Director of Marketing

Director of Marketing & Communications

YMCA of the Foothills (#0288)

Location

La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 (Corporate Office)

Job Description

The YMCA of the Foothills serves 9 communities in Northern Los Angeles County (Glendale, Montrose, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, City of Los Angeles communities of Sunland-Tujunga, Shadow Hills, Sun Valley and portions of unincorporated Los Angeles County), striving to enrich the lives of all people spiritually, emotionally, physically and socially. Founded in 1958, today the Y’s service area is home to a diverse population of more than 205,000 community members, serving 24,000 people annually through membership or participants through programs and services at our 3 branches and offsite childcare/program centers.

We are seeking a strategic and innovative leader to join our team as a Director of Marketing & Communications. Under the supervision of the Chief Executive Officer, the Director of Marketing & Communications will elevate the Y’s visibility, brand, and impact through integrated internal and external communications strategies.

Position Summary

Reporting to the CEO, the Director of Marketing & Communications (DMC)  is responsible for strategically positioning the YMCA’s mission, programs, and impact across the communities it serves. The DMC provides leadership for all aspects of marketing, communications, branding, and public relations, ensuring a cohesive and compelling organizational presence across digital, print, and media platforms.

This role develops and implements integrated marketing and communications strategies designed to increase awareness, strengthen community engagement, support fundraising and membership objectives, and drive organizational growth. Working in close partnership with the CEO, corporate staff, mission advancement staff, operations staff, and department directors. The DMC ensures alignment of messaging, protects brand integrity, and advances strategic priorities through effective storytelling, stakeholder engagement, and executive communications support.

Essential Functions

• Lead the marketing and communication staff team. Partner with operation and department leaders to develop and execute marketing strategies and public communication that drives membership growth, program participation, member retention, community outreach, Y mission advocacy and achievement of organizational goals.

• Lead the planning, creation, and evaluation of integrated marketing campaigns across print, digital, social media, advertising, and community outreach channels to maximize awareness, engagement, and revenue.
• Maintain and protect brand integrity across the Association by ensuring compliance with YMCA brand standards, quality control processes, and YMCA of the USA reporting requirements.
• Conduct market research and analyze industry trends, customer insights, and competitive activity to inform strategic decision-making, program development, and marketing initiatives.
• Develop and manage high-impact organizational communications, including the Annual Impact Report, data walk, strategic messaging, board of director reports, and other initiatives that support association priorities and outcomes.
• Prepare and present monthly marketing and communications reports highlighting departmental performance, key metrics, ongoing initiatives, and future opportunities for leadership and the Marketing & Communications Committee.
• Oversee the development, production, and distribution of all association marketing materials, including website, newsletters, social media content, digital advertising, print publications, signage, apparel, photography, and video assets.
• Collaborate with the Mission Advancement Department to support fundraising, donor engagement, and philanthropic initiatives through strategic communications, campaign messaging, stewardship materials, and special events.
• Serve as the Association’s primary media relations contact, managing press outreach, media inquiries, press releases, and public relations opportunities in collaboration with the CEO.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to executive leadership and the Board of Directors, including support for reputation management, public affairs, and crisis communication planning and response.
• Manage collaborations between inter-departmental staff, workflows, budgets, timelines, and external vendor relationships to ensure efficient and effective project execution.
• Maintain organizational marketing assets, including photography, video, brand resources, and participant testimonials for use in communications, marketing, media relations, and fundraising efforts.
• Cultivate and maintain collaborative relationships with community partners, vendors, business leaders, and volunteers to strengthen the YMCA’s visibility, resources, and community impact.
• Ensure compliance with all YMCA policies, procedures, safety standards, and ethical practices while carrying out responsibilities in a professional manner.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field required.
• Minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, public relations, brand management, or nonprofit leadership.
• Demonstrated success in developing, implementing, and evaluating integrated marketing and communications strategies that advance organizational goals, increase engagement, and strengthen brand awareness.
• Exceptional written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation, and storytelling skills, with proven experience creating and editing content across a variety of print, digital, social media, and multimedia platforms.
• Strong strategic thinking and project management abilities, with the capacity to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, Microsoft Office, website content management systems (such as Wix or similar platforms), and social media management tools.
• Experience conducting market research, analyzing data and trends, SEO data collection and presentation, and translating insights into actionable marketing and communications strategies.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in supervising, coaching, evaluating, and motivating staff, volunteers, vendors, and cross-functional teams.
• Strong understanding of branding, media relations, public relations, crisis communications, and reputation management.
• Ability to work independently while fostering collaborative relationships with colleagues, community partners, donors, volunteers, media representatives, and business leaders.
• Passionate commitment to the YMCA mission, values, and principles, with a demonstrated ability to represent the organization professionally and effectively within the community.

Salary Range & Benefits

• $95,000-$115,000 annually
• Retirement Fund - 12% Employer contribution for eligible employees
• Eligible for Paid Time Off, Sick Leave and Holidays
• Eligible for Benefits – Medical, Dental, Vision, LTD, Voluntary Life
• Eligible for Company Paid Life Insurance - 2x annual salary
• $2,500 per year continuing education fund (for qualifying staff)
• Complimentary Y membership for household members – restrictions apply