Director of Communications

HEART OF LOS ANGELES YOUTH INC•Los Angeles, CA

2d•$85,000 - $92,000

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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.
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.

Responsibilities

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.
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.
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.