Community Engagement Specialist

THE COMMISSION

The Community Police Commission (CPC) envisions communities and Seattle’s police aligned in shared goals of safety, respect, and accountability.  We listen to, amplify, and build common ground among communities affected by policing in Seattle.  We are a small, but dedicated, team championing policing practices centered in justice and equity.  

THE JOB

The CPC is recruiting for a Community Engagement Specialist to support the Commission and Community Engagement Director as they continue to build strong and collaborative relationships with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ communities. In this job, you would contribute your community engagement expertise to strategic planning, serve as a liaison within CPC, with other City department staff, external partners, and community members to help gather, synthesize, and elevate community feedback and emerging issues to the CPC Policy team and Commissioners.   The focus of this job is to build relationships, cultivate current and emerging leaders, and facilitate community inclusiveness around issues of individual and community safety and police reform. 

To be successful in this role, you are committed to:

• Racial equity and social justice
• Equitable, culturally competent, and inclusive outreach and engagement
• Inviting feedback and listening, especially when it is challenging
• Transparency and communicating clearly based on the needs of the audience
• Building trust and strong relationships
• Elevating community voices, concerns, and needs 

To be effective in this role, you are:

• Motivated to make the City of Seattle more accessible to, and interactive with community members, and seeing those interactions as learning opportunities. 
• Self-motivated and a strong project manager, consistently looking for ways to improve community engagement, including creating, coordinating, facilitating, and tracking meetings and events and their success
• Energized by this work and getting people involved in and teaching them how to make change
• Knowledgeable and sensitive to the interests of a wide range of community members, stakeholder groups, strategic partners, elected officials, and colleagues and can navigate interactions at all levels
• A versatile and successful communicator, keeping people informed using the best content and format depending on the complexity of the issue/situation – written articles, reports, memos, presentations, and infographics 
• Capable of becoming a valued and innovative resource for community support, capacity building, customer relations, and constituent inquiries and concerns
• Multi-lingual and can provide in-language support to community members would be a plus

In addition to the qualities mentioned above, you will need to possess the below required qualifications (or a combination of experience, training or education which provides an equivalent background required to perform the job):

Four years of experience in community organizing, community development, contract management, project management, grant administration or other work directly related to City planning and development work; 

OR

Three years of experience in community organizing, community development, contract management, project management, grant administration or other work directly related to City planning and development work;

AND

An associate’s degree in public administration, social work, planning or a related field

OR

Two years of experience in community organizing, community development, contract management, project management, grant administration or other work directly related to City planning and development work; 

AND

A bachelor’s degree in public administration, social work, planning or a related field

This position is classified as Planning & Development Specialist II and is governed by a collective bargaining agreement between the City and the union, PROTEC17 – Professional Unit. The full pay range for this step-progression position is $45.71 - $53.19 per hour. New employees begin at Step 1 of the pay progression, which is $45.71 hourly. Current City employees’ starting rate of pay will be based on Personnel Rules regarding promotions. 

If you are multi-lingual, this position is a pre-approved Language Premium assignment with the Community Police Commission, the eligible new employee must complete and pass language evaluation to fill the assignment

Here is a resource for Application and Interviewing tips with the City of Seattle. 

This position offers the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule. Individual schedules will be based on agreement between the employee and management. It will also require the ability to attend night and weekend meetings and events in-person and virtually. 

In addition, to completing the application at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seattle fully, please attach: 

• A PDF of your current resume 
• A cover letter explaining your motivation for applying and examples of similar work you have done where you collaborated with and achieved goals which improved the lives of Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQ communities 

The City of Seattle recognizes that every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways we courageously share our perspectives and encourage others to do the same. To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in the Race and Social Justice Initiative by working to dismantle racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and provide equitable processes and services. 

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans. 

Questions? Please contact Kate Moore at kate.moore@seattle.gov    

This hiring process involves a background check of conviction and arrest records in compliance with Seattle's Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17. Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain or correct background information.  

This position is open to all applicants that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The City encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences. 

Salary : $46 - $53