Marketing & Communications Manager

Are you a storyteller and strategist who wants your marketing skills to save lives?

Who We're Looking For


We're looking for a communicator who sees a story everywhere - in a senior dog finally going home, the veterinary outreach team helping a family stay together, a volunteer who shows up every Tuesday - and knows how to turn that story into action: a donation, an adoption, a share, a lifelong supporter.


You're a planner who doesn't panic when the plan changes. You can build a quarterly campaign calendar and still drop everything (gracefully) when an emergency intake media release needs to go public by noon. You're curious about what the data says, calm under pressure, and happiest when you're building something rather than just maintaining what already exists.


And you're just as comfortable in front of people as behind a keyboard. Whether it's an interview, a presentation to a service club, a donor at an event, or a family who just adopted their new best friend, you speak warmly, clearly, and credibly on behalf of the mission.


Purpose of Position


The Marketing & Communications Manager leads HSCO's marketing and communications work so that Central Oregon understands the need, feels connected to the animals and people we serve, and is inspired to act. You'll translate organization priorities into communications plans, find our most compelling stories, and deliver clear, consistent, mission-driven messaging across digital, print, media, fundraising, and community channels.


Success in this role strengthens HSCO's visibility, deepens audience engagement, supports donor retention and acquisition, and builds trust across Central Oregon.


Essential Duties and Responsibilities


Communications Strategy and Planning

• Develop and implement integrated communications plans that support fundraising campaigns, events, adoptions, programs, advocacy, community engagement, and organizational priorities.

• Partner with the Director of Philanthropy & Communications to align messaging with fundraising strategy, donor journeys, revenue goals, and stewardship needs.

• Build simple systems for content intake, prioritization, approvals, and reporting so the team moves quickly without chaos.

• Maintain message clarity, brand consistency, and audience focus across all external communications.

Content Development and Storytelling

• Lead the development of content for email, website, social media, print, signage, media, presentations, and campaigns.

• Identify, gather, and elevate impact stories that highlight animal care, adoptions, veterinary outreach, foster, volunteerism, emergency response, and the human-animal bond.

• Write and edit clear, compelling copy that motivates action while honoring the dignity of animals, clients, donors, volunteers, and staff.

• Maintain a content calendar balancing planned campaigns with timely shelter needs, reflecting HSCO's socially conscious sheltering approach.

Digital and Marketing Oversight

• Own HSCO's website content strategy, email marketing, and social media strategy - hands-on at first, then in partnership with the Digital Media Specialist you hire.

• Use analytics, testing, segmentation, and audience insight to improve engagement and conversion.

• In partnership with Director of Philanthropy & Communications and Development Coordinator, strengthen digital fundraising through effective landing pages, email journeys, donation forms, and campaign messaging.

Team Leadership

• Help scope, hire, and onboard a Digital Media Specialist.

• Clarify roles, priorities, deadlines, and ownership of communications deliverables.

• Foster a collaborative, responsive, solutions-oriented team environment.

• Turn competing cross-department requests into clear priorities and share information proactively.

• Model good judgment, calm problem-solving, curiosity, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Fundraising and Campaign Support

• Collaborate with the Philanthropy team members to plan and execute donor communications, digital fundraising, direct mail support, event promotion, sponsorship recognition, and stewardship messaging.

• Develop campaign messaging that connects urgent needs with donor impact and clear next steps.

• Create reports, stories, and updates that show donors the difference their gifts make.

• Coordinate communications for major events, including timelines, collateral, email, web, social, signage, scripts, and post-event follow-up.

Media, Public Speaking, and Community Relations

• Serve as a spokesperson for HSCO (one of a team): give on-camera and radio interviews, and speak confidently and compassionately with reporters, donors, partners, and community members.

• Represent HSCO in person at community events, presentations, service clubs, shelter tours, and tabling opportunities, and prepare other staff to do the same with talking points and coaching.

• Manage local media relationships; draft press releases, pitches, talking points, public statements, and crisis communications as needed.

• Coordinate with leadership so public messaging is accurate, timely, compassionate, and aligned.

The Qualities That Make Someone Great in This Role

• You translate goals into messages, campaigns, and content plans and then actually ship them.

• You juggle multiple channels and deadlines with strong attention to detail and follow-through.

• You build trust across departments with people whose priorities and work styles differ from yours.

• You give clear expectations and honest, kind feedback, and you enjoy helping others grow.

• You let performance data change your mind about what's working.

• You can work independently but still keep the team in the loop. You reach out early when something's stuck, rather than going quiet.

Required Skills and Abilities


You'll bring:

• Four to six years of professional experience in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, content strategy, or related work.

• Strong writing, editing, and project management skills across email, web, social media, print, and media relations.

• Strong verbal communication and public speaking skills: you're comfortable being interviewed, presenting to groups, and representing an organization in public settings.

• Working proficiency with digital marketing tools: email platforms, website content management systems, social media platforms, analytics, and basic design/content tools.

• A bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent professional experience.

• A valid driver's license and ability to travel locally as needed.
• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, responsiveness, and follow-through.

Bonus points:

• You've written fundraising copy that worked.

• You're handy with a camera (photography, video, or short-form editing) and can produce strong content without a production team.

• You've done live or on-camera interviews, or handled communications during a sensitive or fast-moving situation.

• You know the Central Oregon media and community landscape.

• Familiarity with donor CRMs, GA4, A/B testing, or paid social.

This Role Probably Isn't for You If...

• You want a quiet, predictable desk job. Our office comes with fur, barking, and the occasional loose cat.

• You'd prefer to stay behind the keyboard exclusively. Interacting with community members, colleagues, and animals is a core part of this role, not an occasional extra.

• Raising support on behalf of a mission makes you deeply uncomfortable. Fundraising communication is at the heart of this job.

• When priorities shift suddenly, you tend to withdraw rather than speak up and re-sort the list.