Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS FOUNDATION • San Francisco, CA

5m • $90,000 - $105,000 • Remote

About The Position

California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) seeks an experienced and strategic Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications to manage, support, and implement the organization’s marketing and communications efforts. Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications, this role manages integrated marketing and communications strategies that build awareness, engagement, and long-term support for California’s state parks.
The Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications oversees annual planning, audience strategy, performance measurement, brand stewardship, and marketing execution across channels; manages a team of three; and supports cross-departmental initiatives through clear messaging, strong storytelling, and consistent brand alignment. The ideal candidate brings strong people management skills, analytical rigor, and experience translating strategy into effective implementation.

Occasional travel will be required for this role, including travel to the San Francisco Bay Area to attend in-person staff meetings and to collect content at any of the 280 state parks as needed.

Requirements

• Commitment to CSPF’s mission and Justice, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity initiatives.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience required.
• 7+ years of experience in marketing, communications, or related fields, preferably in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
• 3+ years of team leadership experience, preferably managing staff and vendors in fundraising or marketing environments.
• Experience managing external marketing and communications vendors, consultants, or agencies, including creative partners, digital vendors, or public relations firms.
• Demonstrated experience developing or managing integrated marketing and communications strategies and using data and analytics to drive decisions.
• Strong understanding of multi-channel marketing, content strategy, audience segmentation, brand positioning, and integrated campaigns across owned, earned, and shared media.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Willing and able to travel and/or attend events across California, sometimes on weekends or evenings, as necessary.
• Valid driver’s license to be able to travel across California to collect content at any of the 280 state parks as needed, occasionally engaging in outdoor activities.
• Able to work at a computer for long periods of time, work in and move across an office setting, communicate with colleagues and constituents, and occasionally move items up to 25 lbs., with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in content management systems, email marketing platforms, analytics tools, Slack, Asana, Zoom, and related collaboration software preferred.
• Experience launching new ideas, leading brand or audience research initiatives, or driving process improvements.
• Demonstrated awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations.
• Contributes to the creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.
• Prioritizes tasks effectively and accomplishes work efficiently.
• Demonstrated ability to accept and apply feedback, follow leadership, and align with organizational decisions.
• Self-motivated; able to multi-task with excellent attention to detail and project management skills, and able to perform successfully without regular supervision.
• Ability to work collaboratively with outstanding interpersonal skills, with the ability to develop and sustain trusted relationships.

Responsibilities

• Support the development and manage the execution of the annual marketing and communications strategy in collaboration with the Director of Marketing and Communications, including goals, priorities, timelines, and success metrics.
• Manage marketing and communications KPIs, dashboards, and performance benchmarks; analyze trends and elevate insights, risks, and recommendations to inform decision-making.
• Manage monthly team performance and reporting processes to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.
• Manage assigned marketing and communications budgets, including forecasting, tracking expenses, monitoring variances, and supporting efficient use of resources.
• Support annual marketing and communications budget planning in collaboration with Director of Marketing and Communications.
• Develop, refine, and apply audience segmentation strategies and supporter personas to strengthen messaging relevance, engagement, and long-term audience growth.
• Manage and support brand research initiatives, including audience and brand perception surveys, and translate findings into actionable recommendations that strengthen positioning and messaging.
• Turn organizational initiatives — including advocacy, programs, fundraising, and partnerships — into clear messaging frameworks and integrated campaign plans.
• Partner closely with Programs to translate program work into compelling stories and communications that highlight impact, deepen public understanding, and strengthen engagement with California’s state parks.
• Partner closely with Development and Membership leadership to ensure marketing and communications efforts support donor engagement, retention, and growth.
• Represent the organization externally with media, partners, donors, and other stakeholders when necessary.
• Support and manage brand stewardship across platforms, ensuring consistency, clarity, and adherence to CSPF’s brand standards and style guidelines.
• Manage and coordinate integrated marketing and communications efforts across owned, earned, and shared channels, including website, email, social media, media relations, print publications, and content marketing.
• Oversee and coordinate editorial planning and contribute to content strategy across platforms, including blogs, web content, videos, social media, donor publications and materials, and the magazine, ensuring alignment with CSPF’s brand voice and audience priorities.
• Manage workflows, editorial calendars, and cross-team coordination to ensure timely, high-quality execution across campaigns and channels.
• Gather stories and content from California’s state parks by coordinating with park staff, partners, and on-the-ground sources.
• Partner with vendors, consultants, agencies, partners, and freelancers to support marketing and communications work, including setting scopes, managing timelines, and ensuring accountability.
• Ensure accessibility, inclusive language, and best practices are integrated across marketing and communications outputs.
• Identify opportunities to improve systems, processes, and tools that support efficiency, collaboration, and scalability.
• Directly manage three team members, providing clear direction, feedback, accountability, and professional development support.
• Provide direction, feedback, and accountability to consultants and vendor partners to ensure effective, timely, and on-budget execution.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative team culture that reflects CSPF’s values and encourages innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Lead regular team meetings and support strong communication and coordination across marketing and communications functions.
• Contribute to other marketing and membership projects as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Employee benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, acupuncture/chiropractic, participation in 401k retirement plan with match after one year of service, employee life, accidental, long- and short-term disability insurance, participation in pre-tax commuter benefits and flexible spending account, health and wellness and hybrid office stipend after 6 months of employment, paid vacation, 13 paid holidays, birthday holiday, and sick time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager