Communications and Community Engagement Specialist

Description
Responsible for supporting and advancing the organization’s communications, media relations, community engagement, outreach initiatives and special events. Develops and distributes communication materials, manages media and public relations activities, coordinates community partnerships and organizational representation, oversees the Veteran Outreach Program, and maintains engagement tracking systems to strengthen community awareness, relationship, and mission impact.

The Elizabeth Hospice is San Diego's oldest non-profit hospice of 45 years. We are growing and looking for talented individuals to join our high performing team and support our mission. We serve all of San Diego County and south Riverside County with multiple hospice office locations.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Schedule may require some evenings and weekends.

Salary: $85,000- $95,000 annually. Compensation is determined by experience.

Work Location: Escondido, CA

Travel: Moderate travel required. may be required to travel to multiple sites.

Requirements
Communications & Media Relations

Develop, write, edit, and distribute press releases, media advisories, newsletters, and other communication materials.

Ensure consistent representation of organization’s mission, brand identity, and key messages in all communication channels.

Collaborate with all departments to identify and develop compelling stories and media opportunities.

Develop and implement strategic communication and public awareness campaigns.

Manage media relations and support social media and digital communication initiatives.

Respond to media inquiries, coordinate appropriate responses.

Respond to community inquiries received via email or phone, and redirect to the appropriate departments.

Cultivate, collaborate and maintain relationships with media representatives and community organizations.

Develop and maintain media contact databases and distribution lists.

Track and evaluate communications, media coverage, and programmatic campaign effectiveness; provide regular reports.

Community Engagement & Partnerships

Develop and maintain relationships with community organizations, healthcare partners, veteran organizations, chambers of commerce, service clubs, faith-based organizations, and other community stakeholders.

Represent the organization at community meetings, networking events, health fairs, educational programs, and mission-related activities.

Identify opportunities for community partnerships, sponsorships of external community engagement events, speaking engagements, and collaborative outreach initiatives.

Coordinate organizational participation in community outreach activities that increase awareness and support of the organization’s mission.

Community Relationship Tracking

Maintain a centralized database of community organizations, key contacts, and stakeholder relationships.

Track and document organizational, leadership, staff, and volunteers with community organizations and community initiatives.

Generate reports identifying engagement opportunities, partnership activity, referral sources, and community relationship trends.

Maintain records of outreach activities, partnership meetings, external community engagement event participation, and follow-up actions.

Public Outreach

Coordinate planning, logistics, promotion, and evaluation of external community engagement events, educational programs, recognition ceremonies, and outreach activities.

Collaborate with internal departments and external partners to ensure successful execution of events.

Coordinate organizational presence at health fairs, conferences, community celebrations, and other public events.

Track attendance, outcomes, and return-on-investment metrics for outreach and community engagement events.

Veteran Outreach Program

Coordinate and oversee the Veteran Outreach Program, including training staff and volunteers on veteran‑specific initiatives and recognition activities.

Coordinate Veterans Pinning Ceremonies, Vet‑to‑Vet Volunteer Program activities, and veteran-focused community outreach efforts.

Develop relationships with veteran organizations and community partners to increase awareness and participation in veteran services and programs.

Promote veteran-related events, educational opportunities, and organizational resources.

Community Volunteer Engagement

Coordinate with volunteer manager for participation in community outreach events, educational programs, community grief gatherings, and organizational initiatives.

Match community volunteers and ambassadors with outreach, event, and program opportunities based on organizational needs and volunteer interests.

Maintain communication with community volunteer department regarding upcoming opportunities, events, and program support needs.

Work with Volunteer Manager to track volunteer participation, engagement, and contributions for reporting, recognition, and program evaluation purposes.

Collaborate with the Volunteer Department to identify and develop meaningful volunteer opportunities that support organizational outreach and community engagement goals.

Reporting & Performance Metrics

Develop and maintain dashboards and reports related to:

Media coverage

Community engagement

Community partnerships

Programmatic Event participation

Veteran outreach activities

Organizational representation in the community

Prepare monthly and quarterly reports demonstrating community impact and outreach effectiveness.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Public Relations, Marketing, Community Relations, Nonprofit Management or Communications and 3-5 years of experience in communications, marketing, or public relations with measurable results, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Competencies in Relationship Management, Event Coordination, Data and Reporting and Public Speaking.

Actively involved in the San Diego and Veteran community, preferred.

Published material preferred.

Intermediate to Advanced desktop publishing; proficient in Microsoft Office – Word, PowerPoint; Outlook.

Current California driver’s license and proof of auto insurance.

Benefits

Competitive hospice industry compensation

Benefits package with multiple plan offerings and generous employer contribution

401(k) Retirement plan with employer match

Supportive work culture which encourages work life balance

Paid Time Off, paid holidays & floating holiday

Employee development program managed by in‑house education department to support individualized orientation and professional growth needs.

Tuition Reimbursement program

Monthly mileage reimbursement

Employee Referral Program

We place a high importance on our employees and reward staff in several ways as follows:

Competitive hospice industry compensation

Benefits package with multiple plan offerings and generous employer contribution

401(k) Retirement plan with employer match

Supportive work culture which encourages work life balance

Paid Time Off, paid holidays & floating holiday

Employee development program managed by in‑house education department to support individualized orientation and professional growth needs.

Tuition Reimbursement program

Monthly mileage reimbursement

Employee Referral Program

"The Elizabeth Hospice is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law."

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