Director of Community Engagement and Outreach job

About the Role

The Director of Community Engagement and Outreach serves as the strategic and operational lead for CEO’s resident-facing engagement efforts. This role oversees all outreach programming and guides the coordinated approach to initial resident engagement, relationship building, and connection to resources and opportunities within Place-Based Initiatives (PBI). The Director will directly supervise Community Managers who lead day-to-day outreach operations, ensuring consistent execution of door-to-door outreach, phone and text banking, community event engagement, initial needs identification, and resource navigation. The Director will also contribute to broader planning for future phases of resident engagement, collaborate with internal partners, and ensure outreach activities align with CEO’s commitment to high-impact, community-centered engagement.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Community Engagement and Outreach team, including Managers, Coordinators, and contractor-supported outreach roles.
• Lead development and implementation of comprehensive outreach plans integrating door-to-door canvassing, phone/text banking, event engagement, and visibility strategies.
• Ensure a cohesive Phase 1 engagement experience for residents, focusing on needs identification, resource navigation, and opportunity connections.
• Maintain communication with teams responsible for later phases of community engagement to align outreach efforts with organizational goals.
• Guide the team’s approach to collecting resident insights and ensure this information informs programming, partnerships, and decision-making.
• Collaborate with internal partners (e.g., Data and Evaluation, Community Resources) to align goals, improve coordination, and operationalize resident voice.
• Provide strategic direction, staffing support, training oversight, and workflow management across outreach operations.
• Identify and apply best practices in outreach, organizing, and community relationship development across PBI and CEO.
• Work closely with the Deputy Executive Director of Place-Based Initiatives and PBI Directors to advance the strategic vision of PBI.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Associates degree or equivalent experience; equivalencies in formal advanced degree and experience will be considered.
• Previous work in the non-profit or public sector is ideal.
• Strong community engagement background is a plus.
• At least 6 years of progressive management experience, with 2 years in a supervisory or managerial capacity.

Skills

• Deep knowledge of outreach and community engagement best practices.
• Strong strategic thinking and ability to align operations with organizational priorities.
• Proven ability to coach, supervise, and develop managers.
• Strong cross-team collaboration and systems thinking.
• Excellent communication skills, including strategic planning, presentations, and reporting.
• Proven project management experience overseeing multi-component operations.
• Sound judgment and flexible decision-making in dynamic community environments.
• Complex problem-solving and ability to anticipate operational needs.
• Ability to create realistic action plans and meet deadlines.
• Ability to model best practices and foster a culture of community-centered engagement.

Benefits

• Unlimited FREE public transportation through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program.
• 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Comprehensive health coverage for employees and eligible dependents.
• Wellness program offering eligibility into a discounted medical plan.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Generous retirement savings options.
• Eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• Tuition discounts and scholarships at over a dozen local colleges and universities (10-40% savings for employees and, in some cases, spouses and dependents).

Salary Range: $80,000 - $95,000

Additional Information: The successful candidate must be a City of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire. Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for non-medical, non-emergency, or non-patient-facing positions.