Communications Director

Communications Director

Since 1988, Housing California (Housing CA) has worked to create a California with homes, health, and prosperity for all in thriving, sustainable communities. We bring together a diverse, cross-sector network to prevent and end homelessness, increase the supply of safe, stable, affordable homes, and reverse the legacy of systemic racial and economic inequities by building power among the people most impacted by housing injustice in partnership with cross-sector partners, shaping the narrative, and advocating for the passage of transformative statewide policy solutions.

This is a senior leadership role. The Director manages a small communications team and consultants, and integrates communications work across legislative and regulatory affairs, power building, and organizational strategy. Externally, they lead media relations, rapid response, and public narrative strategy in service of Housing CA's "big tent" approach, building a shared voice across a broad and diverse constituency and centering the people most affected by housing instability and homelessness.

The position is based in Sacramento (hybrid), with regular statewide travel and occasional early-morning, evening, and weekend commitments. The right candidate is energized by the pace of a live legislative and campaign calendar, including a current statewide affordable housing bond campaign and brings the seniority and judgment to lead the function independently.

Areas Of Leadership And Expertise

Strategic Communications Execution & Media Advocacy

• 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.
• Owns Housing CA's strategic communications plan and style guide, maintaining a consistent, values-forward voice across every channel and audience.
• Guides the writing, editing, and production of publications, campaigns, and communications materials to a high editorial standard.
• Partners with the power-building team to elevate resident voice and develop spokespeople, keeping policy work grounded in lived experience.
• Serves as Housing CA's internal thought partner on narrative, building staff capacity to apply narrative strategy across programs and campaigns.

Organizational & Systems Thinking

• Aligns communications strategy with organizational planning, budgeting, and impact tracking.
• Collaborates with the legislative/regulatory affairs and power-building teams so communications reinforces policy and organizing strategy.
• Operates with a high degree of autonomy and sound judgment as a senior organizational leader.
• Brings fresh thinking to a fast-changing coalition and legislative environment, adapting priorities as opportunities shift.

Team Leadership & Development

• Manages direct reports, coaching for growth in craft, judgment, and career development.
• Builds a collaborative, low-ego team culture that supports growth at every level.
• Contributes to organizational leadership: shaping culture, advancing equity commitments, and participating in strategic planning.
• Proposes and monitors the communications budget and supports fundraising for the program.

Our ideal candidates may have experience that doesn't directly match the qualifications above, and we encourage people with equivalent experience to apply.

Compensation, Benefits, And Location

This is a full-time, exempt position that reports to the Deputy Director of Programs. The Director will provide leadership for a communications manager. The salary range $120,000 - $150,000 depending on experience.

Benefits package includes 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; training and professional development opportunities; and a hybrid work environment.

This position is based in our office in Sacramento and requires a significant in person presence in and around our office and the state capitol in downtown Sacramento. The position will have the opportunity to work remotely from their home if their presence is not needed in the office or around the capitol.

The position is expected to participate in regular travel (mostly in California) including the following engagements: twice yearly Board of Directors meetings (sometimes held in Sacramento); annual 2-3 day staff retreat; annual 3-day Housing California conference (often in Sacramento); annual 2-3-day statewide RUN summit (sometimes in Sacramento); plus various conferences or in-person partner meetings, based on need and interest.

Housing California is committed to creating a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace that fosters a culture of belonging, ongoing learning and collaboration, and supports, stabilizes, and incentivizes people to join the Housing California team and stay for the long game.

We value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we address. We especially encourage Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and people of color; people from families that have immigrated to the U.S.; people who have been unhoused or experienced housing instability; women; LGBTQIA+ people; system-impacted people; and people with disabilities to apply for these positions.

We aim for our work to be both effective and sustainable; we balance required travel during some parts of the year and the fast-paced legislative calendar with a commitment to our team's mental and physical health.

Please submit your resume and responses to the application questions via the BambooHr portal.

If you have questions regarding your qualifications for this position, compensation/benefits, our process or internal timeline for hiring, or suggestions for how to improve this announcement or the opportunity itself, please email Jenny Welch.