Communications Director

McKinley Children's Center; San Dimas (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

403(b) retirement plan with company 3%

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Employee Assistance Program

Tuition Reimbursement

Training Opportunities

Job summary

McKinley Children's Center in Southern California seeks a Communications Director to design, direct, and execute the organization’s communications, media relations, and public relations framework. Lead as chief storyteller, securing high-impact media placements and safeguarding brand integrity.

The role partners with senior leadership to elevate McKinley’s public profile, positioning it as a premier thought leader while guiding messaging across regional and national touchpoints.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Journalism, Communications, or a closely related field required; Master's degree preferred.
• 6–8+ years of progressive professional experience in public relations, journalism, or media management, with leadership in a nonprofit setting.
• Strong writing portfolio across op-eds, press releases, donor stories, and thought leadership with excellent editing.
• Extensive relationships with local and national media outlets and journalism networks.
• Proven track record of PR campaigns, earned media, and crisis communications.
• Commitment to trauma-informed storytelling and community-centered narratives.
• Experience leading communications or creative teams; coaching and development.
• Proficiency in Google Suite and project management tools (e.g., Monday.com).
• Strategic CMS, email marketing, and social media analytics expertise; familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite or Canva.
• Ability to drive special events; physical ability for filing/packing tasks; background checks required.

Responsibilities

• Architect and lead comprehensive PR and media relations strategies to promote McKinley’s mission and programs.
• Cultivate relationships with reporters, editors, and national outlets to secure ongoing coverage.
• Serve as primary media contact; write and pitch press releases; coordinate press conferences; manage crisis communications.
• Oversee content quality and brand consistency as chief writer/editor for executive communications.
• Ensure external communications meet tone, grammar, and community-centered storytelling standards.
• Develop and enforce brand guidelines across internal and external channels.
• Oversee digital footprint and data-driven campaigns; optimize donations and event promotion.
• Lead multi-year communications roadmap in alignment with organizational strategy.
• Manage department budget and collaborate with leadership on messaging and public affairs.
• Support major fundraising events with PR and stakeholder engagement.

Skills

Leadership

Media relations

Crisis communications

Copywriting

Content management

CMS

Email marketing

Social media analytics

Budget management

Team coaching

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Journalism, Communications

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Google Suite

Monday.com

CMS

Email marketing software

Adobe Photoshop

Illustrator

Premiere Pro

Canva

Job description

Career Opportunities with McKinley Children's Center

A great place to work.

Careers At McKinley Children's Center

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McKinley:

Youth, Family, and Community are what we are all about! We offer a great working environment and benefits package! McKinley encourages growth so that you can Be your Best H.U.M.A.N.

At McKinley employees share a set of guiding principles: We embrace a culture that is Hopeful, Understanding, Moral, Awesome, Nurturing. - H.U.M.A.N.

The Company:

McKinley is a highly respected welfare organization with a comprehensive array of programs and services – which touch nearly 1,800 lives annually – including short term residential treatment program (STRTP), Foster Care, Adoptions, Mental Health Services, and Special Education. McKinley has 5 locations throughout southern California with our main campus located in San Dimas. We embrace a culture that is H.U.M.A.N.- Hopeful, Understanding, Moral, Awesome, Nurturing. McKinley has created a Hopeful environment, in which we choose optimism in finding the motivation to achieve our greatest dreams. We are a team dedicated to Understanding individual needs and do so by listening and embracing each individual's stories. We strongly embrace our agency’s Morals by treating everyone with kindness and respect. At McKinley, we acknowledge our team member’s and clients’ Awesome qualities by celebrating what makes each individual unique. We are dedicated to Nurturing a Trauma-Informed Integrated Care approach that has created a unique culture within the organization. We celebrate diversity by our commitment to cultivating an inclusive and affirming environment for all.

The Position:

The Communications Director is a high-level strategic leader responsible for designing, directing, and executing McKinley’s overarching communications, media relations, and public relations framework. This role, serving as the organization's chief storyteller and primary editor, elevates McKinley’s public profile by securing impactful media placements, producing elite-tier written content, and protecting brand integrity across all regional and national touchpoints. The Director will leverage deep, established journalism networks to position McKinley as a premier thought leader in the sector and collaborate closely with senior leadership, the Board of Directors, and community partners.

Compensation and Benefits:

The pay range we’re offering is $80,000 - $95,000 annually depending (Based) on experience.

