Communications Officer
East Bay Community Foundation
Oakland, CA
Date Posted: 4/19/2024
About East Bay Community Foundation
Founded in 1928, East Bay Community Foundation (EBCF) is one of the nation’s first community foundations. Named the country’s “boldest” community foundation in 2019 by Inside Philanthropy, EBCF is dedicated to employing innovative strategies to advance an inclusive, fair, and just East Bay through four core program strategies:
Arts and Culture for Social and Racial Justice
Capacity Building with a Racial Equity Lens
Community Organizing, Power Building, and Movement Building
Fostering Inclusive Economic Models
As a community foundation, our donors are a critical partner in addressing the racial and economic inequities in the region. We take the time to understand what’s important to donors, provide opportunities to align their giving to the priority areas of the foundation, and work in collaboration with our programmatic team that has a thorough understanding of the social and economic challenges in the East Bay and has deep relationships with the nonprofits and policymakers that are most effectively tackling those challenges.
With a strategic regional focus on Alameda and Contra Costa counties, EBCF works towards its framework of “A Just East Bay,” which includes grantmaking, impact investing strategies, and a new way of taking steps to build solidarity among donors and community. We commit to employing all of our resources in service to our mission and push beyond industry norms to offer uniquely impactful opportunities for our fund advisors to help build economic equity for all. As a result, EBCF allows fund advisors to make impact investments from their Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) and grants as a part of their overall giving strategy.
Approaching 100 years of service in the East Bay, join EBCF in eliminating structural barriers, advancing racial equity, and transforming political, social, and economic outcomes for all who call the East Bay home for generations to come.
About the Opportunity
East Bay Community Foundation is at a pivotal moment in its history. Under the leadership of the Board of Directors and President and CEO Brandi Howard, the Foundation is redefining its role to fuel the intersecting economic and racial movements as it prepares to celebrate its centennial. The Foundation seeks a seasoned Marketing and Communications (MarCom) leader, a strong organizational cross-teams collaborator, and a community changemaker who understands the cultural context for using philanthropy to advance systems change and inspire the radical re-imagination of economic freedom in the East Bay. The Vice President of Marketing and Communications has the opportunity to shape the Foundation’s narrative, brand, and culture and amplify our grantees’ collective impact.
To create inspiring and consistent messaging to external audiences, the VP of Marketing and Communications has their finger on the pulse of the East Bay community and the social movement ecosystem. With a deeply rooted understanding and love for community, the person in this role is a convener and can draw the connections of our grantees’ intersecting work to position the Foundation and our community partners as voices for systems change. The VP of MarCom is equal parts strategist, tactician, leader, and community advocate.
The VP of MarCom will craft and execute EBCF’s communications and marketing strategy to help drive public narratives that create systems change. They will lead the development of the organizational messaging hub; weave a narrative thread across the programmatic, fundraising, and executive teams; drive a proactive media strategy; and support internal change management.
The VP of MarCom leads the four-person team responsible for engaging with new and existing audiences to advance the Foundation’s brand, program initiatives, and impact with donors, grantee partners, community groups, and decision makers working to advance equity in the East Bay. This position reports directly to the President and CEO, serves as a member of the organizational leadership team, and leads the Marketing and Communications team, a subdivision of the Office of the President and CEO.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
COMMUNICATIONS/NARRATIVE STRATEGY
Lead the marketing and communications team to drive a multi-channel, brand-level communications plan that employs a diverse set of marketing and communications strategies to advance EBCF’s organizational goals.
Serve as the Foundation’s “chief storyteller,” developing an organizational narrative and messaging hub that advances the leadership team’s vision and amplifies the collective impact of our grantees’ work to support BIPOC communities.
Work cross-departmentally and partner closely with program, fundraising, and executive teams to both inform MarCom strategies and push them out consistently across the organization.
Lead the MarCom team’s efforts to convene grantee communicators to train, increase capacity, and amplify the collective work of our partners.
Support the MarCom’s team’s work to construct a values-centered communications plan showcasing EBCF’s history of impact in celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2028.
COMMUNICATIONS IMPLEMENTATION
Ensure brand consistency of all content and manage EBCF’s reputation with external audiences across channels and strategies.
Drive strategic communications and marketing initiatives cross-departmentally to support fundraising, fund establishment, donor organizing, and institutional partnerships.
Review and approve articles, press releases, email marketing, and institutional announcements intended to deepen brand affinity and engagement with key audiences like donor-advised fund advisors.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Build and maintain relationships with reporters and influencers to proactively pursue opportunities to promote EBCF’s profile, work, and thought leadership in the media.
Author and/or edit commentary articles and executive thought leadership pieces, advancing EBCF’s agenda for policy and systems change.
Prepare executives and other senior staff for speaking engagements and public appearances.
Represent EBCF at public events as a participant, speaker, or moderator to grow EBCF’s organizational profile and influence.
Act as a spokesperson for EBCF, giving speeches, presentations, and media interviews as needed.
MANAGEMENT AND INTERNAL LEADERSHIP
Provide leadership, mentorship, and supervision to the three other members of the MarCom team. Provide inspiration, support, and effective conflict management to lead a results-driven team.
