Communications Manager
Location: San Francisco, CA/Hybrid
What You Will Be Doing: Creating a More Just and Equitable Society
As a Communications Manager you will build deep and long lasting relationships with your clients, act as a trusted and valued advisor to them by providing strategic insights and recommendations to address their needs. You will develop integrated strategic communications plans, lead and manage project teams, manage the day to day project tasks and deliverables, write scopes of work, create and manage budgets, solve problems, communicate with internal and external stakeholders, coach and mentor junior staff and participate in the growth and development of our Agency.
You will work collaboratively with clients to develop and implement a variety of culturally inclusive communication strategies to increase community visibility and to enhance awareness and sustainability. Our client work also includes planning and facilitating community meetings with hard to reach stakeholders, branding beloved places, spaces, infrastructures, government agency’s, companies and organizations that make up the fabric of our community and working with community groups.
As an equity-first agency many of our clients and projects are focused on reaching people where they are, and ensuring that our tactics are inclusive of engaging those that make up the fabric of our community. We work with community groups and city departments to benefit underserved, diverse communities and address issues and barriers that impact low-income residents and communities of color such as mobility and access to transportation and affordable housing, to raising awareness about environmental resilience; to creating marketing strategies that reflect an equity lens; to creating public policy initiatives that ensure diversity and inclusion is valued. You’ll engage with stakeholders and community thought leaders through focus groups, town hall meetings, surveys, webinars, and more.
Who You Are
You have a natural interest for social change through policy or government. You are someone who is and always has been passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion, and making a positive impact on your community. It is threaded throughout who you are and what you do—both in your personal and professional life.
You have some experience managing projects and client relationships. You are deepening your confidence, and presentation skills constantly in order to provide strategic recommendations that build trust with the client. You are gaining skills as a driven leader with a growth mindset who can guide and lead a team of internal and external partners to move initiatives forward. You are building on your experience and expertise as a communications professional to craft compelling strategic communications and implementation plans for your clients, and have the ability to engage, inspire, and motivate those around you to meet and exceed desired outcomes. You can maintain a holistic view of projects without losing track of the details. You are becoming comfortable acting decisively when necessary to keep deliverables on time and on budget. You can coordinate tasks; create a project plan; manage and oversee budgets and team resources; and excel at identifying a clear-cut plan of action and the resources needed.
You possess a strong work ethic, are a self starter and you do what it takes to get it done on time and well. You are highly organized and detail oriented and don’t flinch when you are thrown a curve ball or two. You love solving problems, you enjoy engaging and collaborating with others and are not afraid to hold yourself accountable.
You can effectively communicate and have the ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently. You are a gifted writer with the ability to synthesize the voice of the client and our Agency. You are continually building your experience managing clients and the ability to best understand their unique needs (both stated and unstated). You have experience developing integrated communications programs to reach diverse audiences, including branding, marketing, digital media, advertising, public education, and engagement.
Because D&A champions new and innovative approaches, we will rely on your ability to pitch non-traditional ideas in ways that inspire client confidence. You can synthesize dense information and prioritize project goals. You are comfortable with delivering presentations, interacting with clients and the public, and facilitating meetings with diverse communities.
Key Responsibilities
Communications Managers work closely with and report to Agency Leadership and have the following key responsibilities:
Client Services
- Build, nurture, and grow client relationships. Manage client communications by interfacing directly with clients to understand their needs, goals, objectives, limitations, and concerns (both stated and implied).
- Participate in quarterly meetings with clients and participate in the creation of quarterly strategic plans and revenue forecasts for all clients. Look for new opportunities to increase trust, add value, and grow the client relationship, which ultimately leads to additional projects, revenue and repeat business.
- Participate in contract management ensuring the project is aligned with duration of work, financial terms and resource allocation.
- Manage projects from inception to completion, including strategy development, work plans, timelines and project budgets.
- Participate, implement and manage integrated marketing, branding, media relations, and communication programs, research, messaging, public engagement tools, and social media outreach through an equity lens..
- Write and edit outbound communications, including promotional materials, creative collateral, social media and website content, newsletters, and new business proposals when needed.
- Develop and manage public awareness campaigns, special events; community partnerships, face-to-face outreach, and outreach programs that utilize social media and online tools to engage the public and facilitate the exchange of information.
- Interface and develop relationships with community based organizations
- Plan, execute and attend community based events/activities, some of which may take place outside of normal business hours.
- Actively participate in a collaborative team effort in the company’s proposal, RFP, and RFQ processes and ability to lead the team in content crafting, messaging, and package completion
- Oversee account budgets to ensure the project is on track and expenses are in line with deliverables. Manage annual CPI increases on applicable projects.