Our people are the heart of our organization, which is why we offer robust benefits to support your health and wellness as well as your personal and financial well-being.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Paid Time Off
• Sick Time
• Paid Holidays
• 403(b) retirement plan with company match up to 3%
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Credit Union Membership
• Training Opportunities to Further Personal and Professional Growth

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Journalism, Communications, or a closely related field required; Master's degree preferred.
• 6–8+ years of progressive professional experience in public relations, journalism, or media management, with a proven track record of leadership within a mission-driven nonprofit environment.
• Exceptional, versatile writing portfolio across multiple genres (op-eds, thought leadership, press releases, investigative narratives, and donor impact stories) with impeccable editing and proofreading skills.
• Deep, active, and verifiable relationships with local news outlets, Southern California regional media, and major national journalism networks.
• Proven history of successfully building and executing aggressive PR campaigns, securing high-impact earned media placements, and handling sensitive crisis communications.
• Deep familiarity with community-centered narrative practices, ensuring storytelling preserves the dignity, privacy, and agency of the populations served.
• Experience managing, coaching, and elevating high-performing communications, marketing, or creative teams.
• Proficient in Google Suite and project management platforms (e.g., Monday.com).
• Strategic mastery of Content Management Systems (CMS), email marketing software, and advanced social media analytics tools.
• Working familiarity with creative software suites (Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro) or Canva to direct creative asset workflows.
• Assume responsibility for assigned aspects of special events.
• Must pass pre-employment physical exam, TB, and drug screening
• Ability to lift at least 15 pounds for filing, boxes, and packages
• Ability to sit for several hours performing clerical functions
• DOJ, FBI, Child Abuse Index
• Insurability under Corporate Automobile Insurance

Key Responsibilities:

• PR & Media Relations
  • Architect and champion of comprehensive, public relations, and earned-media strategies to promote McKinley’s mission, programs, and community achievements.
  • Cultivate, maintain, and activate robust relationships with local reporters, regional editors, and major national news outlets to secure ongoing coverage.
  • Act as the primary media contact and official spokesperson for the organization. Write and pitch compelling press releases, orchestrate press conferences, and pitch targeted stories to key journalists.
  • Design, maintain, and execute McKinley’s crisis communication protocols to protect the organization’s reputation during sensitive developments.
• Copywriting, Editing, & Content Oversight
  • Serve as the chief writer and principal editor for all major external and high-level communications, including executive speeches, op‑ed pieces, annual reports, key donor appeals, and high‑stakes organizational statements.
  • Ensure all external communications align with a standard for grammar, tone, and strategic positioning, while strictly embedding community-centered, trauma‑informed storytelling principles.
  • Establish and maintain organizational brand and message guidelines, reviewing and approving critical communication assets to guarantee impeccable quality control across all internal and external channels.
• Digital Footprint, Event Marketing, & Data-Driven Insights
  • Oversee the evolution of McKinley’s online ecosystem, ensuring the website, social platforms, and digital campaigns achieve high engagement and convert public interest into donor action.
  • Design and oversee targeted multi‑channel digital marketing campaigns specifically engineered to boost registration numbers, ticket sales, and peer‑to‑peer fundraising metrics for major organizational events.
  • Analytical Auditing: Establish rigorous metrics to track communications campaigns, media placements, and PR value, and interpret data to adjust strategies in real time.
• Leadership & Strategic Campaign Support
  • Design and implement a multi‑year, integrated communications and marketing roadmap that aligns perfectly with McKinley’s overarching strategic vision and development initiatives.
  • Partner closely with the SVP of Development & Communications, CEO, and Department Directors to advise on public messaging, brand positioning, and public affairs alignment.
  • Architect and lead the comprehensive PR and media outreach campaigns for McKinley's premier fundraising and community milestones, including the Miles that Matter 5k, the annual Golf Tournament, and our Fall Fundraiser.
  • Leverage established journalism and media networks to pitch, negotiate, and secure local and regional media sponsorships (TV, radio, print, and digital) to maximize event visibility, drive registrations, and elevate corporate partner profiles.
• Fiscal & Resource Management
  • Formulate and manage the annual communications department budget, maximizing strategic ROI and identifying cost‑effective vendors, tech stacks, and PR partnerships.
  • Execute other related executive duties as assigned.

Why Should You Apply?

• Our Mission- work for an organization that makes a real difference in people’s lives
• Competitive pay
• Several benefit options
• Employee tuition reimbursement
• Great training for staff

Join McKinley to Be Your Best H.U.M.A.N.