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.
• Narrative & Communications Strategy Leadership:
• Develops and executes Housing CA's narrative change strategy, applying tested frameworks and research to shift the stories, values, and perceptions that shape public understanding.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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.

Benefits

• 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