Executive & Communications Manager presso California Indian Legal Services Inc

Description

PROGRAM SUMMARY:

Founded in 1967, California Indian Legal Services (CILS) is the oldest public interest Indian rights law firm in the country, promoting the fundamental rights of California Tribes and Indians through litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, community development, and other strategies for systemic change. CILS provides a full range of legal representation to California Indian Tribes and Indian organizations, advocates for the rights of California Indians at the local, state, and national levels, and provides direct services and community education to low-income Native American individuals on issues related to Federal Indian Law. Currently, CILS offers services statewide and maintains four offices throughout California – Eastern (Bishop), Southern (Escondido), Northern (McKinleyville), and Central (Sacramento). This position is in the Principal Office, located in Sacramento, CA. For additional information about CILS, go to our website at www.calindian.org.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Executive & Communications Manager at California Indian Legal Services (CILS) plays a critical role in advancing the mission of the organization by providing direct support to the Executive Director and Board of Trustees. This position manages organizational communications — including social media, press releases, newsletters, the Annual Report, and website content — while upholding brand standards and strengthening CILS’s visibility. The Executive & Communications Manager also supports CILS’s Capitol Presence by organizing, coordinating, and promoting legislative and policy initiatives, advocacy events, trainings, and Tribal engagement activities. This dynamic role requires strategic thinking, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to independently lead projects and priorities with professionalism and impact

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Position Highlights

As the Executive & Communications Manager at CILS, you will:

• Support Executive Projects: Serve as a trusted partner to the Executive Director by managing and leading delegated tasks, projects, and priorities with independence and accuracy.
• Coordinate Governance: Lead the quarterly meeting preparation and execution of the Board of Trustees and its Committees, ensuring smooth meetings, accurate records and clear communication of actions and decisions.
• Lead Communications: Manage CILS’s external communications through social media, press releases, newsletters, website updates, the Annual Report, and branding.
• Advance Advocacy: Support CILS’s Capitol Presence by organizing, coordinating, and promoting legislative and policy initiatives, advocacy events, trainings, Tribal Roundtables, and other key Capitol-based activities.
• Strengthen Organization: Maintain internal communication tools, resources, and processes that keep staff informed and aligned with the strategic plan.

Duties and Responsibilities

Executive Support & Project Management

•  Provide high-level support to the Executive Director through delegated duties and special projects.
•  Leads projects on behalf of the Executive Director using project management tools and principles.
•  Book travel, reconcile spending accounts, and process reimbursements for the Executive Director and Board.
•  Receive and triage staff requests for Executive Director requests approvals.
•  Administrative support as needed.

Board & Governance Management

•  Schedule and coordinate Board of Trustees meetings.
•  Coordinate the collection of and preparation of meeting materials.
•  Draft and distribute meeting minutes.
•  Maintain internal Board files and records.
•  Serve as the bylaws expert and update as requested by the Board.
•  Communicate Board action items and ensure follow-up on Board actions and decisions to staff and stakeholders.

Capitol Presence & Strategic Initiatives

•  Carryout organizational and communications for CILS’s Capitol Presence efforts, including legislative and policy initiatives, advocacy events, trainings, and Tribal engagement activities.
•  Coordinate logistics, promotion, and follow-up for Capitol-based activities to ensure visibility, professionalism, and impact.
•  Lead implementation of strategic plan initiatives, ensuring progress is tracked and communicated.
•  Attend Capitol events to support Executive Director and create communications to share with Tribal communities and Tribes.
•  Maintain the strategic plan tracker and ensure automations are functional.
•  Lead organization and distribution of bills analysis.

Communications & Public Relations

•  Design, create, curate, and schedule social media content to enhance visibility of CILS.
•  Draft press releases and coordinate distribution.
•  Develop and distribute newsletters through Constant Contact and other platforms.
•  Coordinate the development of the Annual Report, including gathering content, drafting, editing, and design coordination.
•  Capture video and photos at Capitol and community events to develop content for social media and communications.
•  Maintain and update the CILS website with current content and resources.
•  Uphold brand standards by maintaining templates for presentations, letterhead, and outreach materials.
•  Design and coordinate production of branded materials and promotional materials.
•  Manage donation program communications and promotion.

Organizational Communications & Internal Resources

•  Collect and update content for the staff intranet for the Executive Director.
•  Ensure consistent messaging and information flow across the organization.
•  Support organization-wide communication needs as directed.
•  Serve as Executive Director’s delegate for information and resources.

COMPENSATION & CLASSIFCIATION

Salary Range:

Competitive salary: $69,159 – $82,141 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications. CILS creates job position wage and salary ranges using data from California non-profit legal services annual data sources; employees are placed within a range depending on degrees, certifications, experience, qualifications, and other factors.

Reports To:

Executive Director

Employment Status:

Full-time, Exempt

BENEFITS:

CILS provides an extensive benefits package, including:

•  Multiple high-quality, and low-cost medical plans.
•  100% coverage for the employee and 90% for dependent premiums.
•  Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible medical/dental, dependent care, and public transportation expenses.
•  403(b) retirement plan with employer match.
•  17 paid holidays annually (includes office closure from December 24-January 1) plus an additional day for your birthday.
•  Vacation time off, starting at 13 days accrued per year.
•  Sick leave is set at 12 days per year.• Paid leave for jury duty/witness services, Election Day, bereavement.
•  Free professional development courses and learning opportunities.
•  Employee Assistance Program with access to free mental health services.
•  Loan Repayment Assistance Program for eligible attorney positions.
•  Supplemental insurance, including additional life and disability coverage.

LOCATION:

This position is in person in the Principal Office (Sacramento, CA) Mondays through Fridays with optional teleworking on Mondays and Fridays.

TO APPLY:

Submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references. We will accept applications until the position is filled, but CILS does not accept incomplete applications.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree (communications, public policy, nonprofit management, Native American studies or related field preferred).
• Minimum of three years’ experience in a nonprofit, Tribal organization/government, or legal setting.
• Demonstrated programmatic or project management experience (minimum three years).

Knowledge & Cultural Competency

• Solid understanding of Native Americans and Tribes in California.
• Experience working directly with Tribal communities in any capacity.

Communications & Media

• Proven experience creating and managing organizational social media platforms.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with ability to draft clear, compelling content for diverse audiences.
• Experience drafting press releases, newsletters, or public-facing organizational communications.

Professional Skills

• High attention to detail and strong organizational/time management skills.
• Ability to balance multiple projects and work independently while meeting deadlines.
• Excellent judgment, discretion, and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Strong interpersonal skills with a professional, reliable, and collaborative approach.
• Potential to supervise administrative support staff as organize grows

Technology Skills

• Expertise in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Word, Excel).
• Proficiency with communications and design tools including Canva, Constant Contact, and Hootsuite (or similar social media scheduling platforms).
• Experience Familiarity updating and maintaining websites using WordPress (or comparable CMS).
• Proficient with Zoom and PDF editors for professional collaboration and document management.
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new platforms and digital tools.

Preferred Qualifications

•  Experience updating and maintaining websites using WordPress (or comparable CMS).
•  Familiarity with California legislative or Capitol processes, including event coordination and communications.
•  Demonstrated experience in nonprofit communications design, branding, or multimedia content creation.
•  Ability to capture and edit photos or videos for professional use.
•  Experience supporting Board governance, including meeting logistics, minutes, and follow-up tracking.