Vice President, Strategic Communications and Narrative

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The California Endowment (The Endowment) is a private, statewide health foundation established in 1996 whose mission is to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians. We envision a California that leads the nation as a powerful and conscientious voice for wellness, inclusion, and shared prosperity.

Headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, the Endowment has regional offices in Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno and San Diego, with staff working throughout the state. We challenge the conventional wisdom that medical settings and individual choices are solely responsible for people’s health. We believe that health happens in neighborhoods, schools, and with prevention.

We are seeking a visionary and collaborative Vice President of Strategic Communications and Narrative (VP of Strategic Communications and Narrative) to play a leadership role in developing, implementing, and managing comprehensive communications and narrative strategies that amplify community-driven solutions, shift beliefs and power, and drive systems change to advance racial and health equity and health access for marginalized populations across California.

The ideal candidate will be a creative and accomplished leader with experience in change management and a successful track record leading teams and organizations to develop and advance effective and impactful communications and narrative strategies. The VP of Strategic Communications and Narrative should be a passionate advocate for the vision of the Endowment, a committed and engaged team leader, a collaborative thought partner, and an exceptional spokesperson and ambassador. The new VP will lead a team that will provide the full range of communications and narrative functions within the organization and will work in close partnership with leadership and programming staff.

Reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer, the VP of Strategic Communications and Narrative will be based in one of The Endowment’s offices – ideally in Oakland, Los Angeles, or Sacramento – with occasional opportunities to work remotely. The role will require moderate domestic travel and in-person meetings.

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT

Building on more than three decades of work to expand access to affordable, quality health care for all Californians, The California Endowment is committed to creating a state that leads the nation in wellness, inclusion, and shared prosperity. Since our founding in 1996, we have pursued our mission to increase access to health care for underserved individuals and communities while advancing lasting improvements in the overall health of all Californians. To date, we have awarded more than 22,000 grants totaling over $2.9 billion to organizations serving diverse rural, urban, inland and coastal communities throughout the state.

OUR CORE VALUES

• We believe every Californian deserves health, wellness, and justice.
• We believe those who are most impacted by health inequities are best positioned to lead in the solutions.
• We are committed to diversity, inclusion, mutual respect and transparency.
• We value youth leadership and champion marginalized voices.
• We recognize the impact of trauma on both individual and community health outcomes.
• We value learning through action.
• We embrace strategies aimed at building power in communities of color and marginalized communities.

This is an exciting and pivotal moment for The Endowment. Brenda Solórzano assumed the role of President and CEO with a bold vision to embed the principles of trust-based philanthropy into everything we do, at a time when the people, organizations, and communities we serve are contending with significant challenges brought by shifting federal policies, economic uncertainty, persistent racial and health inequities, political and civic polarization, and natural disasters. To achieve our vision, we must navigate change deftly and with care, respond nimbly and strategically to effectively tackle emerging challenges, leverage our influence to advance key narratives and drive positive change, and always maintain laser focus on a shared vision for the future. 

OUR APPROACH AND IMPACT

The Endowment’s 10-year, $2 billion strategic plan to advance a vision of a more equitable California began in 2021 and was built on the foundational belief that where we live, our race, and our income play a major part in determining our health status and life expectancy. The legacy of racial and economic segregation, anti-immigrant policies, and other historical factors are an undeniable reality that low-income communities and communities of color across California face. These realities can and should be changed, and The Endowment works closely with our grantee partners in pursuit of this change.

More information about The California Endowment may be found at: www.calendow.org.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

The VP of Strategic Communications and Narrative will lead our efforts to shape the narrative around health and racial equity in California. They will lead The Endowment’s efforts to drive systems change by leveraging communications and narrative strategies to amplify community-driven solutions that shift beliefs and power. They will cultivate a consistent brand that is recognized and respected, build our influence and relationships with policymakers and community leaders, and advance narratives that serve our strategic goals while pushing back on those that undermine them. They will build collaborative relationships, and they will actively cultivate opportunities to increase the visibility, influence, and impact of The Endowment, our strategic initiatives, our grantee partners, and the issues about which we all care deeply.

Internally, the VP of Strategic Communications and Narrative will drive operational excellence by ensuring clear, consistent, high quality, enterprise-wide communications; advancing a culture of transparency and collaboration; implementing effective administrative and operational processes to support effective communications; designing, implementing, and ensuring consistent alignment with The Endowment’s brand and voice; and fostering the teamwork and collaboration required to manage intersecting work occurring at local, regional, and statewide levels.

