Hiring Organization Information

Organizational Overview

Whatcom Community Foundation is entering a transformative period marked by major community investments, growing donor engagement, and the continued development of the Millworks and other community leadership initiatives. As WCF’s first full-time communications and marketing director, this position offers a distinctive opportunity to shape how philanthropy, community leadership, and collective impact are understood and experienced across Whatcom County, while building the systems and partnerships needed for a strong, sustainable communications function.

This role will work with the support of various external partners who will provide graphic design, writing and content development and website design and development.

Please note that this is an office-first hybrid position, with at least 3 in-office days a week required.

Role Responsibilities

1. Communications Strategy, Brand & Storytelling 

• Develop and lead an organization-wide communications and marketing strategy aligned with WCF’s mission, values, strategic priorities, fundraising goals, racial equity commitments, and community leadership work.
• Steward WCF’s brand, voice, messaging, and reputation across audiences and channels; advise the President & CEO and other leaders on high-impact communications, emerging opportunities, and communications risks.
• Translate complex community issues, data, partnerships, and investments into clear and compelling stories, messages, presentations, and materials that connect mission, evidence, and lived community experience and inspire philanthropy.
• Guide media relations and earned visibility, including relationships with local and regional media, public announcements, thought leadership opportunities, and crisis or rapid-response communications when needed.

2. Audience Engagement & Digital Marketing

• Lead integrated engagement strategies and campaigns for donors, fundholders, nonprofit partners, community members, civic leaders, and other priority audiences across digital, print, email, events, and emerging channels.
• Oversee WCF’s website, social media, email marketing, and public-facing content, using audience insights and analytics to strengthen reach, relevance, and marketing strategies.

3. Cross-Team Engagement & Internal Communications 

• Partner across WCF philanthropy, grants and community engagement, finance, operations, and special initiatives to clarify communications goals, prioritize needs, and coordinate work around organizational priorities.
• Support WCF donor cultivation and stewardship, fundraising campaigns, grantmaking and community initiatives, board and executive communications, and other high-priority organizational work.
• Strengthen internal communications and communications capacity by equipping staff, board members, and ambassadors with clear messages, tools, coaching, and training.

4. Communications Operations & External Partners 

• Build practical communications calendars, workflows, project-intake and prioritization practices, measurement dashboards, and reporting systems appropriate for a small, high-performing organization.
• Assess team capacity and determine which communications priorities should be handled internally, supported by external partners, deferred, or phased to ensure realistic workloads and effective execution.
• Manage communications budgets and external partners, which may include writers, designers, agencies, photographers, videographers, freelancers, and other specialized consultants.

Qualifications

1. Communications Strategy, Brand & Storytelling 

• Develop and lead an organization-wide communications and marketing strategy aligned with WCF’s mission, values, strategic priorities, fundraising goals, racial equity commitments, and community leadership work.
• Steward WCF’s brand, voice, messaging, and reputation across audiences and channels; advise the President & CEO and other leaders on high-impact communications, emerging opportunities, and communications risks.
• Translate complex community issues, data, partnerships, and investments into clear and compelling stories, messages, presentations, and materials that connect mission, evidence, and lived community experience and inspire philanthropy.
• Guide media relations and earned visibility, including relationships with local and regional media, public announcements, thought leadership opportunities, and crisis or rapid-response communications when needed.

2. Audience Engagement & Digital Marketing

• Lead integrated engagement strategies and campaigns for donors, fundholders, nonprofit partners, community members, civic leaders, and other priority audiences across digital, print, email, events, and emerging channels.
• Oversee WCF’s website, social media, email marketing, and public-facing content, using audience insights and analytics to strengthen reach, relevance, and marketing strategies.

3. Cross-Team Engagement & Internal Communications 

• Partner across WCF philanthropy, grants and community engagement, finance, operations, and special initiatives to clarify communications goals, prioritize needs, and coordinate work around organizational priorities.
• Support WCF donor cultivation and stewardship, fundraising campaigns, grantmaking and community initiatives, board and executive communications, and other high-priority organizational work.
• Strengthen internal communications and communications capacity by equipping staff, board members, and ambassadors with clear messages, tools, coaching, and training.

4. Communications Operations & External Partners 

• Build practical communications calendars, workflows, project-intake and prioritization practices, measurement dashboards, and reporting systems appropriate for a small, high-performing organization.
• Assess team capacity and determine which communications priorities should be handled internally, supported by external partners, deferred, or phased to ensure realistic workloads and effective execution.
• Manage communications budgets and external partners, which may include writers, designers, agencies, photographers, videographers, freelancers, and other specialized consultants.

How to Apply