Director of Strategic Communications

Los Angeles, California

Inclusive Action for the City is a non-profit, community development financial institution (CDFI) whose mission is to serve underinvested communities and build thriving local economies by improving access to transformative capital, and advancing policy through collaborative research and community-driven advocacy. We envision diverse communities that have equitable and sustained access to resources, and exercise agency over their futures.

Position Overview

Inclusive Action is seeking a Strategic Communications Director to provide critical leadership in public communications. This includes working with external media, government, non-profit and community partners to increase the visibility of IAC’s work and leverage public opportunities to expand and deepen IAC’s impact. The Strategic Communications Director will work closely with the Deputy Director to lead media relations, including events and press conferences, staff speaking opportunities, and strategic communications for advocacy and access-to-capital efforts. The Strategic Communications Director will also manage and work with IAC’s Development and Content Manager and Communications Coordinator to tell IAC’s stories to those who shape and influence them. 

The Strategic Communications Director must be passionate about Inclusive Action’s work, especially the advocacy campaigns it participates in and leads, as well as the micro-finance and economic development projects it administers. The Director must have the ability to become fluent in the organization’s programming in order to successfully manage relationships, narratives, and public spaces for it to flourish. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, proactive, exceptionally organized, a problem solver, able to manage multiple projects and workstreams, and loves working with others to create a culture of care and excellence for our team and the communities we serve. This position will report to the Deputy Director and will sit on the Leadership Team (Executive Director, Deputy Director, Lending Director, Operations & Finance Director, Policy Director).


This team member will be responsible for:

Public Communications Oversight and Management

  • Refining and innovating on IAC’s public image from start-to-finish. This includes branding, storytelling, content creation, public presence, media engagement and thought leadership.

  • Developing and managing an org-wide strategic communications strategy and plan, including goals, target audiences, channels, and key messages. 

  • Leading editing for IAC and ensuring org voice and brand are aligned. This includes editing public materials like blogs, newsletters, website copy, articles, grants, research reports, and presentations. 

  • Leading in coalition spaces to manage communications for advocacy and campaigns. 

  • Working closely with the Policy team to develop and execute communications strategies that amplify advocacy efforts and center IAC client perspectives, including creating and executing a strategy to help prepare and support IAC clients to serve as spokesperson in policy campaigns.

  • Developing processes to protect the safety and integrity of community members whose stories will be shared.

  • Working closely with Access to Capital and Community Innovation teams to tell our story as a CDFI, design promotional materials for our lending services, create content about our clients and their experiences, storytell about our loan underwriting and business coaching practices. This includes oversight and guidance to design fliers, social media, and presentations. 

  • Monitoring events; internal and external, to develop talking points and train and empower staff to be representatives of IAC.

  • Managing IAC’s website and facilitating the production of updated copy and visual design. 

  • Overseeing the production and content development of IAC’s podcast.

Internal Systems Creation

  • Creating messaging toolkits for IAC’s programs and campaigns that caters to a wide audience.

  • Crafting messaging templates/toolkits that help IAC supporters easily become spokespeople on core issues; including physical collateral. 

  • Analyzing and reporting on the impact of IAC’s public communications by collecting key metrics (e.g. press hits, audience reach, click rates).

  • Creating curriculum and/or coordinating with external partners to deliver high quality training and workshops for IAC staff to build communications skills and enhance organizational capacity to shift narratives in support of IAC’s mission.

  • Overseeing and bettering systems for IAC’s internal collateral.

Media Engagement

  • Developing and managing dynamic relationships with key editorial boards, journalists, and media influencers, including Spanish-speaking media.

  • Creating strategic partnerships with online platforms and businesses to increase IAC’s visibility.

  • Maintaining and growing IAC’s press distribution list in local, state and national media outlets.

  • Drafting and distributing press releases, statements, and pitching letters to the editor, op-eds, and other stories.

  • Working with IAC’s Leadership Team to identify speaking, legislative, and advocacy opportunities that further IAC’s mission.

  • Leading the development of media talking points and messaging for staff.

Leadership

  • Participating in the Leadership Team with the Executive Director, Deputy Director, Lending Director, Policy Director, and Operations & Finance Director to set organizational goals and assist with guiding organizational sustainability and growth in impact.

  • Providing internal staff updates on communications work, including working with the Operations & Finance Director and Deputy Director to consistently evaluate performance and make program adjustments as needed.

  • Foster a collaborative environment during Leadership Team meetings. 

Team Management

  • Supervising, coaching, and mentoring staff and consultants within the organization’s communications & development division. This includes: guiding annual work plans based on the organizational strategic plan;  advising on policy projects and ensuring goals are met; and supporting the well-being and growth of team members, including understanding communication styles and identifying resource needs.

  • Guiding quality and impact of the communications & development team. This includes technical quality assurance through reviews and guidance, coaching on strategy and tactics, and support in creating and moving forward goals and priorities.

Ideal candidates will have the following qualifications:

  • 10+ years of relevant experience;

  • Minimum 3 years experience managing a team of full-time staff;

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish;

  • Sense of independence and ability to make strategic decisions, even with limited information;

  • Willingness to work in fast-paced environments that may require transitioning quickly between tasks;

  • Strong public relations skills;

  • Competency with all Google suite, Adobe Creative Suite, major social media platforms including Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok;

  • Ability to communicate complex ideas in concise, accessible language;

  • Detail-oriented and highly organized, able to create orderly and efficient processes;

  • Empathetic and oriented towards details that support our team, partners, and community members with care and excellence;

  • Interest in economic development, social enterprise development, community-based finance and/or popular education;

  • Experience developing communications strategies for policy campaigns and economic development projects;

  • Ability to work in hyper-collaborative settings;

  • Belief in our values and philosophy: curiosity, empathy, courage, perseverance, impact, and excellence;

  • Valid driver’s license with reliable transportation, and ability to travel throughout the Los Angeles area; and

  • Strong commitment to Inclusive Action’s mission of eliminating economic inequality, reducing the racial wealth gap, and turning community agency into power.


Compensation

Inclusive Action for the City offers a competitive salary and benefits package. The salary range for this position is $114,000-145,000 dependent on experience, with an expected starting salary of $140,000, along with 100% paid medical (HMO or PPO), dental, and vision benefits, a 401k retirement plan with 3% matching, 18 paid holidays (which includes a week between Christmas and New Year’s Day), sick leave, and up to two weeks of paid vacation a year with an opportunity to accrue more after serving two years with the organization.

To Apply
Please send a cover letter, resume, two writing samples/portfolio, and three references to work@inclusiveaction.org. Inclusive Action will inform you before they reach out to references. Please make the subject of your email “YOUR NAME – Strategic Communications Director”. For more information on our organization, please visit www.inclusiveaction.org.

Hybrid Work Schedule
Currently the Inclusive Action team is working in person at the office 40% of the time and remotely 60% of the time. The physical office is located in Boyle Heights and is available for necessary in-person appointments as well as its work space. All applicants are expected to live in Los Angeles County.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Inclusive Action for the City does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination under Federal law. For more information, please see EEO is the Law. Inclusive Action for the City hires and promotes individuals solely based on their qualifications for the job to be filled.



Julie Jung