Budget development and management that achieves the goals of the Marketing and Communications team.
Serve as advisor to the CEO and department leadership team on effectively messaging change management around policies and culture.
Partner closely with the internal chief of staff and organizational leaders of HR, IT, and office services to develop and implement a co-owned strategy for internal communications that frames EBCF’s our work, creates meaning, and fosters belonging for staff and board.
Lead cross-department initiatives that advance EBCF’s strategic plan and commitment to community beyond the scope of the Marketing and Communications team.
Prepare crisis communications plans as needed and directed by the CEO.
Skills, Knowledge & Experience
A minimum of 12-15 years of experience in communications, media, or marketing – ideally inclusive of a focus on public interest within nonprofit, philanthropic, or public sector environments – with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role responsible for managing teams.
Strong organizational leadership skills to facilitate input and weave a communications thread across teams.
Inspiring and supportive managerial skills to build a collaborative team, including demonstrated experience leading with a racial and gender equity lens.
Keen messaging instincts and ability to shape culture-shifting narratives, using ethical storytelling and asset-framing.
Clear and concise writing and copyediting skills for message development, media pitches, fundraising communications, and web, e-mail, and social media content (AP style).
Ability to synthesize community social justice issues, organizational priorities, and audience insights into timely, relevant, and detailed communications plans.
Deep knowledge base in media relations, issues management, and rapid response communications skills, as well as experience as an organizational spokesperson.
Strong digital communications and social media skills.
Excellent strategic planning, budgeting, and resource management skills.
Strong skills in analyzing difficult situations, practices, and procedures to troubleshoot solutions and lead with emotional intelligence.
Deep understanding of the intersectionality of community challenges to communicate economic and racial justice with ethical storytelling, asset-framing, and culture-shifting strategies.
Knowledge of the community foundation business model, trust-based philanthropy best practices and dialogue surrounding charitable funds including donor-advised funds, agency funds, and designated fund.
Knowledge of local nonprofit organizations, especially EBCF’s core grantee partners.
Knowledge of sound change management practices to inform internal communications strategies.
Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills, including public speaking and articulating ideas clearly and succinctly.
Proven commitment to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion, especially in the workplace, including possession of the racial equity competencies listed below:
Understanding and Applying Racial Equity
Demonstrating commitment to building or deepening the understanding of racial equity.
Using core terms and concepts such as structural racism, white privilege, and anti-Blackness.
Understanding of the role that racial inequity has played and continues to play in our society.
Understanding of how race impacts supervisory relationships, team dynamics, and organizational culture.
Understanding of how personal/implicit/unconscious bias affect decision-making.
Working for Racial Equity
Consistently assessing structural implications and racially disproportionate impacts of policies, activities, and decisions within the context of their job responsibilities across race/ethnicity, intersection of race/ethnicity, gender, identity, and/or sexual orientation.
Consistently adhering to the organization’s racial equity policies and procedures, including those that relate to hiring, retention, and promotion.
Consistently identifying and disrupting ways in which bias plays out in the work and/or the team.
Leading on Racial Equity
Effectively encouraging people to have honest conversations about racial equity and accepting feedback openly, non-defensively, and from a posture of learning.
Consistently addressing structural implications and racially disproportionate impacts of policies, activities, and decisions by identifying and implementing changes that can produce more equitable outcomes. This applies not only in terms of race/ethnicity, but also at the intersection of race/ethnicity, gender identity, and/or sexual orientation.
Consistently setting racial equity outcomes, goals, and performance measures for the team, department, or organization, and developing and successfully implementing plans to achieve them.
Salary & Benefits
EBCF offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401k retirement savings plan with a 5% employee match, group term life insurance, disability insurance, 15 days of paid time off in year one, 20 days in year two and thereafter, sick leave, and 17 paid holidays per year. Plus, a Flexible Spending Account, an Employee Assistance Program, an annual professional development budget, commuter benefits, and a matching gifts program.
Worksite
East Bay Community Foundation operates in an employee-driven hybrid work model: Employees can use EBCF’s office space in downtown Oakland any number of days per week. The policy is subject to change. Candidates must live within Northern California and be able to travel to the Oakland office with ease.
COVID-19 Vaccination: All employees are required to adhere to EBCF’s COVID-19 policies.
About the Application Process
EBCF is excited to partner with Walker and Associates Consulting – an Oakland-based strategic management consulting and executive search firm with more than 25 years’ experience recruiting and placing leaders working to advance social justice – on this search. To apply, email a cover letter, resume, and list of three references (candidates will be notified in advance of any outreach to references) to ebcf@walkeraac.com on or before 5:00 p.m. PT on December 1, 2023. A combined PDF is preferred. Use the subject: VP of MarCom.
Questions or Nominations? Contact Jeannine N. Walker, President and CEO, at jwalker@walkeraac.com.
The East Bay Community Foundation (EBCF) is an equal opportunity employer committed to racial justice and equity. EBCF does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law and is an employment-at-will organization. The Foundation welcomes and encourages people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and members of other historically disenfranchised groups to apply.
