Community Engagement Strategist

Overview

As the Strategist – Community Engagement, you will develop and implement comprehensive community engagement plans related to proposed service changes, service development, and other community-impacting projects. You will manage projects from start to finish, ensuring deliverables are completed on time and within assigned parameters.

Essential Duties

• Design and execute the agency’s community engagement plans for assigned projects.  Evaluate and recommend the most effective and appropriate strategies and tactics for reaching intended audiences. 
• Administer the messaging for the public and our customers regarding community engagement projects. 
• Provide project management for community engagement related to service changes, fare changes, and other planning projects. Create reports and spreadsheets on community input activities. Manage projects from start to finish, ensuring deliverables are completed on time and within assigned parameters.
• Coordinate development and maintenance of community engagement materials such as webpages, social media posts, newsletters, flyers, fact sheets, rider alerts, surveys, and engagement tracking tools.  Work with agency staff and consultants to get materials produced, updated, and distributed, and develop materials as needed.
• Support the development of strategies that address concerns raised by stakeholders, community groups, and riders to improve the rider experience, particularly when it comes to equitable service issues.  Serve as a primary point of contact for stakeholder groups and community members. 
• Plan and attend meetings and community outreach activities throughout the agency. Coordinate and communicate with staff and volunteers. Participate in external work groups when necessary.  Prepare and present materials, reports, and other documents, as needed. 
• Continuously learn about community engagement principles and best practices.  Implement new developments and tools. 
• Perform other duties of a similar nature or level.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• 4 years of experience in multiple areas of community engagement and communications (facilitation, outreach, customer service, community relations, copywriting, etc.).
• 4 years of experience in creating and executing community engagement strategies, projects, and initiatives.
• A bachelor’s degree may account for 3 years of experience.

An equivalent combination of education and experience to successfully perform the job duties is also accepted.

 

Knowledge Requirements

• Cultural Competency: Inclusive communication strategies that include but are not limited to representation, cultural competency, people-first language, and an inclusive review process.
• Intermediate community engagement and communication strategies, trends, practices, techniques, and tools.
• Techniques for preparing and presenting written and oral information.

Skill Requirements

• Fostering an inclusive workplace by upholding Community Transit’s core values in support of the organization’s vision and mission.  Inspiring team commitment, pride, and trust while promoting cooperation and motivating members to achieve shared goals. Demonstrating courtesy, sensitivity, and respect in all interactions.
• Intermediate project management skills with the ability to manage a project from start to finish.
• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Interpreting, explaining, and administering policies and procedures.
• Implementing and evaluating community engagement and communications goals.
• Collaborating with teams across multiple disciplines to facilitate approvals, meet deadlines, and produce quality products. Developing and attaining consensus across diverse groups of stakeholders.
• Establishing and maintaining effective interpersonal relationships with teams, employees, supervisors, managers, board members, and the public.
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills, including using a variety of styles and public speaking skills and developing and presenting ideas orally and in writing, including working with people who speak languages other than English.
• Working effectively under pressure, managing multiple assignments, setting objectives, meeting deadlines, and adjusting to changing priorities.
• Leading daily tasks and communicating needs and status to internal partners and external consultant staff.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

• Previous experience working with people from diverse racial, ethnic, identity, and socioeconomic backgrounds, especially people who speak Spanish.
• Transit industry experience.