Chief Culture & Community Officer

Description

Job Title: Chief Culture & Community Officer

Departments: CB&E and Operations  

Reports To: Executive Committee

FLSA Status: Exempt

Approved By: Dwelling Place Officers

Approved Date: 3/13/2025

Summary

Supervises all functions of Dwelling Place’s Community Building & Engagement, Board Engagement & Development, Operations, and Human Resources programs by performing the following duties personally or through directly supervised or other staff. This position plays a key role in fostering both internal and external culture building to ensure Dwelling Place is a values-driven, inclusive, and community-centered organization.

The Culture & Community Officer is responsible for fostering and sustaining a workplace and community environment that reflects the organization's mission, values, and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). This role develops and implements programs, policies, and initiatives that strengthen workplace culture, promote community engagement, and ensure alignment between internal and external practices and the diverse communities we serve.

Key responsibilities include evaluating and aligning Dwelling Place’s goals, values, daily practices, and strategic initiatives while overseeing staffing, training, team development, performance management, and professional growth opportunities. Additionally, this role plays a crucial part in cultivating positive relationships with the communities the nonprofit serves and guiding employees through organizational transitions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following; other duties may be assigned.

• Strategic Planning & Execution
• Collaborate with the executive team and board of directors to define and refine the organization’s strategic priorities.
• Develop and track clear, measurable goals aligned with the organization’s mission, vision, and values.
• Ensure that strategic initiatives are responsive to community needs, emerging trends, and funding opportunities. 
• Collaboratively works with Officers and Directors to oversee and manage the day-to-day operations of the organization.
• Serve as a key advisor to leadership on DEIB strategies and integrate these principles into organizational policies and decision-making.
• Community Building & Engagement: 
• Lead external communications, ensuring that messaging and outreach authentically represent community culture and organizational values. 
• Identifies potential community partners and cultivates lasting and reciprocal relationships that support the mission of Dwelling Place. 
• Advocate for culturally competent community engagement and ensure programming reflects the values and needs of diverse populations. 
• People & Culture:
• Develop and implement a strategic workforce plan to align staffing needs with organizational goals and budget. 
• Lead initiatives that promote an inclusive and equitable workplace culture aligned with the organization's mission.
• Develop and implement internal agency-wide cultural programs, policies, processes, events, and training that support staff engagement, professional development, and community involvement. 
• Assess and measure organizational culture through surveys, feedback mechanisms, and regular check-ins with staff and community members.
• Collaborate with HR to develop equitable and effective hiring, retention, and professional growth strategies.
• Oversee compensation and benefits strategies to ensure fair, competitive, and sustainable pay structures within budget constraints.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, including wage regulations, leave policies, and workplace safety requirements. Monitor HR trends, emerging workplace best practices, and legal developments to continuously improve policies and programs.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to staff and leadership on employee relations issues, providing guidance on conflict resolution and workplace concerns.
• Board Engagement and Development:
• Serve as the primary liaison between the executive team and the Board of Directors, fostering open, transparent, and productive communication.
• Keep board members informed on organizational progress, challenges, and opportunities through regular updates, reports, and meetings.
• Facilitate strong working relationships between board members and key staff to enhance collaboration and collective impact. 
• Collaborate with the Board Chair and Governance Committee to ensure a robust pipeline of future board leadership.
• Develop and oversee an onboarding process for new board members, ensuring they have the necessary knowledge and resources to contribute effectively.
• Provide ongoing education and training opportunities for board members to strengthen their governance, fundraising, and advocacy capabilities.
• Support the development and enforcement of bylaws, policies, and best practices to enhance board effectiveness.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervises multiple employees across the Community Building and Engagement, Operations, Communications and Human Resources staff and departments. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include:

• Interviewing, hiring, and training employees.
• Planning, assigning, and directing work.
• Appraising performance and providing constructive feedback.
• Rewarding and disciplining employees as necessary.
• Addressing complaints and resolving problems to ensure a productive and inclusive work environment.

This role is essential in shaping both the internal and external culture of Dwelling Place, ensuring the organization remains a leader in community-driven housing solutions and resident engagement.

Requirements

Qualification & Skills

• Passion for Community Development, Social Justice and Cultural Equity.
• Master’s degree in sociology, cultural studies, community development, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in human resources, culture-building, DEIB work, community engagement, or nonprofit leadership.
• Strong facilitation and training skills, with experience leading conversations on diversity, equity, and belonging.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to connect with diverse audiences.
• Experience designing and implementing programs that celebrate and uplift community and staff members. 
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external partners.
• Familiarity with community development principles and challenges facing marginalized communities.
• Proficiency in project management and ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.

Competencies To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Problem Solving Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Verbal & Written Communication Speaks and writes clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.
• Planning/Organizing Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.
• Adaptability Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Initiative Undertakes self-development activities; Takes independent actions and calculated risks; Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities.
• Job Knowledge Competent in required job skills and knowledge; Keeps abreast of current developments; Displays understanding of how job relates to others; Uses resources wisely.
• General Competency To contribute to the Dwelling Place mission, each employee must possess skills beyond the technical requirements for the position. An employee must also demonstrate the ability and capacity to work with others in a manner that fosters trust, cooperation and a positive team esprit de corps. Dwelling Place expects each employee to maintain high ethical standards in their interactions with customers, other staff, vendors and the public generally. Dwelling Place employees are also expected to be dependable, to be respectful of others, to use sound judgment, to seek out new opportunities for learning and to communicate effectively with others.

Employees must abide by all Dwelling Place policies including but not limited to the Dwelling Place Code of Ethics and personnel policies.