability to navigate ambiguity, changing environments, and competing priorities.
Excellent writing, editing, and messaging skills across formats and audiences.
Strong strategic planning, project management, and team leadership skills.
Ability to manage complex projects, budgets, and cross-departmental collaboration.
Demonstrated ability to create culturally responsive teams.
Problem-solving and critical-thinking ability, including anticipating future needs and challenges.
Commitment to inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive teams and workplace practices.
Ability to lead and develop a diverse, high-performing team through coaching, mentorship, and accountability.
Familiarity with health equity frameworks.

Nice To Haves

Experience in philanthropy, nonprofit, or public sector organizations.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead the institutional communications strategy in alignment with organizational priorities, enterprise goals, and long-term vision.
Shape and steward the organization’s narrative, messaging architecture, and voice across audiences and communications channels.
Identify opportunities to increase the organization’s influence, visibility, and impact through strategic communications initiatives.
Advise leadership on communications strategy, emerging issues, and organizational positioning.
Ensure consistency across internal and external communications to strengthen understanding, engagement, and trust.
Ensure communications reflect tce+ principles and the organization’s commitment to equity, community partnership, and community-centered change.
Lead strategic communications support for the CEO, leadership team, and Board.
Oversee speeches, presentations, talking points, correspondence, and other executive communications.
Position leaders as credible voices on health equity, philanthropy, community power, and systems change.
Identify emerging issues, trends, and opportunities to position the organization as a leading voice.
Cultivate opportunities for public engagement, speaking engagements, publications, and strategic visibility.
Lead proactive media relations, reputation management, public affairs, and external positioning.
Build and maintain relationships with journalists, media outlets, influencers, and external stakeholders.
Develop and implement crisis communications and risk management strategies.
Advise leadership on sensitive issues, emerging risks, and communications responses during high-profile events or organizational challenges.
Steward the organization’s brand identity, messaging standards, and communications governance.
Lead enterprise-wide communications planning for initiatives, campaigns, announcements, milestones, and strategic priorities.
Ensure communications are consistent, high-quality, and aligned across platforms, materials, and audience touchpoints.
Coordinate with departments to integrate communications strategies and align them with organizational priorities.
Establish communications goals, metrics, and evaluation frameworks to assess effectiveness, influence, and organizational impact.
Monitor performance data and stakeholder feedback to inform improvement and decision-making.
Oversee communications budgets and manage public relations firms, creative agencies, consultants, and other external partners.
Align communications resources, investments, and partnerships with enterprise priorities and measurable value.
Build organizational communications capacity through planning, systems, and operational excellence.
Foster cross-departmental collaboration on integrated communications strategies.
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, promoting accountability, learning, and professional growth.
Set strategic goals and performance expectations and conduct performance reviews for direct reports.
Provide staff performance management, guidance, consistent feedback, and development opportunities.
Foster an inclusive, collaborative work environment that welcomes diverse professional, cultural, social, ethnic, and experiential perspectives.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

Shared medical and dental premiums for employees and eligible dependents.
Employer-paid vision, life and AD&D, short-term disability, long-term disability, and employee assistance program benefits.
Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts.
Reimbursement toward gym fees and/or wellness programs and mental health care.
9-80 schedule with synchronized days off.
Hybrid work schedule available for most positions.
11 paid holidays and paid winter holiday closure.
Generous paid time off.
401(k) plan with employer match and contributions.
Matching gifts program.
Paid parking or public transportation subsidy.
Professional development and training opportunities.
Tuition reimbursement program.
Monthly BYOD stipend.