The Community Engagement Manager is Local Motion’s lead for building and activating a statewide network of relationships with community partners and local advocates. While the Community Engagement Manager is by no means responsible for everything we do in and with communities, he or she is the glue that holds all the pieces of our community-focused work together. The Community Engagement Manager’s core responsibility is to build the capacity of local groups and individuals across Vermont to promote and advocate for walking and biking in their communities.
Location: Burlington, VTDeadline: Open until filled - Interviews will begin the week of February 22
Reports to: Deputy Director
Compensation: $38,000-$40,000 per year
About Local Motion
Local Motion is Vermont’s nonprofit statewide advocate for walking and biking. Founded in 1999 to reconnect the Island Line Rail Trail from Burlington to the Lake Champlain Islands, the organization’s mission has expanded to bring walking and biking within reach for all Vermonters and to help communities across Vermont become great places to walk and bike.
A team of dedicated year-round staff, supported by a seasonal crew of ambassadors and more than 200 passionate volunteers, delivers programs and services to more than 25,000 people each year. In 2015 more than 7,329 children learned bike skills through Bike Smart, 458 adults took part in Everyday Bicycling education taking the next step to making biking part of their everyday lives, 13,723 people make the connection to and from the Champlain Islands on the Island Line Bike Ferry, and technical assistance to towns across Vermont helped to advance walk/bike projects in 28 communities. Following a merger with the Vermont Bike and Pedestrian Coalition in 2015, Local Motion is now pursuing a legislative agenda to improve road safety and driver education.
Position Description
The Community Engagement Manager is Local Motion’s lead for building and activating a statewide network of relationships with community partners and local advocates. While the Community Engagement Manager is by no means responsible for everything we do in and with communities, he or she is the glue that holds all the pieces of our community-focused work together. The Community Engagement Manager’s core responsibility is to build the capacity of local groups and individuals across Vermont to promote and advocate for walking and biking in their communities.
Reporting: This is a new position that reports to the Deputy Director. The Community Engagement Manager will work as a team with three other staff: the Walk-Bike Tech Assistance Manager, the Education & Volunteer Manager, and the Business Services Manager.
Primary Responsibilities
- Build Local Motion’s knowledge of and connections within partner communities statewide. Develop an in-depth understanding of local issues for walking and biking in Vermont’s rural and urban communities. Support current Local Motion partner communities by meeting with community advocates and partners, giving presentations on Local Motion services to community groups and local governmental bodies, and exploring on-the-ground conditions with people who walk and bike regularly. Document findings from visits, track issues and opportunities in each community on an ongoing basis, and share ideas and insights with other Local Motion staff.
- Build engagement among Local Motion’s members and supporters via our NationBuilder-based community organizing platform (currently under development). Lead, train, and support all staff in making full use of NationBuilder’s suite of tools, and become Local Motion’s in-house expert in using NationBuilder to ensure that all parts of Local Motion’s work “talk” to each other. Lead all membership mailings, provide member support, and pursue multiple ways of engaging with members (both online and in person).
- Provide basic technical assistance to municipal staff, local advocates, and others regarding walk-bike infrastructure improvements. Develop a library of fact sheets and resources to support community investment in walk-bike infrastructure. Field questions from local partners, answer those that are straightforward, and forward more complex issues to the Walk-Bike Tech Assistance Manager.
- Manage all community-focused aspects of Local Motion’s communications. Actively manage all web pages in the , local groups, technical assistance, and “Your Town” sections of Local Motion’s new website (currently under development). Oversee Local Motion’s monthly e-news, writing stories on community issues and soliciting/editing stories from staff on other topics. Build a strong social media presence, using Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms to share our work and its impacts. 5. Research and develop new programs to advance skills and capacity among community advocates and partners. Use training programs like that of the Cascade Bicycle Club’s Leadership Institute (http://www.cascade.org/advocate/ali) and others as models. Recruit participants, run workshops, and provide ongoing guidance for training participants as well as other community contacts, with a focus on building their capacity to identify goals and work together to reach them.
Qualifications
- Background and experience in community organizing; experience with NationBuilder a huge plus, but the most important quality is a knack for turning prospects into supporters and supporters into leaders
- In-depth knowledge of social media tools for supporter engagement and movement-building
- Strong in-person leadership and teaching skills, with a proven ability to listen to, inspire, and unite diverse and opinionated groups of people
- Proficiency with all standard office software, along with solid writing skills, basic graphic design ability, and familiarity with spreadsheets
- Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage many projects and details concurrently
- Passion for bikes and biking and for vibrant, people-centric communities; technical knowledge about bike infrastructure or transportation planning desirable but not required, as we will train the right candidate
- Willingness to travel around Vermont (approximately 20% to 30% of job), including some overnight trips
- Valid driver’s license and a reliable personal vehicle, as well as the ability to lift 50 pounds
Salary and Benefits
This is a full-time, permanent salaried position with a flexible work schedule. Starting pay is $38,000 to $40,000 per year. Benefits include paid time off, a medical subsidy, and a retirement plan.
How to Apply
Submit cover letter, resume, and three recent work references to: Lynne Graves, Finance Manager, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Interviews will begin the week of February 22. Position is open until filled.
Local Motion is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates of all ages are encouraged to apply.
