Job description
Position Purpose
The Senior Director, Community Engagement is a direct report of and will collaborate with the Chief Agency Growth Officer to shape a strategy to reach across 5000+ communities to ensure every young person has access to a positive mentor that transforms their lives for the better — empowering them with a stronger sense of belonging and the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
The Senior Director will lead the growth of community engagement across the entire Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) network of more than 230 affiliated agencies and provide direct support to a portfolio of agencies with high potential for broader access to mentoring experiences for all youth. The Senior Director will serve as a subject matter expert collaborating with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) national office teams and with BBBS agencies to develop and implement scalable community engagement strategies to achieve their reach.
Informed by local agency and key insights, best practices and subject matter expertise, the Senior Director, Community Engagement will co-design a framework to support the Network’s collective mission of expanding access to mentorship. The framework may provide a repository of resources that support capacity building, community assessment, impactful storytelling, and strategic messaging that meets and supports the various levels of engagement across BBBS affiliates. Other responsibilities will include leading the development of turnkey, customizable resources for local implementation of community engagement strategies to expand access for all youth to mentoring experiences including, but is not limited to establishing communities of practice, engagement and awareness building, the development of learning curriculum, and strategy implementation. In partnership with the Director, Community Engagement and other Agency Growth team members, the senior director will also convene BBBS agencies for learning, sharing, and growth opportunities.
Location: 100% Remote (Continental United States)
FLSA Status: Full Time, Exempt
Travel: Approximately 20-30%
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Community Engagement
- Partner with BBBS agencies to assess individual community engagement levels, drive capacity building and develop resources to extend the local reach of high-quality mentoring experiences to all youth.
- Identify and address network trends across facets of community engagement through collaboration with BBBSA teams and external experts to develop scalable solutions, strategies, tools, and local implementation support.
- Plan and develop strategies and/or communities of practice within the BBBS network to ensure representation and input from a wide range of agency experiences and areas of priority focus. Lift network best practices, successes, and opportunities to increase access to transformative mentoring experiences for all youth.
- Grow agency-level community engagement expertise and capacity through peer-to-peer sharing, agency mentoring, skill-building workshops, the development of measurable pathways, processes, strategies and other BBBSA supports.
- Actively track, coordinate, facilitate, and partner with BBBSA leads to steward community engagement activations, including, but not limited to volunteerism, match relationships, and corporate partnership efforts.
- Represent a community-centered approach and provide thought leadership in the development of Federation-wide strategies, presentations, marketing, messaging and other materials via collaborative partnership with BBBSA functional team leads, agency professionals, nationwide leadership council (NLC) committees, and external advisory councils.
- Provide direct support to a portfolio of agencies with a focus on understanding the local context, developing and testing strategies and building local capacity to strengthen community engagement and stimulate local growth in mentoring
People Management
- Recruit, train, retain, and cultivate professional development of direct reports.
- Create a dynamic, supportive, and effective team that is impactful across the BBBSA and the Big Brothers Big Sisters Network.
- Lead and manage resources (people and capital) that retain and cultivate positive, measurable success.
- Monitor progress against performance targets; implements countermeasures as needed.
Culture
- Demonstrate commitment to BBBSA’s shared leadership competencies and organizational values.
- Recruit, train, retain, and cultivate professional development of direct reports
- Cultivate an environment where all team members feel valued, included, and empowered to achieve their potential.
- Manage related and other duties as assigned in support of department and business needs.
Education & Related Work Experience
Education Level: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education or professional experience
Years and Depth of Related Work Experience: A minimum of seven (7) years in a relevant director-level or above position required, preferably in a nonprofit federated or similar affiliated model. At least 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in community engagement or a related field, preferably within youth development, or mission-driven sectors. Demonstrated success in building meaningful, trust-based relationships with a wide range of communities, ensuring local voices and needs inform programs, partnerships, and strategies. Proven ability to engage with a wide range of community groups, demonstrating respect and understanding for varied perspectives and experiences. Experience leading initiatives that strengthen an organization’s community presence and reputation, while fostering collaboration and shared purpose among stakeholders.
Skills and Knowledge: Advanced interpersonal skills; Service-oriented mindset with excellent client relations, written and verbal communications; Ability to deliver relevant expertise and resources while building trust and rapport in a consultative, coaching relationship of direct or indirect influence; Demonstrated ability to handle multiple projects, timelines and budgets within fast-paced environment while maintaining a commitment to high quality, detail-oriented work; Ability to work independently in achieving results consistently on deadline; Excellent team working skills; ability to collaborate across teams; Ability to manage through complex issues with various stakeholders to desired outcome; Planning, analytical, organizational, and time management skills; Desire and ability to work well with individuals with diverse backgrounds and personalities displaying respect, maturity, and flexibility; Familiarity with Salesforce CRM.
Our Commitment
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, we recognize, affirm, and celebrate the backgrounds, lives, and experiences of all of our stakeholders, including youth, families, donors, volunteers, and staff. We ensure the opportunity for all voices and perspectives to be heard and honored. In the workplace, we foster an environment where all people can be their best selves. We affirm that every person has the opportunity to reach their full potential. We strive to realize the full potential that is within all of us by ensuring that all voices and perspectives are heard and honored.
Equal Employment Opportunity
BBBSA provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, creed, color, citizenship, religion, national origin, age, sex, familial or marital status, pregnancy, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or any other legally-protected status in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and ordinances.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Employee must be able to perform all essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Job Responsibilities
The above statements reflect the general duties, responsibilities and competencies considered necessary to perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the job and should not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements of the position. BBBSA may change the specific job duties with or without prior notice based on the needs of the organization.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is directly recruiting and hiring for this position. We are not engaging any staffing/recruitment firms or agencies for this position. If any candidate profile/resume/identifying information is sent to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and/or Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies, we will not pay any referral or firm fees in relation to this information.
