Community Manager

Community Manager

Job Description

Reports to  

VP, Portfolio Strategy

Job Level

Manager

Location

Remote

Overview

At Common Future, we imagine a future where people, no matter their race or ethnicity, have power, choice, and ownership over the economy. Founded in 2001, we know that the ideas, models, and solutions that can restore community wealth already exist, they just require attention and investment. We work with hundreds of community leaders and funders through flexible initiatives that build inclusive economies. These initiatives are centered around shifting capital, uplifting local leaders, and advising the development of equitable economies. We are a black led, BIPOC majority, 40 person organization (and growing). Our culture values include centering equity, being the communities we serve, embracing experimentation, reimagining what’s broken, collectively solving problems, and modeling a new way of working. We strive to be an innovator that prioritizes the well-being of our employees. Read more about us on our Medium page.

Purpose

The Community Manager is a key role in building, managing and engaging our ecosystem and network of key audiences that help our team reach our mission. Key audiences include local leaders on the ground, mentors and technical advisors, alumni of our programs, capital partners and scaling partners (pipeline organizations, peer organizations, entrepreneur support organizations). As our team launches new initiatives that build inclusive economies, the Community Manager will have the unique opportunity to play a key, cross-functional role across our teams in helping to source, include and engage the right participants and beneficiaries. 

Position Responsibilities

• With the VP of Portfolio Strategy, co-design an engagement  strategy to manage relationships with existing ecosystem and network - includes managing inbound partnership or connection requests, maintaining communications and relationships with our existing partners, 
• Stay abreast of the ecosystem landscape and build new relationships - working with our Knowledge Management team, keep apprised of what’s happening in the racial and economic justice field to spot trends, have a sense of who’s doing what, spotting  underrecognized ideas where Common Future can connect the dots, and recommending  who we should be connecting with.
• Engaging partners (organizations or individuals) for our team - work cross-functionally across Impact team to source specific connection partners (e.g. a technical expert in community owned real estate, a panelist to speak on types of capital to raise as a for-profit social enterprise, a facilitator with expertise in equity)
• Systems building - Help design and oversee the development of new tools and systems to enable better partner-matching, communications, data collection / feedback processes that need to be built and refined. Act as a centralized hub for multi-touch point relationships across the wider team.
• Facilitation and engagement - includes designing, organizing logistics and facilitating external facing network events (often in collaboration with other teams) to co-create insights and learning and potential partnership connections and future opportunities with impact teams
• Thought leadership - contributes to Common Future’s thought leadership (writing, speaking, and social media presence) to support development and leadership in the sector.

Desired Qualifications

• Natural and gifted networker and dot-connector. Is an above and beyond relationship builder, with meticulous follow through. Has a strong background in prospecting, building and maintaining external relationships with senior level leaders. Also has strong internal silo-busting, cross-functional, collaborative skills and follow through.
• Seasoned network builder. Beyond individual conversations, has a track record of steering, deploying, or engaging a network towards specific outcomes. Specific experience working with and supporting networks of community wealth builders, social entrepreneurs and innovators a plus.
• Community building skills. Can find the most compelling ways to facilitate meaningful conversations, relationships, and eventual partnerships between our network and our portfolio. Has experience creating in-person and online community with high engagement.
• Strong data management skills and willingness to learn new software and applications as needed. Specific experience working with Salesforce and Airtable a plus. 
• Strong project management skills to communicate objectives, structure cross-functional projects, facilitate processes, ensure activities are conducted, and timelines are managed.
• Excellent communicator, both written and verbal. Can keep everyone informed and up to date succinctly, clearly and compellingly.
• Builder mentality, skillful in  experimenting and adapting  as needed. Willing to tackle projects without much guidance/structure, and able to build that structure.

Committed to antiracism and dismantling white supremacy in work practices; practice in building power for and sharing power with community leaders; conviction that those closest to the problems know best.