National Engagement Coach

POSITION SUMMARY:

The National Engagement Coach will take an active role in the identification, development, and implementation of Cities United’s national initiatives portfolio of projects. The National Engagement Coach will work closely with the Director of Engagement to project manage each initiative and provide coaching and support to the project implementation team(s). This includes ensuring that each project within the national initiatives’ portfolio is efficiently and effectively delivered in a coordinated fashion. The National Engagement Coach will also work closely with a team of Associates to document the process, progress, and lessons learned of all national initiatives. These functions, as well as the duties and responsibilities listed below, are essential to positively impacting violence reduction and prevention in the communities of Cities United partners.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Time Management & Preparation

• Manage time effectively to balance multiple jurisdictions, projects, and deliverables; consistently meet deadlines.
• Prepare thoroughly for meetings, coaching calls, and site visits by reviewing case notes, reports, and stakeholder information in advance.
• Develop and share agendas and materials in advance; ensure timely follow-up with notes, recaps, or action items within 48–72 hours.
• Problem-Solving & Adaptability
• Identify challenges early within jurisdictions or project work and propose actionable solutions.
• Adjust approach as priorities shift or new information emerges; maintain forward momentum under pressure.
• Seek input, guidance, or resources when barriers cannot be resolved independently.
• Document lessons learned and integrate them into future practice.

Coaching & Capacity Building

• Provide consistent, tailored coaching to jurisdiction partners to strengthen their capacity to design, implement, and evaluate public safety strategies.
• Use Cities United’s coaching style — partnership, collaboration, and powerful questions — to build confidence and skills in partners.
• Track and document coaching conversations, commitments, and outcomes to demonstrate progress.
• Incorporate feedback from partners to strengthen coaching practice.

Documentation & Accountability

• Capture accurate and timely documentation of coaching calls, site visits, and project activities in designated systems (e.g., Monday.com).
• Clearly identify next steps, owners, and timelines in reports and notes.
• Ensure documentation is accessible and useful for leadership, colleagues, and partners.
• Contribute to organizational learning by capturing and sharing lessons learned from jurisdictions and projects.

Facilitation

• Facilitate structured, inclusive, and outcome-driven engagements during site visits and national initiatives.
• Manage agendas and group dynamics to ensure equitable participation from youth, community, and government stakeholders.
• Summarize agreements and assign accountability in real time.
• Provide timely debrief notes and updates to CU systems within 72 hours of sessions.
• Ensure stakeholder experience is positive, inclusive, and action-oriented.

Quality of Work Product

• Produce thorough, polished, and professional outputs (e.g., reports, memos, scopes of work, concept papers) that align with Cities United’s standards.
• Ensure work is fact-checked, proofread, and ready for internal and external use without major revisions.
• Add value through analysis, insights, and recommendations that inform leadership and jurisdiction decisions.
• Deliver work efficiently and on schedule without sacrificing quality.

Contribution to Culture

• Demonstrate professionalism, respect, and positivity in all interactions with CU colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.
• Support collaboration by sharing information and contributing to team success.
• Build trust by honoring commitments, communicating openly, and avoiding behaviors that undermine credibility.
• Accept feedback constructively and adapt behavior to strengthen relationships.
• Model Cities United’s values of Hunger, Speed, Weight, and Alignment in daily work.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leads and/or participates in a cross-functional team aimed at increasing alignment and coordination across Cities United.
• Supports special projects as necessary.
• Builds and manages relationships and partnerships needed to execute and/or grow national initiatives.
• Completes special projects and/or tasks as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent, with a minimum of 3 years of work experience developing and implementing solutions with a focus on strategy or operations.
• 3 or more years of experience coaching or mentoring a team
• 5 or more years of experience in project development, management, or coordination
• 3 or more years of experience working alongside the community, local government, and/or youth or young adults
• Experience working with Monday.com or a similar CRM.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Exceptional ability to build relationships with team members at all levels of the organization and perform in a broad range of environments, including government, community, and alongside youth and young adults
• Proven experience developing and implementing project management tools, methodologies, and best practices
• Excellent analytical, organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills with the ability to prioritize, drive, and complete multiple projects under stringent deadlines, and respond to changing priorities.
• Experience seeing projects through the full life cycle, and according to the outlined scope, budget, and timeline
• Excellent written and verbal communication and influencing skills
• Ability to work independently as well as lead a project team
• Strong computer skills (Microsoft Package, Google Workspace (Drive, Sheets, Docs), Windows Software, Online Software)
• Proven ability to work remotely, effectively manage time, and accomplish goals
• Strong knowledge of the Boys and Men of Color Field
• Strong knowledge of violence prevention strategies, tools, and promising practices
• An unwavering spirit of curiosity, humility, and belief in long-term social change.
• Knowledge of public funding streams, philanthropic resources, and capital strategies, with the ability to align financial resources to strategic priorities.
• Understanding of governance design and systems thinking, with experience in building or supporting accountability and sustainability structures.
• Familiarity with evaluation and monitoring systems, including the use of data dashboards and metrics to guide continuous improvement.
• Ability to manage and facilitate cross-sector relationships, working effectively with youth, community leaders, philanthropy, and government agencies.
• Working knowledge of policy and legislative processes that shape public safety and funding at the local, state, and federal levels.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

Will primarily report to the Deputy of Engagement and the Director of Engagement. Will collaborate and coordinate with all other Cities United Departments, such as the Department of Policy & Healing, the Department of Black Male Achievement, and the Department of Impact.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Must be able to work for extended periods of time from a laptop and a cellular phone. Must be able to lift 30 to 50 lbs.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This is a 100% remote position with access to dedicated office space located in Louisville, KY, and Washington, DC. This role requires frequent travel (approximately 30% or more) to support jurisdiction site visits, relationship building, and participation in national convenings and partner meetings.

Cities United is a project of Tides Center, and joining the Cities United team includes a competitive salary along with a generous benefit package, including but not limited to:

• $1 monthly premium for employee or family health care plan
• Free (no monthly premium) vision, dental, and life insurance
• 12 Paid vacation days in year 1 and 15 days starting in year 2 of employment
• 12 Wellness days per year
• Every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month off
• Free Employee Assistance Plan
• Retirement plan with 100% employer match on the first 4% of employees’ contribution and 50% match on the next 2% of employees' contribution
• Monthly $75 work-from-home stipend

Proficient in the English language.