HNS Community Engagement Specialist

Department: Housing & Neighborhood Services Department

Salary: $60,612.00 - $87,129.74 Commensurate with Experience

Welcome to the City of Charlotte

Charlotte is America’s Queen City, opening her arms to a diverse and inclusive community of residents, businesses and visitors alike. Here you will find a safe, family-oriented city where people work together to help everyone thrive. The mission of the City of Charlotte is to deliver quality public services and promote the safety, health, and quality of life for all residents.

Our guiding principles include:

• Attracting and retaining a skilled and diverse workforce

• Valuing teamwork, openness, accountability, productivity, and employee development

• Providing all customers with courteous, responsive, accessible, and seamless quality services

• Taking initiative to identify, analyze, and solve problems

• Collaborating with stakeholders to make informed decisions

SUMMARY

The Community Engagement Division of the City of Charlotte’s Housing & Neighborhood Services Department is a recognized leader in the area of empowering residents and youth to engage through leadership development and proactive community improvement through our model of information sharing, inclusion, planning, resource delivery, and celebration of community efforts.

Neighborhood Engagement Service Team members are assigned to an area of the City in order to develop meaningful relationships in the community and understand the unique characteristics and needs of each community served. The Community Engagement Liaison is part of a team that is the first point of contact for stakeholders, residents, businesses and neighborhood organizations in his/or her area. The focus is to work with area neighborhoods, businesses and other community stakeholders to solve problems, promote redevelopment, strengthen neighborhood organizations, improve infrastructure and act as a point of contact to all City agencies.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Advocacy: As advocates for Charlotte communities, seek to maintain a balance between meeting the needs of both the City and individual neighborhoods
• Coordination: To improve the quality of life in Charlotte neighborhoods, align City resources, projects and initiatives to meet community needs
• Information: Provide information about available programs and services directly to individual citizens and neighborhood groups and help facilitate connections where possible
• Problem Solving: Work with neighborhoods and community groups to empower them to develop and implement solutions that create positive change
• Communication: Present information effectively, both orally and in writing, to elected City officials and civic/community groups. Must also be able to effectively communicate with citizens of varying socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Must be comfortable handling conflict resolution with staff and community members
• Public speaking: Develop and deliver PowerPoint and other presentations to community groups, business organizations, and internal departments regarding neighborhood and business programs
• Facilitation: Lead meetings, dialogue sessions and focus groups with community groups and staff teams to achieve desired objectives. Attend evening and weekend City and community meetings
• Leadership/Initiative: Serve as the liaison between the City and nonprofit agencies, private companies, neighborhood organization and business groups
• Research and analysis: Conduct trend and gap analysis to assess neighborhood and business conditions to determine needed improvements and/or training. Identify, analyze and resolve neighborhood and business issues.  Conduct research on new programs/national initiatives
• Strategic planning: Assist neighborhood and business organizations in developing goals and a mission.  Develop a work plan to identify actions that will achieve those objectives 
• Project planning and management: Plan and implement revitalization plans, activities and special events; assist organizations in doing the same

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent customer service skills
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to work effectively and cooperatively in a team environment
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and diplomacy skills
• Ability to effectively interact and communicate with people and organizations of diverse backgrounds
• Ability to facilitate meetings and focus groups to confidently and sensitively lead diverse groups of people
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment
• Must be proficient in computer and software usage, including Microsoft products
• Excellent public-speaking, presentation and facilitation skills
• Must work well under pressure with competing priorities
• Proven ability to use effective judgment
• Strong public relations skills helpful
• Computer skills: Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Office applications.  Strong web research ability
• Must be able to work independently and on teams to promote citizen involvement in neighborhood and business issues.
• Requires ability to work cooperatively with neighborhood leaders, City officials, City staff, team members, media representatives and the general public.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. Degree in urban planning, business administration, public administration, social work, education or related field preferred
• Experience preferably in business, public service, government work, social work or related field
• Knowledge of urban design and revitalization desired
• Bilingual (Spanish) a plus, but not required

Minimum Qualifications:

Requires a high school diploma or equivalent with three years of relevant experience, an associate degree with one year of relevant experience, or a bachelor’s degree. Must be proficient using Microsoft Office.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The City’s Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes, but is not limited to: reference checks, social security verification, education verification, criminal conviction record check, and, if applicable, a credit history check, sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidate’s written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report, motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process, candidates may be asked to take a skills test, and/or participate in other assessments.

The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or on the basis of actual or perceived gender as expressed through dress, appearance, or behavior.

Our culture is to serve the community honorably.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.

You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby, where self-service application kiosks are available. They are located in our office at 700 East 4th Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28202. We are open Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST), excluding official City holidays.

For questions about your application or the hiring process, please email [email protected].

The City of Charlotte is committed to making our services and programs accessible to all. Upon request, auxiliary aids, written materials in alternate formats, language access, and other reasonable accommodations or modifications will be provided. To make a request, please fill out the Innovation & Technology ADA request form or call 704.336.4120.

BENEFITS

The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees.

Click here to learn more about the City of Charlotte’s benefits.

The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.