Communications Director

ABOUT HOUSING CALIFORNIA

Since 1988 Housing California (Housing CA) has worked to create a California with homes health and prosperity for all in thriving sustainable communities. We bring together a diverse cross-sector network to prevent and end homelessness increase the supply of safe stable affordable homes and reverse the legacy of systemic racial and economic inequities by building power among the people most impacted by housing injustice in partnership with cross-sector partners shaping the narrative and advocating for the passage of transformative statewide policy solutions. Learn more about long term policy agendahereand explore additional information about Housing CAs current legislative priorities on our website at.

POSITION SUMMARY

Californias housing and homelessness crisis will not be solved by policy wins alone; it requires a fundamental shift in how the public understands who deserves a home and why. As Communications Director the incoming leader owns Housing CAs narrative and communications strategy end-to-end: setting the organizations voice translating policy and legislative work into public narrative that moves people and running the media and content operation that gets that narrative into the world.

This is a senior leadership role. The Director manages a small communications team and consultants and integrates communications work across legislative and regulatory affairs power building and organizational strategy. Externally they lead media relations rapid response and public narrative strategy in service of Housing CAs big tent approach building a shared voice across a broad and diverse constituency and centering the people most affected by housing instability and homelessness.

The position is based in Sacramento (hybrid) with regular statewide travel and occasional early-morning evening and weekend commitments. The right candidate is energized by the pace of a live legislative and campaign calendar including a current statewide affordable housing bond campaign and brings the seniority and judgment to lead the function independently.

AREAS OF LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE

Strategic Communications Execution & Media Advocacy: Runs Housing CAs public-facing communications operation (media content calendar and campaign comms) with the rigor a live legislative and electoral calendar demands.

Responsibilities:

• Owns and executes the annual communications plan and calendar including newsletters e-blasts social media and the op-ed pipeline.
• Leads media relations and advocacy: writing editing and distributing op-eds press releases and statements and identifying earned media opportunities.
• Leads rapid response communications positioning Housing CA quickly and credibly as news and political developments unfold.
• Leads communications strategy for major campaigns including the current statewide affordable housing bond campaign.
• Prioritizes competing media requests speaking engagements and writing opportunities and prepares the Executive Director and other key staff for interviews and public appearances.
• Manages communications consultants briefing them clearly and holding their work to a high standard.
• Leads communications planning for major organizational moments including the annual conference and Advocacy Day.
• Represents Housing CA at public events coalition spaces and media engagements.

Key qualifications:

• Track record running a communications calendar and media relations function end-to-end.
• Experience leading rapid response communications in a fast-moving news or political environment.
• Experience managing consultants or agency partners.
• Comfortable representing an organization externally and prepping senior leaders for public-facing moments.
• Fluency with digital communications media monitoring email marketing CMS social media and analytics tools.
• Experience supporting a live campaign ballot measure legislative push or comparable under real time pressure.
• Strong writing and editing skills across press digital and public-facing formats.

Narrative & Communications Strategy Leadership:Leads the development and execution of Housing CAs narrative change and communications strategy translating policy priorities and lived experience into public narrative that shifts how people understand housing and homelessness.

Responsibilities:

• Develops and executes Housing CAs narrative change strategy applying tested frameworks and research to shift the stories values and perceptions that shape public understanding.
• Owns Housing CAs strategic communications plan and style guide maintaining a consistent values-forward voice across every channel and audience.
• Guides the writing editing and production of publications campaigns and communications materials to a high editorial standard.
• Partners with the power-building team to elevate resident voice and develop spokespeople keeping policy work grounded in lived experience.
• Serves as Housing CAs internal thought partner on narrative building staff capacity to apply narrative strategy across programs and campaigns.

Key qualifications:

• 7 years of experience in strategic communications narrative change or advocacy communications ideally on behalf of low-income communities and communities of color.
• Working knowledge of narrative research and tested frameworks and fluency applying them practically.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial economic and housing justice reflected in prior work.
• Skilled at translating complex policy or legislative material into accessible public narrative.

