Community Engagement Coordinator 

Hiring Range: $5,177.47 - $5,713.06 Monthly

*This recruitment will remain open until filled. 

*A requirement of this position is to be bilingual in both English and Spanish.  

About the Position: 

This position will play a lead role in planning, developing, managing, and executing the City’s public engagement initiatives. The ideal candidate will have experience managing and leading effective public outreach and engagement programs as well as a thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of public engagement, outreach, strategic planning, project management, and program evaluation. The candidate should thrive on collaboration and building strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders to help the public engage with its local government. This position requires someone with the expertise to assist in building inter-cultural and cultural awareness within the City. The candidate must exhibit passion for neighborhood development, resident participation, and the idea of people working together to create positive change. This position will require someone with the ability to effectively train City staff regarding diversity and inclusion, inter-cultural communication, community problem-solving, and public engagement to enhance positive community relationships.

What We Offer: 

We offer an excellent benefits package that supports quality work-life balance including health and dental insurance, retirement, paid leave, a City employee health clinic, and a wellness program. The City offers a 15-step pay plan.  The hiring range for Community Engagement Coordinator is $5,177.47 - $5,713.06 monthly, which represents steps 1 to 5 of our pay plan. Each year, with the approval of City Council, employees receive an additional step increase of 2.5%. 

About Our Culture:
At the City of Grand Junction, we lead the way with continuous improvement, collaborative partnerships, and exemplary service. Our core values are demonstrated by our willingness to challenge the status quo, ability to work together using all areas of expertise to achieve a common goal, and commitment to fulfilling the needs of our community through thoughtful interactions.

About the Area: 
Grand Junction, Colorado is the gateway to the mountains and canyonlands of western Colorado and eastern Utah. Centrally located between Denver, CO (250 miles east) and Salt Lake City, UT (270 miles west), Grand Junction is surrounded by 1.2 million acres of public land. Residents enjoy world-class whitewater rafting on the Colorado and Green Rivers, golfing, fishing, skiing and snowboarding, and exploring mountain bike and hiking trails through the Colorado National Monument and the Grand Mesa National Forest. Grand Junction has a robust downtown and hosts multiple art, music, food, and market events annually. With a population of over 150,000 in Mesa County (65,000 within the City limits) we have many of the big town amenities without the big town stresses such as traffic and trail congestion. With an average of 245 days of sunshine, Grand Junction is the perfect place to work and play.  See Visit Grand Junction for videos and information about our community.

Duties

What You'll Do: 

·        Work with City staff across multiple departments to identify engagement needs and develop project-level strategies for public involvement.

·        Plan and coordinate efforts for City programs to develop key communication messages to increase public participation and promote awareness of needs and services; create content and graphic design for various communication components and distribute information through various printed and electronic media, meetings, workshops, conferences, and the Internet. 

·        Develop and establish collaborative partnerships with a diverse set of people and organizations to include community groups, non-profits, non-governmental agencies, faith communities, businesses, schools, and service providers to identify and address issues; maintain and improve database of community contacts; develop and maintain neighborhood association and community association tracking systems and mailing lists.  

·        Identify, respond to, and document City Council and citizen issues, concerns, and requests for information; analyze neighborhood issues and create programs to address those issues as requested; create sustainable and measurable partnerships between neighborhoods, citizens, and the City; tie work to City Council strategic results and report performance.

·        Plan and coordinate a wide variety of community special projects and City-sponsored events and initiatives; prepare and deliver presentations and reports to community and neighborhood groups; represent the City in meetings with the public, community groups, and other key stakeholders to support resident decision-making, listen to concerns, and advocate for increased participation.  

·        Provide direct assistance to residents who need help in accessing and using City and community services including provision of bilingual services and/or access to bilingual services for residents and City departments.

·        Provide technical assistance and training to City staff regarding diversity and inclusion, inter-cultural communication, community problem-solving, public engagement methods and best practices, and other areas that enhance positive community relationships and promote inclusion.

·        Assist in facilitating cultural awareness activities within the community and building inter-cultural capacity for the City, community partners and community.

To view the full Community Engagement Coordinator Job Description click here. 

Qualifications

What We're Looking For: 

·        Three (3) or more years’ professional experience working in community engagement or public relations that include leading community outreach projects.

·        Bachelor's degree in communications, public affairs, public administration, or closely related field.

·        Bilingual in both English and Spanish.

·        Possession of, or ability to obtain a valid Colorado Driver’s license.

·        Possession of a certificate in public engagement preferred.

Other combinations of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements may be substituted.

Supplemental Information

For hearing/speech/visually impaired dial 711 (TTY). Contact Human Resources at (970) 244-1512 with questions. The City of Grand Junction is an Equal Opportunity Employer.