Specifically, the VP of Strategic Communications and Narrative can expect to engage with the following opportunities:

Institutional Communications

• Lead the relaunch of The Endowment’s brand, brand voice, and brand narrative in alignment with our mission to advance health equity and health access for marginalized populations across California. Ensure organizational-wide alignment with The Endowment’s brand standards and narrative strategy in all communications, cultivating a shared understanding and consistent expression of our values and voice.
• Proactively position The Endowment as a trusted, equity-driven, and forward-thinking leader in the health philanthropy space by advancing strategies that build credibility, influence, and engagement with internal and external stakeholders. Lead a high-impact communications team with clear ownership over key areas such as narrative development, content strategy, grantmaking communications, digital engagement, media relations, and internal communications.
• Provide strategic partnership and support to The Endowment’s senior staff (Chief Executive Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Operations and Finance Officer, and Chief Investments Officer) to increase the organization’s visibility and thought leadership, particularly related to health equity, power building, and trust-based philanthropy.
• Develop and manage an organization-wide internal communications function that drives “all staff” communications, including newsletters, announcements, meetings, and events.
• Lead the development and oversee timely implementation of a crisis communications strategy and plan that includes standard protocols for rapid response and interventions during critical external flashpoints. Proactively monitor and identify issues that may require a crisis response.

External Communications

• Lead the development, implementation, and coordination of The Endowment’s external communications strategies and campaigns to advance the priorities and goals of The Endowment and of our grantee partners. The plan should be informed by internal stakeholders across the enterprise, grantee partners, and other key stakeholders germane to California power-building and narrative efforts around health equity.
• Monitor and assess developments within the broader philanthropic, policy, and public discourse landscapes to identify opportunities for The Endowment to engage, inform, and influence critical audiences through innovative and equity-centered communication strategies. Maintain productive and collaborative relationships throughout the enterprise to identify, assess, and support strategic communication needs and opportunities to supplement and enhance local, regional, and state efforts in the ecosystem and/or with grantee partners.
• Develop and execute an earned media and public relations strategy to help shift the health equity narrative in California and amplify the efforts and impact of The Endowment and our grantee partners.
• Within the context of the organization’s broader communications strategy, support the ongoing refinement of equity-informed narrative work that helps shift beliefs and public discourse, supporting collective action and systems change across California’s communities.

Policy and Advocacy

• Oversee policy and advocacy efforts and aligned communications campaigns designed to advance critical issues at the state, regional, and local levels.

Communications Grantmaking

• Partner with and advise Program & Partnerships, Policy, and Investment functions to leverage the full power of strategic communications, narrative and culture, and healthy media ecosystems to advance The Endowment’s strategic goals.
• Collaborate with Program & Partnerships, Policy, and Investment teams to design and implement “beyond the check” opportunities to utilize communications as a lever to drive change.
• Ensure protocols and plans for a consistent feedback loop of collaboration, measurement, efficacy, and adaptation so that The Endowment’s communications and narrative goals are furthered by our grantmaking programs to partners.

Cross-Functional Alignment, Collaboration, and Innovation

• Serve on the organization’s Leadership Team. Collaboratively lead effective change management efforts and cultivate a positive, forward-looking organizational culture.
• Champion the integration of The Endowment’s strategy on the communications team and in other departments.
• Cultivate a culture of innovation to develop forward-thinking approaches that address systemic inequities.
• Collaborate across departments to enhance operational efficiencies and resource allocation across departments, fostering a culture of continuous improvement to optimize operations.

Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership

• Cultivate and sustain relationships with media, thought leaders, grantees, and other key stakeholders to ensure The Endowment’s communications strategies are informed by diverse perspectives and grounded in the realities of the field and our communities.
• Strategically engage and manage relationships with amplifiers and ecosystem partners – including funders, policymakers, narrative strategists, and coalition members – to expand The Endowment’s reach, influence public discourse, and strengthen alignment across the communications landscape.