Organizational & Systems Thinking: Connects communications work to Housing CAs long-term mission integrating narrative legislative advocacy and power building into a coherent systems-change approach.

Responsibilities:

• Aligns communications strategy with organizational planning budgeting and impact tracking.
• Collaborates with the legislative/regulatory affairs and power-building teams so communications reinforces policy and organizing strategy.
• Operates with a high degree of autonomy and sound judgment as a senior organizational leader.
• Brings fresh thinking to a fast-changing coalition and legislative environment adapting priorities as opportunities shift.

Key qualifications:

• Experience operating in advocacy legislative or coalition-based environments with a well-developed communications toolkit.
• Demonstrated ability to own and manage narrative and messaging strategy at a senior level.
• Comfort holding inside voice / outside voice tension across public coalition and legislative spaces.

Team Leadership & Development: Leads coaches and develops a small communications team contributing to Housing CAs senior leadership as a whole.

Responsibilities:

• Manages direct reports coaching for growth in craft judgment and career development.
• Builds a collaborative low-ego team culture that supports growth at every level.
• Contributes to organizational leadership: shaping culture advancing equity commitments and participating in strategic planning.
• Proposes and monitors the communications budget and supports fundraising for the program.

Key qualifications:

• Experience managing and developing communications staff including hands-on coaching.
• Collaborative low-ego leadership style.
• Track record as a senior leader who integrates team output into broader organizational strategy.
  

Our ideal candidates may have experience that doesnt directly match the qualifications above and we encourage people with equivalent experience to apply.

COMPENSATION BENEFITS AND LOCATION

This is a full-time exempt position that reports to the Deputy Director of Programs. The Director will provide leadership for a communications manager. The salary range $120000 - $150000 depending on experience.

Benefits package includes fully paid medical dental and vision for employee and 25% paid medical dental and vision for dependents paid parental leave long-term disability and group life insurance coverage; commuting subsidy; cell phone/at home internet subsidy; 403(b) retirement plan with 3.5% employer contribution; generous vacation (3 weeks depending on tenure) sick leave (8 hours per month employees start with 8 hours of leave) 12 paid holidays; organization-wide closure during the last week of December and a shortened workweek during the summer legislative break; training and professional development opportunities; and a hybrid work environment.

This position is based in our office in Sacramento and requires a significant in person presence in and around our office and the state capitol in downtown Sacramento. The position will have the opportunity to work remotely from their home if their presence is not needed in the office or around the capitol.

The position is expected to participate in regular travel (mostly in California) including the following engagements: twice yearly Board of Directors meetings (sometimes held in Sacramento); annual 2-3 day staff retreat; annual 3-day Housing California conference (often in Sacramento); annual 2-3-day statewide RUN summit (sometimes in Sacramento); plus various conferences or in-person partner meetings based on need and interest.

OUR CULTURE
Housing California is committed to creating a just equitable diverse and inclusive workplace that fosters a culture of belonging ongoing learning and collaboration and supports stabilizes and incentivizes people to join the Housing California team and stay for the long game.

We value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we address. We especially encourage Black Latinx Indigenous and people of color; people from families that have immigrated to the U.S.; people who have been unhoused or experienced housing instability; women; LGBTQIA people; system-impacted people; and people with disabilities to apply for these positions.

We aim for our work to be both effective and sustainable; we balance required travel during some parts of the year and the fast-paced legislative calendar with a commitment to our teams mental and physical health.

HOW TO APPLY & HIRING PROCESS

Please submit you resume and responses to the application questions via the BambooHr portal.

If you have questions regarding your qualifications for this position compensation/benefits our process or internal timeline for hiring or suggestions for how to improve this announcement or the opportunity itself please email Jenny Welch ().

Required Experience:

Director