- Prepare monthly invoices for assigned accounts—ensuring billing rates are current and accurate on the contract and newly added staff has been approved by the client to bill time, and in turn appear on the invoice.
- Manage vendor, independent contractors and subcontractor relationships—overseeing the implementation of subcontractor agreements and invoices.
Leading & Managing Team Members
A Communications Manager collaborates with all team members. They work closely with Communications Associates who report to them.
- Delegate and assign tasks to team members for each project—providing clear direction for expectations around each deliverable, number of hours to be billed, and guidance with process, procedures and best practices.
- Lead and manage creatives, part time people, independent contractors, and subcontractors as it pertains to the health of the project.
- Allocate hours for team members, including Communications Associates and Graphic Designers, on a weekly basis and ensure team members are utilized within capacity to do the job well.
- Ensure timesheets have been submitted, approved, and billed against the proper task with their respective notes. This includes Communications Associates, Graphic Designers, Independent Contractors, part time team members, and the CEO.
- Review task descriptions to ensure they are accurate and match with what work assignments.
- Provide necessary tools that will aid in the efficient workflow for each team member.
- Schedule weekly touch points (or as needed) with team members to ensure staff is apprised of weekly deliverables.
- Coach, mentor and train junior staff to help them develop professionally.
- Help solve problems as they arise for the long-term greater good of the company.
Education and Experience
- BS/BA in a discipline related to Communications, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, or English (a plus)
- 3+ years of experience in PR, Communications, Marketing, Advertising, or Public Affairs. Agency experience preferred.
- 1+ years of managing client relationships
- 1+ years of project management experience (handling multiple projects simultaneously)
- 1+ years of leading project teams
- 1+ years of coaching and mentoring junior staff
- Demonstrated experience developing, directing, and executing integrated strategic communication plans
- Above-average understanding of the latest integrated marketing and communication tools and trends, including social media, multimedia production, and influencer marketing
- Advanced-level experience with Microsoft Office Suite in a Mac operating office environment, Google Drive, and Slack or other project management tools
- Experience developing comprehensive multicultural marketing strategies.
- Experience conducting market research to identify cultural trends, preferences and opportunities for targeted marketing efforts.
- Experience in creating and implementing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) plans.
- Experience in community engagement.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion experience as it relates to PR and Communications.
- Strong facilitation and public participation skills, especially with diverse groups.
- Ability to authentically speak from an equity lens.
- PR experience working with elected officials, government/public agencies, community groups, public education, or any bureaucratic agency is a plus!!
- Experience with some graphic design tools such as Canva is a plus
- Experience with data analytics on campaign outcomes is a plus
About Us
D&A Communications is an equity-first communications agency creating meaningful and lasting social change for 25 years. We are devoted to bridging the needs of diverse communities and our client’s goals through integrated communications, authentic engagement, and public participation programs that create real-world transformation. Our mission is to build human connections and empower all people to make a transformative change that elevates our communities, creating a more just and equitable society.
At D&A Communications, we believe in transparency and open communication. We value everyone’s feedback, creativity, and innovative thinking. We are an eclectic team of self-motivated warriors working together to impact our community positively. Our goal is to grow and develop all our team members to their fullest potential. The common thread that ties us all together is our passion for making a difference.
About Our Culture
We encourage your ideas and input, and as an equity-first agency, your voice and lived experience make a significant impact both internally and on the communities we serve. We believe in work/life balance and are constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of our employees and our community. We champion making space for our team members to have the freedom to openly and actively contribute their diverse perspectives. We believe that people work best in an environment where they are recognized for their efforts and respected as individuals. We work collaboratively as a team. We measure our success against our values:
Grit – We get s##t done
Courage – We are brave and daring
Intentional – We are committed to meaningful work
Fluency – We are experts in the language of Communications
Impact – We believe in doing good by doing better
Resilient – We are quick to respond and recover with optimism and conviction
Creative – We believe in bold, future-focused ideas
We foster a hardworking, energetic, passionate, creative, and remote-first culture. D&A also promotes a dynamic working environment, offering full-time jobs with no travel requirements and optional remote flexibility. Eligible employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package and competitive compensation that includes medical, dental, and health benefits and LTD, STD, ADD/Life. Benefits include vacation and sick time, holidays, a 401(k) matched by D&A, a professional development stipend, and a monthly phone/internet reimbursement. We strongly believe in and gladly support investing in our employees, their health and well-being, future retirement, and professional development.
Application Process: JoinUs and Be a Part of Something That Matters
Please submit a cover letter, resume, salary requirements, and other necessary information (i.e., link to your portfolio or writing samples) to hr@davisimpact.com. Please include the position you are applying for in the email subject line. No faxed applications will be accepted. Please no phone calls.
