VP Marketing & Communications (Cleantech Incubator, Non-profit)

Los Angeles, CA
Full Time
Senior Manager/Supervisor

  

About LACI 

The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is a nonprofit organization creating an inclusive green economy by unlocking innovation (through working with startups to accelerate the commercialization of clean technologies), transforming markets (through catalytic partnerships in zero emission transportation, clean energy and sustainable cities) and enhancing communities (through workforce development, pilots and other programs). Originally founded as an economic development initiative by the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Water & Power (LADWP), LACI is recognized as one of the most innovative business incubators in the world. Learn more at laci.org

Position Summary:

The Vice President of Marketing & Communications works closely with the CEO and COO on vision, priorities, and core messaging while leading a team to develop and execute plans, campaigns, and tactics to attract applicants to LACI’s programs, share LACI’s stories, and build LACI’s thought leadership. An experienced and proactive marketing and communications leader, this position manages staff, consultants, and projects while ensuring excellent internal customer service that balances deadlines & workload of the team. This role is a collaborator who can also toggle between developing a social media campaign, drafting a press release, planning and executing an event or devising and pitching a story earned media.

What You’ll Do:

  • Lead the Marketing & Communications team: work closely with the CEO to align on vision, identify priorities, and craft core messaging; lead, manage, and guide the Marketing & Communications  (MarCom) team on strategy, tactics, and voice; develop support key messaging campaigns with the LACI Leadership Team  and/or LACI staff from across the organization; ensure excellent customer service to meet internal needs while managing expectations on deadlines and process; represent the MarCom team at the leadership level; lead planning for MarCom priorities; and develop staff’s skills and capacity. 
  • Craft and oversee campaigns for sharing programmatic successes and recruiting partners/participants   support LACI’s programs and related recruitment efforts (e.g.,  startup incubation, workforce training, pilot RFI’s, etc.); develop value proposition for LACI programs and partnerships and craft messages and recruitment strategies to amplify the key messages. Ensure all channels are aligned, try new tactics and measure analytics for continuous improvement. 
  • Grow LACI’s thought leadership through earned media, events, and digital/social:  build content and relationships to grow the organization's regional, statewide, and national thought leadership in creating an inclusive green economy and continue to develop the CEO’s personal thought leadership platform through opinion editorials, reports,  blogs, events, videos, and social media.
  • Amplify the LACI model:  Help tell the story of LACI’s impact and comprehensive strategy through owned and earned channels  to support and drive recruitment, fundraising, and partnerships; via case studies,   news releases, events and digital channels. 
  • Communications/Branding/Social Media:  own the LACI brand and work with the Head of Creative to push the brand across all LACI channels .
  • Manage earned media strategy and media partners: build  relationships with local and trade media outlets  to ensure coverage surrounding LACI programs and partnerships and collaborate with the CEO and the Director, Communications and Public Affairs to develop and execute a strategic and effective earned media strategy. 
  • LACI Events: oversee LACI’s content-driven programmatic events events strategy with the team to ensure event strategy aligns with organizational goals and delivers LACI’s integrated message; and align with pillar leads on priorities, audience, message, unique selling points and program outcomes. And own the Third Party Event Rentals strategy and ensure customer satisfaction and meet annual income targets. 
  • Help support startups:  Act as marketing and communications advisor/consultant for LACI startups to amplify success of the startups and their founders, in particular with major media opportunities.

Why You’re Right for the Job:

  • You’ve managed teams to produce results: You’re an excellent manager and bring out the best in people to achieve high performance results to advance mission and purpose.
  • You’re experienced in marketing, digital, and earned media. You have experience leading marketing campaigns, working with top social media platforms and a solid understanding of how and why people use social media. You know how to form meaningful connections across a variety of platforms, and build relationships that continue to grow and amplify the brand and the work. 
  • Editing and writing is your thing. You’re an excellent, experienced writer and/or editor with a track record of producing high- quality, externally-facing content such as articles, speeches, op-eds, blogs, case studies and website content. You know how to synthesize and translate complex information for a broad spectrum of audiences from technologists and engineers, to investors, to entrepreneurs (in a tweetable format, when needed)!
  • You’re focused and flexible. You know what you need to get done, but you’re flexible when priorities change. It doesn’t phase you to work in a fast-paced environment in both working closely with a CEO to identify and shape key messages and priorities while frequently leading and working your team with limited guidance, because you know how to ask questions and get the information you need to get the job done. 
  • You have exceptional attention to detail. A typo is not getting past you! (Okay, no one’s perfect - but it’s rare.) Your organization and time management skills are excellent. Sometimes, you’re even amazed at how many balls you can juggle (#humblebrag).
  • You enjoy telling stories while empowering partners. In managing your own team and being part of the larger LACI community, you love to empower staff and colleagues, entrepreneurs, and community members to succeed in their roles and goals. You are confident you can create the messaging toolkits and training for people to act as ambassadors of LACI and further our mission.

Requirements:

Basically, we want to know you can get the job done. This means you have:

  • 12+ years of work experience working in progressive roles with a combination of marketing, public relations and communications environments
  • 10+ years communications background, preferably in non-profit, impact investing, corporate communications, public relations, start-ups, sustainability, cleantech, social impact or related sector
  • Experience with digital and data-focused marketing with a record of success in developing relevant digital strategies and leveraging platforms to build a brand
  • Outstanding oral and written communication skills
  • The ability to lead and inspire creative, marketing, events, and social media team members and content creators to achieve organizational goals
  • Strong management skills, including the ability to manage up/down/across an organization to align messaging across channels
  • Team player with ability to work collaboratively with a variety of departments 
  • Thorough understanding of the media landscape, especially in Los Angeles and California
  • Experience directly interfacing with high-level executives and other external audiences
  • Passionate about LACI's mission and able to promote and communicate to stakeholders

Work Requirements

  • This role operates in a hybrid capacity and must work onsite from Downtown LA office at least 3 days/week.
  • Some travel required across Los Angeles and outside of Los Angeles as the lead of this strategic pillar

Position Details:

This is a full-time position, starting immediately. LACI operates out of the La Kretz Innovation Campus, in the bustling Downtown LA Arts District. Since we are rapidly growing, you will be getting in on the ground floor at LACI, with the opportunity to evolve with us and shape your future here. Some travel may be required.

Salary Range: VP Range $170-205k commensurate with experience, education, skills, etc and total compensation package including health benefits, 401k match, professional development, commuter benefits and more.

In addition to working on a campus with other innovators, we offer industry competitive benefits including: paid holidays, vacation/sick time, health benefits, 401(k) plan with match, and paid parking (with EV charge stations). We also support alternative transportation with a metro pass and bikeshare for every employee.   

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