Director of Marketing and Communications - Berkeley

ABOUT THE JCC EAST BAY · The JCC East Bay values hachnasat orchim (providing a welcoming home) for people of all ages and life stages. Inspired by Jewish values, culture, and tradition, we build relationships, foster learning, and offer accessible pathways to Jewish life through ...

Job description

ABOUT THE JCC EAST BAY

The JCC East Bay values hachnasat orchim (providing a welcoming home) for people of all ages and life stages. Inspired by Jewish values, culture, and tradition, we build relationships, foster learning, and offer accessible pathways to Jewish life through programs for children, teens, families, adults, and older adults. After decades of operating our suite of programs in North Berkeley, we will be opening a new home for East Bay Jewish life in the summer of 2026 in Oakland. Our new campus will offer programs and activities to spark creativity, nurture identity, and weave together diverse generations, cultures, and organizations—including voices from across global Jewry—into a living tapestry of culture, learning, and kehilla (community) connections. Our future flagship campus in the Rockridge neighborhood will house our administrative offices and our award-winning preschool opening in the fall of 2026, and we will retain afterschool programs in Berkeley and in several Oakland public schools.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Marketing and Communications will report to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and will be a strategic leader responsible for shaping and executing the JCC East Bay's brand, messaging, and outreach across all programs and platforms. This role ensures the JCC's mission, programs, and values are communicated effectively to diverse audiences including program participants, donors, members, partners, and the broader community. The Director will position the JCC East Bay as a vibrant hub for Jewish life, culture, and community engagement, with particular focus on launching and promoting the new JCC East Bay Campus and Event Center. This role requires both strategic vision and hands-on execution. The Director will supervise a Marketing Manager and work closely with program directors across all departments to drive enrollment, event attendance, and community engagement. The ideal candidate is a strategic problem solver who thrives in a lean, resourceful environment and can build marketing infrastructure from the ground up while delivering immediate results.

Strategic Marketing

• Develop and implement a comprehensive institutional and program-level marketing and communications strategies aligned with the JCC's mission and organizational goals.
• Serve as the organization's senior marketing decision-maker, ensuring consistency of brand standards, messaging frameworks, and campaign prioritization.
• Establish brand guidelines, templates, and marketing workflows to enable staff to create on-brand materials.
• Ensure consistent, compelling messaging that reflects Jewish values, inclusivity, and community impact.
• Develop and manage marketing department and campaign budgets and track ROI for all marketing activities.
• Build and maintain marketing systems including content libraries, asset management, and analytics tracking.
• Conduct competitive research and market analysis to inform strategy and positioning.
• Interpret data into recommendations that inform program design, pricing, scheduling, and audience targeting.

Program Marketing and Enrollment

• Lead campaigns to promote programs, events, and other initiatives organization-wide.
• Through comprehensive strategies, drive enrollment for preschool, afterschool, summer camp programs, and membership.
• Create and execute targeted campaigns for distinct audiences (families with young children, working parents, older adults, community members).
• Manage enrollment funnels from inquiry through registration and optimize conversion rates.
• Coordinate marketing support for open houses, tours, and recruitment events.
• Track and report on enrollment metrics, event attendance, and campaign effectiveness.
• Expand audience reach and deepen engagement with participants, members, donors, and partners.

Communications, Content, and Storytelling

• Oversee digital marketing, social media, email marketing, print communications, collateral, photo and video shoots, onsite signage, etc.
• Own organizational website and ensure content reflects brand identity and drives conversions.
• Write copy for major campaigns, landing pages, program brochures, and promotional materials.
• Craft narratives and content that highlight the JCC's role in the East Bay community.
• Elevate voices of staff, members, and partners through storytelling and media.
• Design or art direct promotional materials, working with freelancers and using templates as appropriate.
• Manage content calendar across all channels and coordinate timely publication.
• Manage photography, video, and other visual assets for marketing use.

Media & Public Relations

• Serve as the primary contact for press and media inquiries.
• Pitch stories to media outlets to promote the JCC and new campus.
• Build relationships with local and national media outlets to increase visibility.
• Handle media relations and community partnerships.
• Support fundraising campaigns and donor communications in partnership with the development team.

Program Manager Support & Coordination

• Create and maintain a master marketing calendar with submission deadlines for all programs.
• Provide copywriting templates, examples, and guidelines to program managers for their marketing needs.
• Review and edit program manager content before publication to ensure quality and consistency.
• Train program managers on marketing best practices including writing compelling descriptions, creating urgency, and clear calls to action.
• Establish content submission processes and approval workflows that balance quality control with speed.
• Collaborate across departments to support program promotion and create understanding of organizational impact.
• Troubleshoot and provide strategic support when programs are not hitting enrollment or attendance targets.

Team & Vendor Management

• Manage and mentor Marketing Manager, providing clear direction, support, and professional development.
• Manage relationships with freelance designers, photographers, web developers, and other vendors.
• Make strategic build vs. buy decisions to maximize limited budget.
• Train non-marketing staff on DIY marketing tasks and empower them with appropriate tools.

General

• Represent the JCC at community events and meetings.
• Prepare and present marketing strategy updates, performance reports, and insights to senior leadership and, as needed, board committees.
• Other duties as determined by the COO.

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive marketing and communications experience with demonstrated success in enrollment-driven or mission-driven organizations.
• Proven success in brand management, digital marketing, and media relations.
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills with ability to craft compelling narratives.
• Proven ability to develop and execute comprehensive marketing strategies that drive measurable results.
• Experience with website management, email marketing platforms, social media, and analytics tools.
• Hands-on experience with design tools (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar) and ability to create marketing materials.
• Demonstrated success working in lean environments and building systems from scratch and experience launching or rebranding a major initiative, facility, or campaign.
• Excellent project management skills with ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and coordinate across departments.
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to coach and support non-marketing staff.
• Experience supervising staff and managing budgets.
• Data-driven approach with ability to track, analyze, and report on marketing metrics.
• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, public relations, or related field.
• Experience working in nonprofit, cultural, education, or Jewish communal organizations strongly preferred.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and community values.
• Commitment to the mission of the JCC East Bay and knowledge of or commitment to learning about the Jewish community, values, and traditions.
• Strategic thinker with creative vision who can balance big-picture strategy with hands-on execution.
• Collaborative leader and team player who thrives in a community-centered environment.
• Available for evening and/or weekend meetings and events as needed.
• Ability to lift up to 40 lbs.

The salary range for this position is $110,000 - $130,000 annually. Excellent benefits including medical, dental, vision, vacation, sick pay, and holidays (including Jewish).

The JCC East Bay is an Equal Opportunity Employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. JCC East Bay policy prohibits unlawful discrimination in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. The JCC East Bay complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. If you require particular accommodations during the application and interview process, please inform us of your needs so that we can provide accordingly.

Systemic inequities in hiring have caused women, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, and others to apply to jobs only if they meet all of the qualifications. The JCC East Bay encourages you to apply anyway, as no one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. We look forward to your application.