Sr. Manager, Community Engagement

Position description 

Great MN Schools is hiring for a new position, a Senior Manager of Community Engagement, to drive the organization’s growing community engagement work. The person in this role will partner with community based organizations to assist Minneapolis families with K-12 students to better navigate the education system. The Senior Manager of Community Engagement position will report to the Vice President of Community Engagement and work closely with the Director of Community Resources. This role will require a candidate who is comfortable in a highly visible external-facing role and can flexibly and responsibly manage their time between priorities.

Responsibilities include:

Community activation

• The Sr. Manager of Community Engagement will be responsible for building and stewarding a wide array of relationships on behalf of Great MN Schools. This individual will lead/support work to activate engaged community members towards system level change on a school, district/city, or state level.
• Key activities include: designing public events that feel inclusive to all community members, supporting partner organizations with event/logistical needs (eg. arranging transportation, securing childcare, ordering food, booking spaces), tracking important legislation, and executing communications plans.

Supporting advocacy/policy partner grant programs

• Great MN Schools partners with education policy experts and community facing-organizations in the K-12 landscape to impact systemic change. This individual will support key elements of our grant program that directs investments in service of advocacy and policy priorities.
• Key activities include: helping draft RFPs, meeting with potential grant applicants, reviewing applications after they are submitted, building relationships with grantees, attending grantee events and presentations on behalf of GMS with the intention of furthering the relationship.

 Manage community partner convenings and quarterly community partner communications

• Great MN Schools brings together community organizations from across Minneapolis to support families in navigating the K-12 education system and advocating for key system solutions. This individual will be responsible for managing regular convenings and communications with this coalition with the aim of building their expertise, deepening their commitment to K-12 systems change, and fostering a sense of unity in driving towards education solutions for Minneapolis families.
• Key activities include: working with the operations team to organize and schedule events, working with the communications team to send out quarterly community coalition emails, and working closely with the community engagement team to align on content for events and communications.

 Manage community partner staff trainings, family workshops, and presentations

• Great MN Schools provides workshops and presentations on key education issues to community organizations, to the staff of community organizations and the families they serve. This individual will be responsible for executing this work, including in the evenings and on weekends.
• Key activities include: organizing and delivering workshops, working with the Director of Community Resources to tailor the content to the audience.

Manage Get on Board

• Get on Board is an intensive leadership development fellowship program designed to support individuals as they consider running for local school board positions. This individual will be responsible for executing the vision of the Get on Board advisory committee, which includes Voices for Racial Justice, Northside Achievement Zone, Ayada Leads, and Great MN Schools.
• Key activities include: facilitating and organizing advisory committee meetings to ensure common vision, managing relationships with contracted program support, attending all cohort meetings, identifying and recruiting speakers, and supporting key functions like recruitment, participant communication, program evaluation, etc.

 Qualifications

The ideal candidate has at least 5-7 years of professional experience supporting community engagement efforts toward meaningful change. This person is strategic, detail oriented, able to juggle multiple projects at once, enjoys working in a team setting, and brings a strong lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion to their work. This person is passionate about education and closing education opportunity gaps and the belief gap in Minneapolis. This person brings all or most of the following skills and personal characteristics:

Core Job Skills

• Experience working and building strong relationships across lines of difference, particularly in racially and ethnically diverse settings
• Strong interpersonal skills, and ability eagerness to connect with people from many different backgrounds
• Experience presenting to groups and/or facilitating learning workshops
• Experience managing multiple priorities simultaneously with strong attention to detail
• Ability to operate independently and in collaboration with others
• Demonstrated ability to manage timelines and meet deadlines, and proactively identify problems and potential solutions, resulting in an ability to move forward work in a fluid environment with significant flexibility
• Ability to learn quickly and adapt to changing circumstances
• A high bar for quality and accuracy
• Comfort and experience with Microsoft Office or Google Suite (applications like Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and a willingness to learn applications you may be unfamiliar with

Desired Qualifications

• Fluency in Spanish or Somali is highly desired, but not required
• General familiarity with grantmaking (as a recipient or grantor)
• Experience with professional development programs or fellowships

Personal characteristics

• Commitment to Great MN Schools’ mission and vision to transform K-12 education so that children of all races, means, and origins access excellent and equitable schools:
  • Mission—Ensure every child attends a great school that prepares them to thrive in their lives, careers, and community
  • Values—Honesty, Inclusivity, Intentionality, Courage, and Collaboration
• Growth mindset
• Strong work ethic and results orientation - willingness to get the job done and done well
• Ability to apply an equity lens in their work and actively participate in the organization’s DEI work
• Comfort in approaching new contacts to engage them in conversations
• Enthusiasm, team-orientation, and positive energy
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with a strong commitment to collaboration
• Eager to build relationships on behalf of GMS and willing to connect with external community members on a regular basis

Location/Hours

Great MN Schools offices in the Minneapolis North Loop WeWork office located at 729 Washington Ave N. Team members are expected to work from the office two days a week (currently Tuesday and Wednesday). This role will require significant time spent outside of the office, working in the Minneapolis community, including frequent evenings and weekends. We give family presentations and attend community events when families are free.

Compensation
$75,000-$90,000, plus a competitive benefits package, including 401K match, health, vision, and dental insurance, disability coverage, and access to HSA and FSA plans. Employees are also eligible for the team bonus program, designed to support collaboration and collective ownership, and to recognize shared impact on organizational goals.

Apply by June 14, 2023

Please fill out this form including your application materials.

Great MN Schools is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity within our team. We encourage applicants who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and people from households with low incomes to apply.