Communications Manager

At Parks California, our vision is for vibrant, healthy parks that welcome, engage and inspire. As the official statutory, nonprofit partner to California State Parks, working statewide, we’re uniquely positioned to innovate and work with communities and experts to bring resources together — ensuring that everyone can experience healthy and thriving parks for generations to come. As a team, each of us at Parks California strives to: Be a valued and trusted partner organization. Serve as catalysts for the future of parks. Cultivate a culture of philanthropy. Model emotional and cultural intelligence in our work every day. Embody the values of diversity, equity and inclusion. Parks California was created to be a new model of public, private and nonprofit partnership. We currently operate more than 30 projects, which are funded by government , public-private partnership agreements and the generous support of private donations. We’re a proud partner of 1% for the Planet, a global network of thousands of businesses and environmental organizations working together to support people and the planet. Want to learn more? Check out our website . OUR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION COMMITMENT One of Parks California’s primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that employees have a sense of belonging and feel that their unique contributions are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our mission by hiring and engaging diverse staff that reflects the communities in which we work. Recognizing that people develop talent and skills outside traditional job scopes, we take a holistic approach to recruitment that considers life experience in addition to the professional requirements listed in our postings. ABOUT THE ROLE We are seeking a strategic, creative and detail-oriented communications professional to help elevate and expand the reach of our work. As the Communications Manager, you’ll be part of a nimble, mission-driven team committed to making California’s parks more welcoming, inclusive and resilient. This role focuses on telling the story of our programs — from statewide grantmaking to community partnerships — and growing engagement across key audiences, including partners, grantees, donors and the general public . You won’t do this alone. You’ll work closely with our Senior Director of Communications, teammates across the organization and talented external partners including designers, videographers and strategists. Together, we’ll make sure the right stories reach the right people — at the right time. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Serve as the communications liaison for our programs team, managing strategy and engagement aligned with grant cycles, project launches, program evaluations and community storytelling. Draft, edit and post engaging, mission-aligned content, including social posts, email campaigns, blogs and digital storytelling assets. Collaborate with staff and partners to gather and shape compelling stories from the field. Manage the editorial calendar, tracking deadlines and facilitating internal reviews. Partner with design and content vendors to ensure consistent brand execution, project alignment and timely deliverables for key programs. Monitor communications performance and help translate data into insights that shape our future content strategy. Manage or coordinate with vendors web page updates, email/list builds and social media campaigns for key programs/projects. WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR 5+ years of experience in communications, marketing or public relations — ideally within a nonprofit, education, government or mission-driven setting. Excellent writing and editing skills, with a strong sense of voice, clarity and narrative. A knack for translating technical or complex information into messages that connect with general audiences. Skilled using digital tools like SharePoint, Mailchimp, WordPress, Canva, Monday.com, Buffer/Hootsuite and Google Drive. Highly organized and proactive — you can manage multiple projects and competing deadlines with ease. Strong collaborator who thrives in cross-functional environments and brings creativity to problem-solving. Deep interest in equity and the power of storytelling to build community and create change. Bonus: Familiarity with AP Style, plain language principles and basic metrics for digital engagement. REPORTING RELATIONSHIP This role reports to the Senior Director, Communications and will work cross-functionally with Programs, Development and Operations/Finance teams, with our colleagues at California State Parks and our external creative agencies to achieve goals and desired outcomes. OFFICE LOCATION We are a remote-first organization, which allows us to work from anywhere in California virtually, including in some of the most beautiful natural spaces across the state. The person who fills this role must reside in California. Relocation assistance is not available for this position. TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS The successful candidate must be able to travel within California approximately 15% of the year. Approved expenses will be covered. COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS Full-time annual salaried position of $80,000 – $90,000, DOE. 401K plan with employer match up to 5% and no waiting period $150 per month reimbursement for home Internet and mobile phone service 20 days paid vacation, increasing to 23 days after 2 years 80 hours sick time 13 paid holidays medical, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, group and voluntary life insurance, EAP Please submit your resume and cover letter by Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, 11:59 pm. START DATE Anticipated start date is early October. #J-18808-Ljbffr