Measurement and Learning for Impact

• Collaborate with the Chief Strategy Officer and members of the Programs & Partnerships and Knowledge Management teams to establish approaches and performance benchmarks that effectively assess communications effectiveness, efficiency, and impact.
• Engage with the Chief Strategy Officer and Knowledge Management colleagues to establish and track measurable, achievable annual communication goals and objectives.
• Partner with Knowledge Management colleagues to establish approaches and methods to capture key learnings from communications investments and activities.
• Incorporate quantitative and qualitative data and performance feedback to refine communication strategies and make informed adjustments, maintaining alignment with The Endowment’s mission and responding to enterprise-wide needs.
• Develop a plan and ensure regular use of social and digital listening tools and alternative forms of measurement to track both digital footprints and sentiment analysis shifts in the areas of health and racial equity across the ecosystems in which we operate.
• In collaboration with the aforementioned departments and the Chief Strategy Officer, develop a compendium of success metrics that enables the evaluation of both inputs and outputs – i.e., actual ideology and narrative change resulting from The Endowment’s communications and narrative work and strategies.

Resource Management

• Build, lead, and develop a diverse communications team that is high-performing, inclusive, collaborative, accountable, and reflects The Endowment’s core values and mission.
• Vet, hire, and oversee the work of external communications consultants to provide technical assistance and communications support to staff and grantee partners, as needed.
• Develop, manage, and be accountable for a communications budget that reaches organizational goals effectively and efficiently while ensuring sound fiscal management.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

While no one candidate will possess all the qualifications listed below, the ideal candidate will be passionate about The Endowment’s mission and bring many of the following skills and experiences:

• Inspiring and dedicated leader – A visionary leader with at least ten years of progressive leadership experience in communications, public relations, and/or media relations.
• Demonstrated commitment to The Endowment’s mission – Unwavering commitment to expanding access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promoting fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians.
• Equity-centered mindset – Deep understanding and commitment to anti-racist practices, community empowerment, and systems change work, with an emphasis on California’s public health landscape.
• Compassionate, effective leader of teams – Demonstrated commitment to fostering a healthy team culture while holding decision-making authority. Experience uniting and working alongside staff in pursuit of a shared vision and goals and commitment to providing feedback and opportunities for professional development and advancement for team members.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills – Ability to engage and inspire diverse stakeholders internally and externally.
• Strategic planning and implementation acumen – Ability to transform strategic priorities into programs that align with The Endowment’s mission of advancing health and racial equity.
• Commitment to cross-functional collaboration – Proven ability to collaborate across departments and functions, ensuring alignment and operational effectiveness across.
• Gravitas and influence – The ability to build trust, influence decision-making, and inspire stakeholders at all levels.
• Stakeholder engagement – Capacity to effectively engage multiple stakeholders in inclusive, authentic, and meaningful ways.
• Innovation and adaptability – Creative thinker with the ability to continuously adapt strategies informed by data and feedback.
• Continuous learner – Commitment to iteration, learning, and adaptation as a means to strengthen our efforts and outcomes.
• Change management – Ability to effectively guide individuals and teams through transitions, optimizing authentic engagement in and adoption of new processes, systems, and structures.

WORK LOCATION, COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Work Location: This role will be based in one of The Endowment’s offices – ideally in Oakland, Los Angeles, or Sacramento – with occasional opportunities to work remotely. The role will require moderate domestic travel and in-person meetings.

Salary and Benefits: The target salary range for this role is: $269,000 – $294,000. The Endowment offers a generous benefits package that includes health, dental, vision (company-paid), the opportunity to enroll in a health savings account (HSA), a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), a flexible spending account (FSA), and basic life and AD&D insurance. Employees are also eligible to contribute up to 75% of their salary to a 401(k) savings plan into which, after one year of employment, The Endowment will provide an 8% discretionary contribution in addition to matching dollar per dollar up to 7% of your salary. The organization also offers a generous PTO policy with accrual increasing based on years of service, and eleven paid holidays per year.

Additional information about the full range of benefits will be made available on offer.

This search is being led by Ellen LaPointe and Andrés Marcuse-González, and Ebony Breaux-Liang of NPAG. We invite applications with a resume and cover letter outlining your interest and qualifications via the portal on NPAG’s website. Should you have questions, candidate nominations, or if you need assistance or accommodations in the application process, please contact Ebony Breaux-Liang at ebony@npag.com.

The California Endowment is an equal opportunity employer and places a high value on diversity, equity, inclusion and to creating a work environment where the individual is valued and respected.