Director of Marketing and Communications

LifeMoves is the largest provider of interim housing and support services in the Bay Area. With over two dozen interim housing and service communities from Daly City to San Jose, LifeMoves gives neighbors experiencing homelessness a temporary place to call home while providing intensive, customized case management that teaches and reinforces skills clients need to return to and sustain stable housing.

About the role

LifeMoves is seeking a strategic, collaborative, and hands-on Director of Marketing & Communications to lead and execute the organization's marketing, communications, public relations, digital engagement, and brand initiatives. Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing & Communications, this role will strengthen organizational visibility, support fundraising and donor engagement efforts, advance executive thought leadership, and build operational systems for a high-performing communications function.

This position is ideal for a marketing and communications professional who enjoys both strategy and execution. The Director will shape organizational messaging and public visibility while rolling up their sleeves to write content, manage projects, execute campaigns, oversee digital channels, coordinate media relations, and ensure day-to-day operational excellence. The successful candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple priorities, and possess the judgment and adaptability needed to support a mission-driven organization addressing one of the Bay Area's most complex social challenges.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Communications & Brand Leadership
  • Partner with the Vice President to develop and implement integrated marketing and communications strategies aligned with organizational priorities.
  • Support development and execution of annual marketing, communications, brand, and engagement plans.
  • Ensure consistent organizational messaging across external and internal audiences.
  • Support executive communications, thought leadership initiatives, presentations, speeches, and key messaging.
  • Monitor emerging trends, issues, and opportunities that may impact organizational reputation and visibility.
• Media Relations & Public Affairs
  • Serve as the primary day-to-day media contact for LifeMoves.
  • Develop and execute proactive media relations strategies that increase awareness of LifeMoves' impact and expertise.
  • Manage media inquiries, interviews, press releases, media lists, and story development.
  • Identify opportunities to elevate organizational thought leadership and community visibility.
  • Support crisis communications, issues management, and reputational risk mitigation as needed.
• Content, Storytelling & Digital Engagement
  • Lead the creation of compelling content across digital, print, email, social media, donor, and organizational communications channels.
  • Identify and elevate client, staff, donor, volunteer, and community stories that demonstrate impact.
  • Oversee website content, digital communications, and content calendars.
  • Ensure all communications reflect LifeMoves' commitment to ethical, dignity-centered storytelling.
  • Maintain and strengthen brand consistency across all communications platforms.
• Fundraising Communications & Donor Engagement
  • Partner closely with Development leadership to support donor acquisition, stewardship, retention, and engagement strategies.
  • Develop fundraising appeals, stewardship communications, campaign messaging, donor stories, impact reports, and event communications.
  • Strengthen and maintain LifeMoves' case for support through compelling messaging and storytelling.
  • Support annual giving campaigns, fundraising events, match challenges, and other philanthropic initiatives.
  • Collaborate with Development and Data teams to leverage audience insights and improve donor communications performance.
• Internal Communications & Employee Engagement
  • Support organizational communications initiatives that keep employees informed, engaged, and aligned with organizational priorities.
  • Partner with Human Resources and Executive Leadership to develop and distribute internal communications and change-management messaging.
  • Help strengthen employee understanding of LifeMoves' mission, culture, and strategic priorities.
• Operations, Analytics & Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Serve as the operational leader of the Marketing & Communications function.
  • Develop and maintain workflows, project management systems, communications calendars, templates, and processes.
  • Manage agency, consultant, freelance, and vendor relationships.
  • Establish and monitor key performance indicators across communications, media relations, digital engagement, and donor communications.
  • Analyze performance data and prepare reports that inform decision-making and demonstrate impact.
  • Build strong relationships across Development, Programs, Operations, Human Resources, and Executive Leadership teams.
  • Provide coaching, guidance, and support to staff, contractors, and vendors as appropriate.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or related field.
• Experience: Eight or more years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, or a related field, with demonstrated success leading integrated communications initiatives from strategy through execution.

Qualifications

• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with experience creating compelling content for diverse audiences across print, digital, media, executive, and donor communications.
• Experience managing media relations, earned media opportunities, executive communications, and thought leadership initiatives.
• Experience developing donor-facing communications, fundraising campaigns, stewardship materials, annual giving, campaign marketing, or other revenue-generating communications initiatives.
• Experience overseeing digital communications, including websites, email marketing, social media, and the use of analytics and performance metrics to measure effectiveness and inform strategy.
• Strong project management, organizational, and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives, competing deadlines, and cross-functional stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with experience collaborating effectively across departments and managing agencies, consultants, and external vendors.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in lean, mission-driven organizations while balancing strategic planning with hands-on execution.
• Preferred:
  • Experience in nonprofit, social impact, housing, human services, healthcare, education, or other mission-driven organizations.
  • Knowledge of homelessness, housing, behavioral health, or related social issues.

Skills

• Strategic Thinking & Execution: Ability to translate organizational priorities into integrated marketing and communications strategies while driving day-to-day execution. Balances long-term vision with immediate operational needs and consistently delivers results.
• Exceptional Communication & Storytelling: Demonstrates outstanding written, verbal, and presentation skills. Able to develop compelling content and messaging for diverse audiences, including media, donors, community partners, board members, staff, and executive leadership.
• Builder Mentality: Enjoys creating structure, improving processes, and developing scalable systems. Identifies opportunities to strengthen workflows, enhance efficiency, and build organizational capacity in a growing and evolving environment.
• Project & Operational Management: Highly organized with exceptional attention to detail. Effectively manages multiple projects, deadlines, stakeholders, and competing priorities while maintaining quality and accountability in a fast-paced environment.
• Executive Partnership & Influence: Builds credibility and trust with senior leaders and stakeholders. Exercises sound judgment, provides thoughtful counsel, and effectively represents the Marketing & Communications function across the organization.
• Collaboration & Relationship Building: Develops strong working relationships across departments and with external partners. Works effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to achieve shared goals.

Schedule

Hybrid work environment with two in-office days per week. Wednesdays are mandatory in-office days. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

Additional Requirements

• This position is contingent upon satisfactory results of a background check.
• Valid California driver's license, reliable transportation, and proof of insurance.
• Ability to travel throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties as needed.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here represent those an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

• Regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with others in the workplace.
• Frequently uses hands or fingers and handle or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Frequently stands, walks, sits, and reaches with hands and arms.
• Occasionally lifts and/or moves up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Benefits

LifeMoves offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including health, retirement, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.