Community Engagement Specialist
Position: Community Engagement Specialist
Job Type: 0.6 FTE, 24 hours/week
Reports to: Kin Link Program Director
Positions Supervised: None
Who we are:
Ampersand Families walks alongside youth, families, and communities who have been impacted by the child welfare system with a commitment to build and restore meaningful relationships while centering and upholding a youth’s whole identity.
Ampersand Families strives to strategically address systemic inequity and barriers within the child welfare system, specifically for older youth, youth of color, sibling groups, and relatives and kin. We are seeking professionals who understand the profound impact that child welfare intervention has on the lives of children, youth and families.
Why you’ll love working here:
Ampersand Families is committed to doing our part to create a more equitable child welfare system.
We provide equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, nationality, ethnic background, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, marital status, socio-economic status, status regarding public assistance, political affiliation, veteran status, other non-visible differences, and other protected attributes.
Ampersand Families is proud to be an employer of choice with an organizational culture of excellence that embraces continual growth and learning, as well as collegial support and connection. We employ professionals who champion our core values of equity, belonging, dignity, hope, integrity, and leadership.
Pay & Benefits
Salary: $23.30-$29.80 hourly
We are committed to equitable hiring practices which includes offering the highest starting salary based on our agency’s compensation philosophy, and we do not engage in salary negotiations at hiring.
Ampersand Families has a competitive benefit package including Health, Dental, Vision, Life, and Long- term Disability Insurance, Simple IRA Plan, 20 Days of PTO (accrued per year; increases with each year of employment), 10 floating holidays plus Juneteenth and every other Election Day as office holidays, Paid Parental Leave, and an Emergency Medical Benefit bank for short term medical leave (8 days per calendar year, prorated based on start date). Social work licensure supervision is available on site.
Before accepting an offer, candidates are given an opportunity to meet with current staff to get a further sense of the organizational culture and to ask any questions they may have.
What you’ll be doing:
The Community Engagement Specialist’s role is to share Ampersand Families’ mission and services in the community, particularly with communities who have experienced disproportionality in the child welfare system. This primarily involves coordinating agency community outreach and engagement activities.
Create recruitment and outreach materials for a variety of platforms including email, social media, and print publications.
Identify, cultivate, and maintain relationships with community leaders, organizations, and networks that expand community engagement and agency programmatic efforts.
Regularly registers, prepares for, and attends community events around the Twin Cities Metro and occasionally in Greater Minnesota. Seeks out new opportunities and methods for connecting with communities overrepresented in the child welfare system, especially African American and American Indian communities.
Collaborates with Program Directors and other staff to synchronize efforts across departments to share a unified story and agency mission. Works with Development Director to increase community awareness and understanding of child welfare issues.
Works with Program Directors to evaluate outreach effectiveness and implement recommendations for program enhancement.
Performs other related work as apparent or assigned.
What we’re looking for:
High school diploma and/or GED. Associates or Bachelor's degree preferred.
Experience working in adoption or foster care, education, or other non-profit community outreach and engagement is preferred.
Ability to be self-directed as well as to work as part of a team.
Personable with strong verbal and written communication skills.
Experience and interest in developing internal and external communications and partnerships.
Enthusiastic facilitation/public speaking skills, including experience with large group presentations and leading trainings.
Strong organizational skills, ability to prioritize multiple projects and deadlines, attentive to detail, and consistent in meeting goals and deadlines.
Personal and professional commitment to Ampersand Families’ mission, vision, and goals and to advancing the Agency’s commitment to anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices.
Competency with a variety of technology and computer programs (MS Office Suite, AdobePro, Squarespace, WordPress, MailChimp, Facebook/social media).
Ability to travel throughout Minnesota, including occasional overnights and weekends.
Valid driver’s license, insurance coverage, and clean driving record. BCA and social services fingerprint background check required.
How to apply:
To apply, please submit a resume and complete pre-interview questions here on JazzHR. As a part of our equitable hiring practices, we do not require a cover letter.
An initial review of resumes will begin on September 29, 2025; however, the position will remain open until filled.