Communications Manager

Organization: The Midtown Association (MA) is a non-profit organization that is making Midtown the center for culture, creativity, and vibrancy in Sacramento’s urban core. We were recently selected by our team and the Sacramento Business Journal as one of the Best Places to Work in Sacramento.

Our Culture & Values

Our small but mighty team is fast-paced, creative, and mission-driven. We value:

• Integrity: High standards and personal accountability
• Responsiveness: Empathetic, thorough service to all stakeholders
• Growth: Personal, team, and organizational growth celebrated often
• Collaboration: Helping others succeed as part of a collective mission
• Resiliency & Resourcefulness: Adaptability in a changing environment
• Efficiency Through Technology: Tech-driven transparency and results

Our modern, open-concept office is surrounded by more than 20 restaurants, coffee shops, and cultural amenities. Our team enjoys a smart casual/business dress code.

Position Summary and Requirements: The primary role of the Communications Manager is to develop and execute approximately 30 strategic communications campaigns per year to increase awareness, visitation, investment, and stakeholder support across Midtown. The Communications Manager serves as a strategist, project manager, storyteller, and stakeholder liaison, ensuring that campaign messaging is segmented for various audiences and effectively distributed across owned, earned, and paid media. This position supervises contractors and manages an internal staff member in the Communications Coordinator role.

What is a Midtown Association Manager? Qualified Managers have successful supervisory experience of staff and consultants, can act as the staff lead in varied communication campaign strategies, provide support to committees of board members and expert community members, have experience with budget development and management, have knowledge of key performance indicators and marketing techniques, and can plan program performance to generate specific outcomes. Managers implement processes and projects for greater efficiency and service delivery in the organization and create key partnerships in the community to ensure the success of the organization.

Basic Employment Qualifications:

• 3+ years of full-time professional experience in communications, marketing, or public affairs
• Associate degree in communications, marketing, or related field
• Proven experience in campaign strategy, message segmentation, and content execution
• Excellent written communication and presentation skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Mailchimp, Canva, and social media platforms
• Ability to lift 40 lbs and pass background, driving, and drug screenings (cannabis permissible)

Ideal candidates will also possess:

• 6+ years demonstrated experience with public affairs, fundraising campaigns, digital communications, and marketing
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant area of study
• Skilled in digital communications techniques and software proficiency including Monday.com, SEO, Google Ads, WordPress, Adobe Creative Cloud applications, and others
• Ability to manage multiple projects with speed and precision
• Familiarity with, and curiosity for, emerging technologies including artificial intelligence tools to enhance communications strategy and workflow.

Work Environment/Hours: This is a full-time, exempt position at no less than 40 hours per week. The schedule is generally Monday through Friday, professional hours, with variations for meetings and special events such as Second Saturday. The work environment is located primarily inside and consists of completing tasks involving communications by using technology independently and collaborating digitally or in-person with others. Conditions can range to include working outside in all types of inclement weather but would be very unlikely unless an event activation was taking place in unexpected inclement weather. Must be able to work around varying degrees of noise and interruptions. Must be self-motivated, flexible, patient, and able to complete job assignments without direct supervision under sometimes dynamic conditions.

Benefits: Midtown Association has a very generous benefit package after the introductory period; 8 days of sick time, 12 days of vacation plus public holidays, 401k with 5% match, Flex-spend account, fully paid insurance (Medical, Life, Dental, Vision and Alternative Care Insurance) wellness program, sabbatical program, in office refreshments, work from anywhere hours, an assigned work from home day each week, and parking.

Salary: COE with an anticipated starting range of $70-85K per year. The average salary of similar non-profit positions in Sacramento is $78K/year.

Midtown Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Under the direction of the Director of Communications & Public Affairs, lead the development and execution of approximately 30 ongoing communications campaigns with the intent to increase visitors and investment in Midtown. Campaigns range from increasing support of the Midtown Farmers Market, Midtown Second Saturday, and Explore Midtown promotions to supporting public safety/harm reduction efforts for nighttime visitors. The Communications Manager is responsible for developing campaign strategies, establishing communications priorities, directing implementation, and evaluating results to ensure communications efforts advance organizational goals. Implementation is as follows:

• Campaign management : Lead the development and execution of approximately 30 annual communications campaigns, including writing campaign briefs, establishing goals, KPIs, target audiences, strategies, timelines, and channel plans. Lead campaign kickoffs and debriefs, oversee implementation and paid media, analyze results, and develop recommendations based on performance and audience insights.
• Key messaging and content : Develop strategic key messaging for all campaigns that address target audiences and advance campaign goals and organizational objectives. Establish messaging frameworks that guide campaign execution across social media, earned media, e-newsletters, websites, blogs, and other channels. Contribute campaign content, including copywriting, photography, videography, or other assets, while providing strategic direction to ensure content is consistent, purposeful and aligned with brand standards.
• Public relations : Serve as the primary internal communications lead for the external public relations consultant, providing strategic direction, internal coordination and timely content and information to support media opportunities. Identify potential media opportunities and communications needs, coordinate internal subject-matter experts and stakeholders, and help shape earned media strategies that advance organizational priorities.
• Stakeholder relations : Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders through small group presentations, one-on-one meetings and other communications opportunities. Present and share information about campaigns and programs in a clear, professional and compelling manner, serving as a communications resource and strategic advisor to stakeholders.
• Special events : D evelop and implement communications strategies that support attendance, engagement and other event goals. Provide strategic communications counsel and event support as needed.
• Brand standards : Contribute to the stewardship and continued development of the Explore Midtown, Midtown Love, Midtown Parks, Midtown Farmers Market and other sub-identity brands, ensuring that all items that are used internally and externally uphold these established brand values and standards.

• Management and Collaboration: Partner with other program managers to create content that tells the story of their programs to thread through communication channels. Prioritize communications efforts across competing organizational needs, timelines and resources. Provide daily direction, supervision, coaching and mentorship to contractors and junior Communications staff; delegate work appropriately and provide feedback to support professional growth and high-quality work.

• Other duties as assigned.