Communications and Marketing Manager

About LA Commons

The mission of LA Commons is to engage communities in artistic and cultural expression that tells their unique stories and serves as a basis for dialogue, interaction and a shared understanding of Los Angeles. Our programs are grounded in the philosophy that culture is a valuable community resource, art is a powerful tool for telling stories and creating change, and artists have an important role to play in the community development process. Our core participants are artists, youth, and residents of all ages in some of the most disinvested areas of Los Angeles. Through our activities, we empower and invest in our neighborhoods, while promoting greater compassion, connectedness and engagement between people in Los Angeles. Headquartered in Leimert Park, we are committed to investing in resilient networks of youth, artists and community partners in Central and South Los Angeles.

Founded by Karen Mack in 2000, our target audiences are artists and culture bearers, youth ages 15–25, and residents of all ages with limited access to cultural participation. Over the years, programs have brought together many artists and youth, and tens of thousands of community members in an innovative process of grass roots artistic and cultural discovery.

The heart of our work is our “Neighborhood Story Connection” program which creates a space where stories & voices are heard and then transformed into dynamic public art that reflects local hopes, dreams & identities. These public art projects bring communities together, support local businesses and culture-bearers and provide opportunities for people to experience authentic food, music, festivals and rich cultural histories across Los Angeles.

As a national and regional leader in equity-based creative placekeeping, we also work across sectors and with flagship arts & culture organizations to generate wider audiences and greater resources to uplift resident narratives in our neighborhoods. In 2024, as a Community Engagement Hub Partner for The Getty Initiative, Pacific Standard Time Arts: Art & Science Collide, LA Commons has designed a dynamic community engagement initiative centered on environmental and food justice: We Are the Harvest. We also lead a collaboration with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Treasures of South LA providing local residents with a participatory platform to spotlight the artists, sites, cultural practices, and tradition bearers they deem significant and a vehicle for furthering the development of their neighborhoods.

Position Overview
Reporting to the Executive Director, this role is an integral part of the LA Commons team. The Communications Manager will raise the visibility of LA Commons and its programs through strategic communications to key stakeholders. The manager will expand and manage LA Commons’ physical/digital marketing presence aligned with the organization’s brand and programmatic goals.

Roles and Responsibilities

Manage a team of communications professionals and serve as a thought partner to programmatic leads to broaden the organization’s reach

Cultivate and sustain relationships with partners to reach diverse audiences

Set goals and marketing plans for the communications team informed by data analysis and project evaluation

Maintain press contacts and use relationships to expand the visibility of LA Commons

Track press coverage as one key measure of the effectiveness of communications activities

Additional tasks as assigned by the Executive Director

Skills, Knowledge, or Other Requirements

Excellent communicator across all verbal, visual and written channels; able to relate openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people

Highly organized multi-tasker with a project management mindset

Inventive and adaptive, devoted to professional growth based on lessons learned and constructive feedback

Proactive, motivated self-starter who thrives in a team setting

Understands people and knows how to align their interests

Ability to gain the trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity

Experience with merchandising a plus

LA Commons is a fiscally sponsored project of Community Partners, an Equal Opportunity Employer: minority/female/disability/veteran.

Salary: $60,000 – $67,500 depending on experience

Benefits: Benefits eligible after 90-day waiting period; medical insurance, 403b account with employer contribution.

Position is hybrid, requiring participation in-person at weekly meetings and events.

Education requirements: Associate’s degree

Deadline to apply: July 31, 2024

Documents required to apply: Resume, cover letter, references

How to apply: Apply here.