Director Marketing Communications

Whatcom Community Foundation; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 105,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package (medical, vision, and

Dental, retirement options

Job summary

The Whatcom Community Foundation seeks a Director of Communications & Marketing to shape and advance its communication, brand, and fundraising efforts. Reporting to the President & CEO, this leader will translate complex community issues into compelling stories and serve as a key advisor across the organization.

This role partners with external designers and writers, drives audience engagement across channels, and helps build a trusted, equitable community voice throughout Whatcom County.

Qualifications

• Minimum seven years in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, or related field.
• Proven success developing and implementing strategic communications plans.
• Exceptional writing, editing, messaging, and storytelling across formats and audiences.
• Strong project management: prioritize, coordinate contributors, execute complex work.
• Knowledge of digital communications, email marketing, websites, social media, analytics.
• Experience advising senior leaders and cross-functional collaboration.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and community-centered communications.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead organization-wide communications and marketing strategy aligned with mission, priorities, fundraising, and equity commitments.
• Steward brand, voice, messaging, and reputation across audiences and channels; advise leadership.
• Translate complex community issues into clear stories, messages, and materials to inspire philanthropy.
• Guide media relations, earned visibility, and crisis or rapid-response communications.
• Oversee digital presence (website, social, email) using analytics to strengthen reach.
• Strengthen internal communications and equip staff and board with clear messages and training.

Skills

Strategic communications

Writing & storytelling

Project management

Digital communications & analytics

Executive advising

Job description

JOB SUMARY

The Director of Communications & Marketing is a strategic leader responsible for shaping and advancing Whatcom Community Foundation’s (WCF) communications, brand, and marketing efforts.Reporting to the President & CEO, the Director develops clear, audience-centered strategies that strengthen donor engagement, fundraising, community leadership, organizational visibility and trust. The role combines big-picture direction with hands-on execution and serves as a key advisor and connector across the organization.

Why This Role Matters

WCF is entering a transformative period marked by major community investments, growing donor engagement, and the continued development of the Millworks and other community leadership initiatives. As WCF’s first full-time communications AND MARKETING?? director, this position offers a distinctive opportunity to shape how philanthropy, community leadership, and collective impact are understood and experienced across Whatcom County, while building the systems and partnerships needed for a strong, sustainable communications function.

Will work with the support of various external partners who will provide graphic design, writing and content development and website design and development.

Key Responsibilities

1. Communications Strategy, Brand & Storytelling

• Develop and lead an organization-wide communications and marketing strategy aligned with WCF’s mission, values, strategic priorities, fundraising goals, racial equity commitments, and community leadership work.
• Steward WCF’s brand, voice, messaging, and reputation across audiences and channels; advise the President & CEO and other leaders on high-impact communications, emerging opportunities, and communications risks.
• Translate complex community issues, data, partnerships, and investments into clear and compelling stories, messages, presentations, and materials that connect mission, evidence, and lived community experience and inspire philanthropy.
• Guide media relations and earned visibility, including relationships with local and regional media, public announcements, thought leadership opportunities, and crisis or rapid-response communications when needed.

2. Audience Engagement & Digital Marketing

• Lead integrated engagement strategies and campaigns for donors, fundholders, nonprofit partners, community members, civic leaders, and other priority audiences across digital, print, email, events, and emerging channels.
• Oversee WCF’s website, social media, email marketing, and public-facing content, using audience insights and analytics to strengthen reach, relevance, and marketing strategies.

3. Cross-Team Engagement & Internal Communications

• Partner across WCF philanthropy, grants and community engagement, finance, operations, and special initiatives to clarify communications goals, prioritize needs, and coordinate work around organizational priorities.
• Support WCF donor cultivation and stewardship, fundraising campaigns, grantmaking and community initiatives, board and executive communications, and other high-priority organizational work.
• Strengthen internal communications and communications capacity by equipping staff, board members, and ambassadors with clear messages, tools, coaching, and training.

4. Communications Operations & External Partners

• Build practical communications calendars, workflows, project-intake and prioritization practices, measurement dashboards, and reporting systems appropriate for a small, high-performing organization.
• Assess team capacity and determine which communications priorities should be handled internally, supported by external partners, deferred, or phased to ensure realistic workloads and effective execution.
• Manage communications budgets and external partners, which may include writers, designers, agencies, photographers, videographers, freelancers, and other specialized consultants.

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing strategic communications plans for an organization, initiative, campaign, or major project.
• Exceptional writing, editing, messaging, and storytelling skills across formats and audiences.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to set priorities, coordinate contributors, and move complex work from strategy through execution.
• Working knowledge of digital communications, email marketing, websites, social media, audience engagement, and analytics.
• Experience advising senior leaders, collaborating across functions, and influencing organizational decision-making.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and community-centered communications.

Preferred

• Experience in philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, community development, public affairs, or another mission-driven setting.
• Experience supporting fundraising, donor engagement, capital campaigns, or major community initiatives.
• Experience working with boards of directors and executive leaders.
• Experience directing or partnering effectively with graphic design, multimedia, photography, video, or other creative specialists.
• Familiarity with Whatcom County and regional issues affecting communities.

The Ideal Candidate

• Someone who is excited to build this role from the ground up – both the thinking and doing.
• A strategic thinker who sees communications as a tool for community awareness, understanding, connection and impact, trust-building, and organizational effectiveness.
• A collaborative partner and organizational connector who builds trust across teams and stakeholder groups.
• A strong project leader who can move thoughtfully between long-term strategy and hands-on execution.
• A clear, audience-centered storyteller who can connect mission, data, community experience, and action.
• A curious learner who can understand complex issues and make them accessible without oversimplifying them.

About Whatcom Community Foundation

Whatcom Community Foundation (WCF) is dedicated to amplifying philanthropy, advancing equity, and fostering a thriving Whatcom County where everyone belongs. Through charitable funds, donor partnerships, grantmaking, leadership initiatives, and community investments, WCF works alongside residents, nonprofits, businesses, and public partners to address community challenges and create opportunities for lasting impact.

WCF is in an exciting period of growth. This role will help shape and elevate the organization’s voice, strengthen relationships with donors and community partners, and communicate about the people, places, partnerships, investments, and potential for transforming the communities of Whatcom County.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to allow differently abled individuals to perform the essential functions. While performing the responsibilities of this job, the employee is frequently expected to move throughout the Foundation offices, move tables and chairs to set up for meetings, and use/operate office-related equipment, sit and/or drive for long periods of time.

Salary and Benefits

The starting salary range for this position is $105,000-115,000 annually. The annual compensation for this full-time, exempt position includes a package of benefits for medical, vision, dental; paid time off: 20 vacation days, 11 holidays, and sick leave; and retirement benefits. Employees are eligible to make contributions to the 401(k) plan after completing 3 months of employment. Employees can contribute a percentage or fixed dollar amount of their salary on a pre-tax or post-tax basis, up to the annual IRS limits. After six months of employment WCF will contribute an amount equal to 10% of employee’s gross monthly income to employee’s 401(k) account. This employer contribution is made regardless of employee contribution to the plan and is fully vested after 1 year of full-time employment. Full-time hours may include some evening and weekend work. Hybrid work may be possible after six months of employment.Potential of 1 non-office day a week, based on the needs of the organization.