Director of Communications & Development 

Position Title: Director, Communications & Development

Reports To: VP, Public Affairs  

Status: Exempt, Full Time 

WHO WE ARE: 

Bright Star Schools is a free, publicly funded and open enrollment non-profit organization with nine  public charters in urban Los Angeles. Across all of our Bright Star sites, over 90% of our students are  eligible for free and reduced lunch. 

Our mission is to provide holistic, inclusive support for all students to achieve academic excellence and  grow their unique talents so that they find joy in higher education, career, and life. Bright Star students will  become leaders who act with integrity and champion equity to enrich our communities and the world.  The framework to our success is our core operating principles, which are Integridad, Ubuntu, Kohyang (고향), and Growth. 

We strongly believe in listening to all stakeholders’ voices, and we work to increase teaching practice and effectiveness through our data-driven and feedback-derived professional development. Bright Star Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,  religion, gender, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, pregnancy, or veteran status. 

Role Summary:
The Director of Communications & Development brings together two closely linked functions—organizational storytelling and philanthropic growth—to strengthen Bright Star Schools’ visibility, credibility, and long-term sustainability. By aligning how Bright Star communicates its impact with how it engages funders and supporters, this role ensures a cohesive narrative that advances both brand and fundraising goals.

On the communications side, the Director oversees all marketing and communications workstreams, including executive communications and visibility, internal and external communications, original content, crisis communications, collateral and photo/video production, public relations and earned media, paid media and advertising, and all digital platforms, including the organization’s website and social media channels. On the development side, the Director leads the re-launch and strengthening of Bright Star Schools’ development efforts, including building core fundraising systems, managing donor relationships, supporting grant development, and partnering with executive leadership to set fundraising priorities and establish performance tracking.

The Director works in close partnership with the senior leadership cabinet, school support team staff, and school leaders, manages a Senior Manager of Marketing, and reports to the Vice President of Public Affairs. This role is critical to advancing Bright Star Schools’ visibility and sustainability within the Los Angeles education community.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Communications & Marketing Programs

Oversee the systems and programs that ensure consistent, high-quality communications and brand representation across the organization.

Program Oversight

• Manage the day-to-day execution of Bright Star Schools’ communications and marketing programs

• Ensure communications workstreams—including executive communications, internal communications, external communications, digital platforms, and marketing campaigns—operate effectively and consistently

• Oversee the Senior Manager of Marketing to ensure quality execution across communications channels

Organizational Narrative & Brand

• Ensure consistent messaging and storytelling that reflects Bright Star Schools’ mission, values, and student outcomes

• Maintain and steward the organization’s brand standards, communications handbook, and visual identity guidelines

• Support leadership in communicating major initiatives and organizational priorities

Marketing & Campaign Execution

• Oversee the development and execution of marketing campaigns that support enrollment, recruitment, and organizational initiatives

• Ensure production of key communications materials such as the organization’s annual impact report and campaign collateral

• Manage relationships with communications vendors and external partners as needed

Development & Philanthropic Programs

Oversee the programs and systems that support Bright Star Schools’ fundraising and philanthropic engagement

Fundraising Systems & Infrastructure

• Build and maintain development systems that support effective grant tracking, donor management, and fundraising reporting
• Implement development strategies established by the Vice President of Public Affairs and executive leadership
• Maintain systems to track fundraising progress, donor engagement, and grant timelines

Institutional Giving & Grants

• Manage a portfolio of foundation and institutional prospects
• Lead grant writing, reporting, and submission processes
• Maintain a grants pipeline and calendar to ensure timely and strategic submissions.

Donor Engagement & Campaigns

• Support the cultivation and stewardship of individual donors, corporate partners, and philanthropic supporters
• Coordinate donor engagement opportunities in partnership with executive leadership
• Oversee the execution of recurring fundraising initiatives and campaigns

Leadership & Program Management

• Supervise the Senior Manager of Marketing and support the development of team members
• Ensure quality execution across communications and development programs
• Coordinate with internal teams—including Enrollment, Talent, and School Leadership—to align communications and development efforts with organizational priorities
• Identify operational improvements that strengthen communications systems, fundraising workflows, and donor engagement processes
• Escalate structural or strategic issues to the Vice President of Public Affairs when necessary

Values Alignment

• The Director of Communications & Development advances Bright Star Schools’ mission by strengthening how the organization communicates its impact and builds partnerships that support students and communities.
• Integridad: Communicates the organization’s work with authenticity, transparency, and care.
• Ubuntu: Builds trusting relationships that strengthen community support and collective investment in student success.
• Kohyang: Honors and elevates the voices of the communities Bright Star serves.
• Growth: Continuously improves systems and programs that strengthen organizational sustainability and impact.

Performance Outcomes

Success in this role is demonstrated through strong program performance and measurable impact, including:

• Effective implementation of communications and marketing programs that increase organizational visibility and engagement
• Consistent, high-quality messaging across internal and external communications channels
• Growth and management of a reliable pipeline of foundation grants and philanthropic partners
• Strong systems for tracking fundraising activity, grant deadlines, and donor engagement
• High-quality communications materials that support enrollment, recruitment, and organizational priorities
• Strong cross-functional coordination between communications, development, and internal teams

WHAT YOU’LL BRING:

Required Qualifications

• Exceptional writing skills with strong attention to detail
• Ability to communicate and interact effectively with multiple stakeholders
• Strategic and creative thinker with strong judgment
• Strong writing and visual design skills
• Demonstrated interest in and aptitude for fundraising and development work, including donor engagement, grant development, or revenue-generating initiatives
• Ability to build systems, processes, and tracking tools in an evolving or early-stage function
• Eagerness to learn new technology systems and skills
• Availability to represent Bright Star Schools at evening and occasional weekend events, including donor and community engagements
• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Minimum of 4–7 years relevant work experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graphic design experience
• Experience working in education or mission-driven nonprofit organizations

WHAT WE OFFER: 

Salary: $108, 000 - $148,577 

Status: Full time (40 hours) 

Location: Los Angeles, CA 

Benefits: Health, dental, vision, life insurance, short term disability, personal time off (PTO), 403b  Sponsored Plan, Disability Insurance, Holidays.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING:

Required Qualifications

• Exceptional writing skills with strong attention to detail
• Ability to communicate and interact effectively with multiple stakeholders
• Strategic and creative thinker with strong judgment
• Strong writing and visual design skills
• Demonstrated interest in and aptitude for fundraising and development work, including donor engagement, grant development, or revenue-generating initiatives
• Ability to build systems, processes, and tracking tools in an evolving or early-stage function
• Eagerness to learn new technology systems and skills
• Availability to represent Bright Star Schools at evening and occasional weekend events, including donor and community engagements
• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Minimum of 4–7 years relevant work experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graphic design experience
• Experience working in education or mission-driven nonprofit organizations

Salary : $108,000 - $148,577