Community Engagement Coordinator

Come join one of the most dynamic youth development organizations in Greater Boston. We are seeking individuals who believe deeply in the potential of young people and the power of our mission. West End House has been deeply rooted in the Allston-Brighton community since 1971 after urban renewal destroyed its original home in the West End neighborhood, where it was founded in 1906. Our programs continue to evolve with new, expanded efforts ensuring equitable food access for all, mental wellness and trauma-informed programming, and a career pathways initiative, complementing our long-time high-impact programs in academic success, college pathways, visual and performing arts, leadership and career development, and sports, fitness, and nutrition. West End House is one of the most diverse youth agencies in Boston whose members come from 23 of the 30 Boston zip codes. Our staff is representative of the young people we serve. We are bold in our commitment and efforts to become an anti-racist, equitable organization and welcome candidates with a passion for this work.

Like other nonprofits, our ability to deliver high quality programing year after year hinges on our ability to build successful relationships with members of external communities. A wide spectrum of volunteer engagement fills potential service gaps and enhances overall program quality. Additionally, the disproportionate impact of COVID on specific communities led us to develop new programs and services that aim to directly combat these challenges. This, in turn, gave rise to a need for a stronger volunteer pipeline and increasingly streamlined volunteer relationships. 

As Community Engagement Coordinator, you’ll help to lead and manage initiatives aimed at cultivating new individual and institutional volunteer relationships. You will focus on managing volunteers across the breadth of West End House’s programming, while working closely with the Chief of External Affairs to brainstorm and implement engagement pathways for alumni,  volunteers, and donors. You will be the primary point of contact for all community and volunteer relations. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Volunteer Relationship Management

• Recruit, cultivate, and steward relationships with diverse individual and corporate volunteers; provide them with accurate information about West End House programs and place them in supporting roles within programs and events to maximize their potential contribution
• Facilitate and support the creation of pathways to transition alumni relationships to volunteer relationships and volunteer relationships to donor relationships
• Identify opportunities for club members and alumni to engage with corporations through field trips, job shadowing, and internships,
• Design ongoing training and development opportunities for new and existing volunteers reflecting our equity, inclusion, and social justice values 
• Maintain and update a database with detailed records of current and prospective volunteers, and their relevant program schedules
• Develop social media posts to highlight volunteer and partnership activities and initiatives

Program and Academic Support 

• Lead the West End House volunteer tutoring program by ensuring effective matching of youth with volunteers that have expertise in the relevant fields and who also reflect our diverse youth membership.
• Build sustainable relationships with youth to identify individual areas of required support and work with program staff to provide the same by leveraging diverse volunteer experience

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

There are a multitude of ways to learn, grow and excel professionally and we know that people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. With this in consideration, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 1+ years of prior experience in a role that included a large focus on written and verbal communication
• Robust communication skills with the ability to actively initiate and maintain relationships with corporations and volunteers from diverse backgrounds
• Experience project managing events and/or other community based activities
• Ability to track and synthesize relevant program information into effective marketing material for attracting volunteers
• Demonstrable ability to craft uplifting and insightful communications summarizing developments in the community
• Marketing and/or media relations experience is a strong plus