Community Engagement Coordinator

Position Summary

The Community Engagement Coordinator supports Friendship Shelter's fundraising, communications, volunteer, and community outreach efforts by helping build and strengthen relationships with donors, volunteers, community partners, and the public. Working closely with the Development team and other staff, this position assists with donor communications, volunteer coordination, community events, social media, website updates, and media outreach to increase awareness and support for Friendship Shelter's mission to end homelessness. The Community Engagement Coordinator contributes to meaningful engagement opportunities that inspire community involvement, strengthen partnerships, and advance the organization's fundraising and outreach goals.

As a member of the Friendship Shelter team, the Community Engagement Coordinator is expected to embody the organization's core values in every interaction and initiative. This includes demonstrating compassion and acceptance by recognizing the inherent value of every individual and fostering an environment of empowerment and redemption; embracing responsibility through the thoughtful stewardship of relationships, resources, and organizational reputation; acting with integrity by communicating with honesty, consistency, respect, and kindness; exercising creativity and flexibility by developing engaging outreach strategies and adapting to the evolving needs of the organization and community; and fostering community by promoting collaboration, open communication, and meaningful engagement with program participants, supporters, volunteers, staff, and community partners.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

Community Relations

· Support Development and Administration Assistant in donation tracking, helping develop reports and writing acknowledgement templates, invitations, newsletters and electronic touch points in Bloomerang as needed.

· Manage donor and constituent communications, ensuring all messaging is consistent in support of Friendship Shelter’s values, mission and current priorities. This includes ensuring timely and consistent written communication, up-to-date web site content and social media on a weekly basis.

· Represent Friendship Shelter, seeking to provide leadership when appropriate, to external groups focused on system-wide outreach and marketing for the housing & homelessness sector.

· Write and share press releases for events and notable organization announcements within 48 hours of the working week, in alignment with publication deadlines. Serve as point of contact for media inquiries, connecting press to appropriate staff.

· Assist in the execution of organizational fundraising and community events, working as a supportive and productive team member in any manner needed to ensure a positive result.

Volunteer coordination

· Lead volunteer communications and recruitment, including posting opportunities, scheduling, tracking/reporting on volunteer activities, and coordinating on-site staff management of volunteers. Work with various program leads to identify specific volunteer/in-kind donation needs.

· Lead activities and efforts to engage community groups in south Orange County and provide staff support to activities and events initiated by such groups that promote or support Friendship Shelter’s mission at least once a month.

· Develop and continuously enhance advanced knowledge of community engagement and volunteer management best practices (including volunteer/donor CRM utilization); identify opportunities to improve processes and systems to advance department goals.

Minimum Qualifications 

The following are the minimum job-related qualifications which an individual needs to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the job.

· Minimum of 2 years of communications, volunteer management or fund development experience.

· Previous experience working with a board of directors or similar advisory group in a staff support role preferred.

· Previous experience using a donor database. Bloomerang preferred.

· Previous experience representing an organization in public settings.

· Knowledge of best practices working with volunteers, organizational messaging and social media.

· Desire to be a part of a team that is passionately committed to ending homelessness.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

· Highly flexible and proactive in approach to performing a variety of important, confidential, and complex tasks with constantly changing priorities.

· Ability to generate new initiatives and relationships, to recognize new opportunities for Friendship Shelter and to articulate these efforts/opportunities to team members with recommendations for next steps.

· A collaborative, positive, and mature approach, an ethic of teamwork, and a commitment to the mission of helping homeless people.

· Outstanding interpersonal/customer service skills.

· First-rate attention to detail, organizational skills, and accuracy.

· Strong problem-solving ability and balanced judgment.

· Superior oral and written communication skills.

· Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, Outlook, and web browsers.

· Familiarity with nonprofit organizations preferred.

Environmental & Physical Requirements

Office/ Non-Sedentary Requirements

The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the job. Work will be performed in shared spaces within the office environment and may involve interacting with others. Typically requires the ability to spend 66%+ hours each workday doing the following activities: stand for extended periods of time, walk, bend, stoop, or climb. It may require the ability to lift and/or push up to 25 pounds 33% - 66% of the time. Driving a personal vehicle to meetings and program sites is required.

Additional Information Regarding Friendship Shelter Job Duties and Job Descriptions

Job duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one’s supervisor or the Executive Director on work related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position. The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job positions or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law. The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by law.

Any estimate, schedule, or guideline provided to associates in this job description or elsewhere in connection with their jobs is intended to help describe job duties and for planning purposes. Regardless of any such estimate, schedule, or guideline, employees must always record all time worked for our company (which includes but is not limited to on-site work time at a shelter, office, or other work location; required waiting time; administrative time; and work-related travel time).