Communications Manager

**Status:** Full\-time, exempt **Location:** Hybrid, four days remote, one day (Tuesday) in the Oakland office. Applicants must live in or be willing to relocate to the Bay Area. **Organization** California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy is a nonpartisan policy and research organization focused on identifying solutions to the state’s most critical challenges at the intersection of higher education, equity, and the economy. Established in 2011, our mission is to help transform the state's higher education system into an engine of economic opportunity that empowers all Californians, particularly those from underserved communities, to achieve their full potential. California Competes benefits from the expertise of our highly respected, bipartisan Board of Directors, which comprises current and former public officials, business executives, and community leaders from across the state. Our diverse staff brings decades of experience in higher education and public policy. We work statewide and travel across the country to research and advocate for a higher education system that provides opportunities for all Californians. For more information, please visit californiacompetes.org. **Position** Reporting to the Senior Communications Director, the Communications Manager will support the development and execution of California Competes’s communication and outreach activities to advance the organization’s objectives and policy priorities. This role will also serve as the primary communications contact for The California Alliance for Student Parent Success, a statewide coalition co\-led by California Competes. Major specific duties are described below. **Responsibilities** **Strategic Communications (40%)** * Manage communications planning and execution for initiatives, resource and research releases, and events, partnering with project leads to align messaging, provide editing support, coordinate deliverables, and increase organization's visibility with key audiences. * Develop high\-impact communications, including blogs, op eds, event collateral/swag, presentations, graphics, talking points, social media toolkits, executive and board communications, and other content as requested. * Maintain consistency with the organization's brand identity and voice across all platforms and materials. * Prepare staff and CEO to represent the organization publicly. * Coordinate with graphic design, copyediting, and other communications contractors, managing timelines and consolidating stakeholder feedback to ensure high\-quality final products. * Stay updated on higher education policy, communications trends, and media opportunities, sharing insights that strengthen organizational communications. **Digital Presence (35%)** * Manage California Competes's digital presence across the website, email marketing, and social media (primarily LinkedIn) channels, ensuring content is timely, engaging, and aligned with organizational p