Senior Director of Brand Communications

YMCA of Greater San Francisco•San Francisco, CA

52d

About The Position

The YMCA of Greater San Francisco is seeking a senior, hands-on communications leader to serve as the organization’s chief storyteller and reputation architect. Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing and Communications, who sets the overarching strategy, this role brings that strategy to life through powerful storytelling, media engagement, and stakeholder communications. The Senior Director of Brand Communications is responsible for protecting and elevating the YMCA’s visibility, credibility, and influence across donors, partners, government leaders, media, and the broader community. This position leads the execution of high impact communications that build trust, strengthen reputation, and advance the organization’s mission. Acting as a force multiplier, the Sr. Director turns strategy into action—developing executive messaging, managing media relations, and creating the content and materials that help senior leaders and fundraisers represent the organization with confidence and clarity. The role also supports the success of Mission Advancement efforts tied to $5.1M+ in fundraising, partnerships, and public engagement, while collaborating with the VP of Culture to ensure external communications reinforce the YMCA’s internal voice and values.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field.
12+ years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public affairs, or reputation management within a complex, mission-driven, or fundraising organization.
Exceptional writing and editing skills, with proven ability to craft speeches, op-eds, impact stories, and stakeholder communications that inspire confidence and action.
Demonstrated success leading media relations, including developing press materials, pitching stories, and maintaining relationships with journalists and influencers in the Bay Area and beyond.
Experience translating mission and impact into compelling donor, corporate, and government partner communications that directly support fundraising and reputation goals.
Strong strategic planning and project management abilities, with capacity to plan, execute, measure, and report on communications initiatives that advance organizational priorities.
Proficiency with reputation measurement and media monitoring tools (e.g., Meltwater or similar) and the ability to analyze and present results to leadership.
Experience supporting executive and thought leadership communications for CEOs or senior leaders, including speechwriting and social media presence management (LinkedIn and professional platforms).
Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills, adept at coordinating with Mission Advancement, Marketing, and Culture leaders, as well as with partnership organizations to ensure message alignment across internal and external audiences.
Self-directed, highly accountable communicator who thrives in a fast-paced, high expectation environment and takes ownership from concept through execution.
Understanding of inclusive and culturally fluent communications practices, with a deep commitment to equity, belonging, and authentic community representation.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual or multilingual ability—especially in Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin—to effectively communicate with and represent the diverse communities of the YMCA of San Francisco.
Prior public relations agency experience supporting multiple clients or complex, multistakeholder organizations.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary steward of organizational reputation, ensuring messaging across all external audiences reflects the YMCA’s mission, credibility, and community impact.
Proactively identify and pursue opportunities to enhance visibility through awards, thought leadership, and media coverage.
Track and analyze public sentiment, media impact, and brand visibility to inform strategy and report measurable outcomes.
Develop high-quality executive materials—including speeches, statements, op-eds, and key messages—that elevate leadership voices and reinforce strategic priorities.
Create compelling narratives and proof points for donors, corporate partners, and government leaders that connect directly to measurable impact.
Manage the strategic social media presence for the CEO and LinkedIn presence for the organization, advancing thought leadership and engagement among key audiences.
Lead the YMCA’s media engagement efforts, including story development, pitching, press materials and interview preparation.
Build and maintain relationships with journalists and community influencers to secure meaningful, values-aligned coverage.
Maintain an updated press kit and master narrative that make it easy for the media to cover the Y accurately and effectively.
Partner with Mission Advancement to develop and execute communications that enable fundraising, corporate partnerships, and government engagement.
Craft presentations, proposals, and storytelling materials that inspire investment and demonstrate impact.
Translate the VP’s strategic vision into clear, actionable communications plans and deliver high-quality execution across all initiatives.
Coordinate closely with the VP of Culture to align external storytelling with internal communications and organizational culture.
Establish systems to plan, measure, and report communications outcomes, including visibility metrics, reputation indicators, and stakeholder engagement results.
Operate independently as a senior executor—a doer who delivers at a high level and amplifies leadership effectiveness without direct reports