Community Engagement Manager

  • Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center
  • Bellingham, WA
  • Nov 16, 2020
Full time PR Event Planning Manager Nonprofit-Social Services

Job Description

Job Description: Community Engagement Manager
Employment status: 1 FTE, hourly, benefitted
Reports to: Executive Director (ED)
Starting wage range: DOE

Working Conditions: The WDRC continually strives to provide a supportive, healthy, and productive work environment. Every staff member plays an active role in contributing positively to our organizational culture. Staff serve the public through a variety of programming both onsite within WDRC owned and rented facilities, and in public and private spaces. Given the nature of the WDRC’s mission and services, the possibility of exposure to escalated emotion and offensive language from the public exists. The WDRC expects staff to respond to these instances with diplomacy, tact, and compassion. Note: During COVID, most staff are working remotely, and physical offices are closed to the public.

Position summary: The Community Engagement Manager (CEM) is a key staff member in our nonprofit organization. The CEM is responsible for working closely with the Executive Director, Board, and other staff to advance development efforts, promote community awareness, and create opportunities for engaging with our organization. We are seeking a wonderful individual to join our team and serve our community by modeling the WDRC’s core values and embodying a warm, welcoming, and professional approach while interacting with volunteers, donors, partners, clients, staff, and the community at large. This position is an ideal opportunity for an enthusiastic, creative, driven, and experienced individual who believes in our mission and is committed to strengthening our organization. The successful candidate will both bring vision and leadership to a collaborative environment, and be able to successfully implement operational plans.

Primary Position Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

  • Engage as a thought partner with the ED to cultivate resources and relationships to sustain & grow the organization;

  • Work closely with ED and staff to maintain positive relationships with donors, other organizations, government agencies, and community supporters;

  • Design and implement the Fund Development Plan, in coordination with ED and Board;

  • Participate in Board Fund Development committee meetings;

  • Coordinate Board involvement in community engagement activities;

Fund Development

  • Oversee agency fundraising, outreach, and special events to ensure and maximize their success and impact;

  • Cultivate donor relations; design appeals, and solicit, receive, and acknowledge donor contributions;

  • Identify new donors and sponsors in collaboration with ED and Board;

  • Oversee our organization’s donor database;

  • Maintain annual grants calendar; track application and reporting deadlines;

  • Research, write, and manage grants and grant reporting in alignment with agency’s strategic and operational plans;

  • Write grant acknowledgment letters.

Community Engagement Development

  • Design and develop messaging and marketing materials to tell our story and promote our programs, services, and events to current and new targeted audiences;

  • Identify and support opportunities to reach diverse, underserved communities in collaboration with Staff and Board;

  • Serve as liaison with media; ensure timely press releases are written and issued;

  • Establish and manage annual communications and outreach calendar;

  • Oversee external communications including newsletters, e-blasts, social media, and web presence;

  • Oversee agency-wide data collection and metrics, including coordinating with staff to research and compile internal and external statistics to demonstrate efficacy and impact of WDRC services;

  • Oversee design, publishing, and distribution of the annual report;

  • Facilitate and manage outreach opportunities and participate in networking to advance our community visibility;

Team Leadership

  • Coordinate and direct the work of staff members, board members, and volunteers working on community engagement and fund development efforts;

  • Contribute to effective teamwork among staff;

  • Actively participate in staff meetings and agency events and activities;

  • Collaborate with other staff to achieve organization’s mission and contribute to shared staff responsibilities;

  • Support other initiatives and tasks as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

  1. BA or comparable education in related field and minimum 3-5 years relevant experience;

  2. Demonstrated experience in the ability to direct, coordinate, and supervise the work of others;

  3. Belief in and understanding of our mission, and familiarity with mediation and conflict resolution;

  4. Demonstrable cultural humility and awareness, and capable of mindfully interacting with diverse people;

  5. Demonstrated track record of fund development, including grant procurement;

  6. Event coordination and project management experience;

  7. Public relations and communications experience;

  8. Comfort and ease with technology and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs);

  9. Flexibility, including ability to occasionally work early morning, evening, and weekend hours;

  10. Exceptional organizational skills, and a high level of attention to detail;

  11. Excellent verbal and written communicator, and an outstanding listener;

  12. Strong sense of initiative, sense of humor, and compassion;

  13. Desire and ability to work collaboratively;

  14. Excellent proficiency with Windows applications, experience with relational databases;

  15. Able to create mail merges and templates, customize spreadsheets, setup queries and reports;

  16. Ability to enlist support, delegate, and work effectively with volunteers;

  17. Ability to multi-task, manage time, meet deadlines, and address emergent issues;

  18. Ability to work comfortably with limited supervision;

  19. Ability to troubleshoot/problem solve as issues arise;

  20. Ability to lift 30 lbs;

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

  1. Bilingual in Spanish

  2. Familiarity with Whatcom County businesses, organizations, and community at large

  3. Experience with development and implementation of strategic and operational plans

  4. Proficiency with Canva, In-Design, or equivalent layout application;

To apply: Submit cover letter, resume, and three professional references to Jaina Gemin, Search Coordinator, at jaina@whatcomdrc.org . Use the subject line: Community Engagement Manager Position Application (YOUR NAME)

Due by: Preference for applications received before noon on Monday, November 23; open until filled

URL

www.whatcomdrc.org/volunteer-and-job-opportunities

Salary

DOE