Community Engagement Manager
KaBOOM! - Washington, DC
Employment Type : Full-Time
Position Name: Community Engagement Manager
Department: Programs
About KABOOM!
KABOOM! works nationally to achieve playspace equity: where every kid has access to high-quality playspaces. We do this by amplifying the power of communities to build inspiring play spaces that spark unlimited opportunities for every kid, everywhere. We believe that the right to play is a social justice issue, and that systemic racism has created a gap in access to play for communities of color. We know that creating equitable access to play opportunities requires cross-sector partnerships and systems-level solutions and are driven to lead this collaboration.
Our Core Values
Our work is grounded in 5 core values that support an inclusive, fun and unique work experience internally and externally.- Partnership – Build networks of diverse partners that honor unique assets, balance power and strengthen connectivity across them
- Humility – Earn community trust through patient leadership, cultural understanding and shared decision-making
- Equity – Ensure that diverse voices are heard and inclusive decisions are made so that racially-equitable outcomes are achieved in advancing play space equity
- Play – Bring joy optimism and a strong sense of purpose to all that we do
- Accountability – Make and fulfill promises that support communities, reinforce our values and honor our principles
Summary of Position:
The Engagement and Outcomes Team is looking for a passionate, organized, and equity-focused individual to lead community-based projects and engagement strategies. This position will work within a cross-functional team and report to the Associate Director of Community Engagement within the Programs Department The Ideal Candidate Has Passion for and Experience In:- Leading and completing complex, long-term, fast-moving projects from beginning to end
- Partnering with communities to take action and create change
- Organizing others and yourself against immediate and long-term timelines
- Thinking strategically and creatively to solve for challenges, changing timelines, and ambiguity
- Facilitating group discussion to identify and establish progress towards community defined project outcomes.
- Writing and communicating clearly and persuasively to ensure internal and external audiences are inspired and informed
- Coaching communities using asset-based community development and participatory design methods
- Understanding root causes of racial inequities within systems
Your Day-to-Day Responsibilities
Partner Outreach and Communication- Research geography-specific demographic, income and racial data to identify areas of greatest need and create outreach strategies to target these areas
- Understand and communicate KABOOM!’s mission, values and programs to external groups including: municipal agencies, community-based nonprofits, schools, and corporate and foundation funding partners
- Build relationships with municipalities and other non-profits
- Review applications from potential partners for KABOOM! playspace project opportunities
- Partner with organizations through the playspace screening process, ensuring the potential project is a fit for Community Partner, Funding Partner and KABOOM!
- Advocate internally and externally for equitable community outcomes by clearly communicating challenges and solutions
- Confirm site viability by identifying and vetting on-site logistics plans
- Receive, review, and finalize necessary paperwork for grant consideration, including landownership documents and contracts
- Develop and execute detailed project plans to monitor and track progress across multiple projects and community partner organizations at one time
- Provide comprehensive project updates for internal and external partners including Funding Partners
Community Asset Mapping and Activation- Partner with local organizations to create customized, inclusive community engagement strategies; foster strong connections between project partners
- Create tools to support community member’s recruitment and inclusion efforts such as project websites, surveys, and promotional materials
- Organize and facilitate community meetings to identify and define assets, opportunities, goals and outcomes within a play space project
- Use gathered community information to help co-create project outcomes and parameters
Project Planning- Lead weekly planning calls to establish progress towards community-determined goals and prepare for build week events
- Support community partners in developing post-build programming and long-term site maintenance
- Work alongside Community Build Managers on event planning for Build Week, securing and communicating a plan for items such as food, volunteer recruitment, child supervision, and various other event logistics.
- Track and report project timelines and tasks
- Document expense projections and actuals and reconcile variance reports in collaboration with the Finance team
Departmental and Organizational Responsibilities- Participate in cross-department work groups as representative for Programs team
- Other duties as assigned
Travel Required- 8-12 Design Days annually
- On occasion, for high profile or large scale projects or relationship management purposes, the Community Engagement Manager may be expected to attend Build Week.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The employee must have the ability to maintain acceptable standards of conduct and work cooperatively as an effective team member of a diverse workforce. The employee is typically using a computer and other office equipment and seated at a desk for several hours of a work day. The employee may be required to stand and/or walk for extended hours in various weather conditions in preparation for, and during some Build Days. Employee must be able to travel independently; events can be scheduled on any day of the week.