What are the responsibilities and job description for the NETWORK OFFICER position at Dogwood Health Trust?
NETWORK OFFICER
ABOUT DOGWOOD HEALTH TRUST
Dogwood Health Trust (Dogwood) exists to dramatically improve the health and well-being of all people and communities in the 18 counties and Qualla Boundary of Western North Carolina. Dogwood funds projects and collaborations that increase access to housing, education, economic opportunities, and health and wellness. Our policy and advocacy efforts aim to increase the capacity of regional organizations to promote opportunity and access, foster connections with statewide and regional partners, and bring the lived experiences and perspectives of Western Carolinians to inform policy decisions. We are committed to enhancing our community engagement efforts to increase impact and opportunity in our region.
At our core, we seek to understand before we act, modeling transparency, integrity, and candor to build trust. Utilizing multiple forms of philanthropic capital, we aim to advance change while balancing impatience and patience. Emphasizing learning and sharing our insights, we actively seek and act on feedback to improve our performance and refine our strategies. We remain hopeful and diligent throughout our efforts and are committed to driving transformation.
In alignment with our vision to create an impact on regional employment, preference will be given to applicants who live in or have a deep connection to our foundation's home in Western North Carolina.
SUMMARY
The Network Officer, Community Investment serves as a community ambassador of Dogwood’s mission and strategic priorities and works thoughtfully and with care and respect to build, deepen and sustain relationships among community members and understand more deeply the significant resources, assets and challenges of our region’s communities. In addition to spending significant time in the region, the Network Officer attends conferences and meetings to stay abreast of the philanthropic field and Dogwood’s priorities. The position works closely with Dogwood’s Learning & Evaluation department to assess collaborative partnership opportunities and build informative community profiles.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
- Serve as a purposeful and resourceful partner to philanthropic organizations and other mission-aligned partners; seek opportunities to leverage resources and drive Dogwood’s mission and strategic priorities.
- Represent Dogwood at community events and festivals, community meetings such as council or commissioner meetings or meetings in community relating to Dogwood priority area (ex: mental health task force, housing forums, health assessments) and serve as a community ambassador of Dogwood’s mission and strategic priorities. Identify collaborative partnerships and opportunities to integrate Dogwood’s program areas in the community.
- Attend conferences and meetings to gather industry-leading information and integrate it into Dogwood’s approach to community engagement, partnership, and sustained organizational impact.
- Hold bi-monthly Office Hours in the community and internally for colleagues.
- Listen to and identify themes within the community, summarize them, and document them internally in Dogwood’s relationship management platform.
- Serve as a purposeful and resourceful partner to philanthropic organizations and other mission-aligned partners; seek opportunities to leverage resources and drive Dogwood’s mission and strategic priorities.
- Collaborate with Program & Strategy Officers to leverage community strengths, assets, and identify opportunities while disseminating knowledge, building transparency and integration.
- Work collaboratively with Dogwood’s Learning & Evaluation department to develop and maintain substantive community profiles to enhance impactful grantmaking investments and grantee relationships.
QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS
Qualifications are a guiding light and not all-encompassing of what Dogwood considers throughout the selection process. We encourage all candidates to include a cover letter to share how their lived experience, education, and work experience combine to support this role.
Education/Certification
- Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, Rural Development, Community & Regional Planning, Social Sciences, Business Administration, or in a programmatic field supportive of Dogwood’s strategic priorities.
Work Experience
- 5 years of progressive experience in strategic relationship management.
- Experience with integrated care models at the community level.
- Experience representing an organization in the community.
- Build relationships and foster alliances among diverse people to accomplish goals; respect for the dignity and abilities of a wide variety of people.
- Deep knowledge of and love for the region Dogwood serves along with an understanding of the local, regional, statewide, and federal environment that impacts our region.
- Demonstrated commitment to opportunity and access for community members to thrive. .
- Experience working in and fostering an inclusive environment as part of a multidisciplinary team and working effectively with people from diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds.
Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills to develop rapport and engender trust.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, a focused listener, with a strong sense of discernment and good judgement.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Ability to build coalitions to drive strategic initiatives, impactful programs, and community engagement.
- Demonstrated capacity to make connections among people and institutions to advance work.
- Ability to be diplomatic, resourceful, and persuasive.
- Ability to remain neutral in the community while clearly sharing their role as Network Officer.
- Sound judgment and ability to maintain highly confidential information.
- Ability to anticipate challenges and effectively resolve conflict by identifying opportunities.
- Has a high degree of personal initiative.
- Instinct and intuition are effective in building relationships.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
- This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position.
- This is a hybrid role. Most of the time will be spent in the community, but two days a week will be expected in the office.
- Community engagement work is expected to be a community-focused body of work. This consists of traveling throughout the region, participating in and representing Dogwood. It is comprised of a combination of standard work hours, evenings, and weekends to ensure engagement at community events.
- Some work is performed in our main office and requires standard operating equipment. Workspaces are designed to be accessible and inclusive, accommodating various physical needs and promoting a healthy work environment.
- Travel: Up to 70% of time spent in the community.
WHAT WE OFFER
Dogwood’s purpose of dramatically improving the health and well-being of all people and communities of Western North Carolina is also evident within our doors. The starting salary is commensurate with experience, which will be vetted through the interview process. All full-time team members can take part in a broad offering of competitive benefits, including:
- 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, STD, LTD, Life and AD&D insurance.
- Up to 6% match for 403b retirement contributions.
- Annual PTO (4 weeks) & Sick (2 weeks).
- 10 paid holidays, 5 paid Winter Break days.
Dogwood Health Trust is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our work and on our teams. We know that the rich diversity of perspectives and wisdom imperative to our purpose can only come from a wide variety of origins and life experiences. We strongly believe that creating a workplace where all team members thrive is critical to fulfilling our purpose in the communities we serve. We intentionally recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.
Qualified candidates are urged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class.
This position will close on Monday, April 9, 2025, at 8:00 AM. Applications must be submitted before the deadline, as late submissions will not be accepted.