Associate Director, Community Engagement

Boston Cares

Job Description

About Boston Cares: Boston Cares partners with nonprofits and schools to expand their impact by mobilizing diverse people to collaboratively address our community’s critical needs. Founded in 1991, Boston Cares has mobilized people to provide over 1.3 million hours of service to the Greater Boston community addressing education and economic opportunity gaps, providing basic daily needs, connecting community members, and more. Our primary programs include our signature Calendar program engaging over 4000 individuals in flexible volunteer opportunities; our Allies for Immigrants program providing English language tutors to immigrants; and our Hands At Work corporate engagement services providing customized project management for 60+ companies annually. In 2022, we rolled out a new strategic plan focusing on impact, equity, and the role volunteerism can play in building strong, resilient communities. 
 
Learn more at www.bostoncares.org. 
 
Position Summary: Reporting to the Director of Corporate & Community Engagement, the Associate Director of Community Engagement will play an integral role in developing and implementing the community-centered aspects of our new strategic plan, with a specific focus on developing strong partnerships with community organizations in focused neighborhoods, attracting and engaging new volunteers, and demonstrating program impact that leads to an increase in engagement and organizational growth. 
 
Key responsibilities of the Associate Director, Community Engagement will include:  
  • Guide the development and expansion of programming to align with our strategic plan and neighborhood focus (60%)
    • Build & expand relationships in priority neighborhoods, working with new or existing coalitions of nonprofits and community organizations
    • Identify new community partners and develop relationships where Boston Cares can help address community needs
    • Work with nonprofit partners to identify needs that can be addressed by volunteers through current Boston Cares programming 
    • As appropriate, propose new program models with the support of key community partners to address community-identified needs 
    • Serve as the Boston Cares lead representative and main liaison with community leaders and organizations in our neighborhood focus areas 
    • Provide local neighborhood perspective insights to the Boston Cares team and corporate partners
    • Oversee the expansion of our volunteer recruitment and training programs, including building an inclusive program rooted in community-centric practices 
  • Build and articulate a compelling story about our programs and partnerships for an external audience that centers a community-informed narrative (20%)
    • Develop and implement a plan to collect impact metrics from community partners
    • Frame our work through storytelling that promotes our partnerships, dignifies and respects the community, and helps recruit new volunteers, partners, and potential funders
    • Support board committees working to expand funding and communications strategies
  • Manage a small team (currently two managers and a Northeastern Co-op student) responsible for daily program operations of the Calendar program and related programming, including volunteer & partner engagement and events such as MLK Weekend and Global Volunteer Month (20%)
 
Additionally, the Associate Director, Community Engagement will: 
  • Be an active member of the Boston Cares staff team
  • Engage with Board and Staff to further Boston Cares’ equity and inclusion goals, including serving on Board committees
  • Represent Boston Cares externally at service projects, with agency and corporate partners, and at other events
  • Support event implementation for corporate events, including on-site event leadership
 
This is a new and dynamic role on our team, with exciting opportunities to shape our programming and role in the Boston community. Ideal candidates will have: 
  • Experience working with volunteers and/or non-profit programming 
  • Bachelor’s degree or comparable work experience, with several years in a related professional role 
  • Deep knowledge and connection to the Boston community
  • Direct and meaningful experience living and/or working in Boston neighborhoods where our service is concentrated, such as Dorchester, Mattapan, East Boston, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain
  • Commitment to social justice and working to build a more equitable Boston
  • Interest in working with grassroots community leadership and building lasting relationships
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with varying audiences and skilled in determining which type of communication is needed in a situation
  • Strong attention to detail 
  • Interest in thinking strategically about the implementation of the “big picture”
  • Demonstrated experience working independently, and as part of a small team
  • Experience in people management and leading a small team
  • Familiarity with (or willingness to learn) Microsoft Office, Salesforce, social media platforms, and app-based productivity and communication tools
  • Occasional evening and weekend availability
  • Demonstrated ability to manage a project from start to finish
  • Willingness to support occasionally physically demanding service projects (standing for long periods, some lifting/carrying of supplies)
  • Fully vaccinated for Covid-19, per CDC definition
 
Compensation & Benefits:
Annual salary starting at $72,000, generous & flexible PTO policy, employer-supported health & dental insurance, 401k with employer match, life insurance, and more. Boston Cares currently offers a hybrid work environment with expectations for staff to be in our Charlestown office a minimum of two days per week; more frequent in-person work may be needed at various points (events, community meetings, etc). This is a full-time role averaging 40 hours per week on a Monday – Friday schedule, with occasional evening/weekend responsibilities. 
 
To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Laura Keith at laura.keith@bostoncares.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis to fill an immediate opening. No phone calls, please.
 
Boston Cares offers Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) without regard to age, race, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth), gender identity or expression, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, legally protected genetic information, marital status, veteran status, military status, sexual orientation, or any other factor determined to be an unlawful basis for such decisions by federal, state, or local statutes.