What are the responsibilities and job description for the Manager, Community Engagement (Future Projects) position at Valley Metro?
The Manager, Community Engagement (Future Projects) will focus on creating engagement and garnering feedback from stakeholders along our future projects—from projects in planning, design and/or construction projects, ensuring public input shapes our future endeavors. This role involves supervising and mentoring teams, building plans and programs, managing budgets and contracts, collaborating with internal teams for message cohesion and planning, and representing the organization at external events and presentations. If you're passionate about strategic outreach and public transit, this role offers a chance to make a meaningful impact on our local community!!
Why You Should Apply:
- Be part of a mission-driven organization dedicated to improving public transportation and providing excellent customer service;
- Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package including membership in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS);
- Opportunities for professional growth and development.
Are you ready to make an impact and help shape the future of public transportation? Apply today and become a vital part of our team!
Valley Metro is an Equal Opportunity Employer
- Bachelor's Degree in Business, Public Administration, Communications, Urban Planning, or a related field. Directly related experience may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis
- Six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in public involvement, public relations, community engagement, public outreach, or related position
- Two (2) years of supervisory experience
- Transit or public transportation-related experience is highly desired
Preferred Qualifications
- Leading successful public involvement strategies for transit/transportation projects and/or a major community-based initiative
- Appreciation for people management and building effective, diverse teams
- Strong writing, verbal and presentation skills
- Ability to work collaboratively, prioritizing relationship-building and strong communication, across internal and external teams
- Working with community engagement technology and tools to reach a broad spectrum of the community
Background Investigation: Employment is contingent upon the results of a background check.
Valid Arizona driver’s license and safe driving record.The statements listed below describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.
Manager, Community Engagement (Future Projects)
- Serves as Valley Metro’s outreach strategy lead for creating engagement and garnering feedback across all future projects—planning, design and/or construction projects.
- Supervises and mentors community relations and business assistance professionals, consisting of agency and consultant staff.
- Leads the development of public involvement plans and strategies to identify and connect with the neighboring community and critical stakeholders to garner feedback and build a two-way dialogue and ongoing relationship across the project timeline.
- Flexes and stays up-to-date with trends and sensitivities (including cultural, environmental and political sensitivities) to ensure stakeholders can effectively engage, feel like they are heard, and that Valley Metro can deliver on their behalf.
- Oversees the coordination of public meetings, advisory boards, events and presentations to engage future project areas; engages with new tools and resources to ensure the engagement strategy matches and stays current with the needs of the audience and environment.
- In partnership with business engagement team, oversees the development of custom business assistance programs for capital projects in final design and into construction; employs new techniques, strategies and partnerships to innovate programs and ensure effectiveness for the local business community.
- Collaborates and strategizes with project leadership to help lead the project forward on behalf of the community, create solutions to challenges, liaison with associated member cities and towns and provide direction to consultants and contractors.
- Prepares community relations staffing plans and budgets supportive of specific projects or programs; actively tracks budget activity and expenses and helps to build division-wide budget.
- Closely coordinates with counterparts in Communications and Marketing in regard to messaging, public notices, meeting materials, advertising and event planning.
- Works collaboratively with counterpart, Manager, Community Engagement (Current Stakeholders), to share ideas, resources and leverage each other’s expertise, including partnering on business assistance programming and building up ridership in future corridors.
- Develops new and innovative techniques to solicit public input and engage with a wide cross-section of community groups and stakeholders.
- Creates and maintains a stakeholder database and ensures documentation and metrics are thorough and up-to-date; develops reporting to “tell the story “ of our engagement and to meet the needs of Valley Metro leadership and member cities.
- Represents Valley Metro at meetings and events hosted by other agencies and outside organizations; conducts public speaking on behalf of Valley Metro, in front of policymakers and community groups.
- Supports budget and contract management, overseeing departmental expenditures, various contracts and working alongside Community Engagement management and the business office to ensure efforts are aligning with overall budget and strategic priorities.
Knowledge/Skills
Knowledge of:
Community/public relations techniques and best practices;
Equitable community relations strategies;
Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills;
Relationship management between public agencies and the community;
Multicultural sensitivity and tailored communication tactics;
Project management principles;
Budgeting principles;
Event coordination principles.
Skill in:
Organizing, managing and recruiting a diverse team to accomplish the goals of the agency within established scopes, schedules and budget and representative of the local community;
Building relationships across divisions, with the public and private sectors as well as city/community partners;
Relating to a diverse set of stakeholders and needs;
Problem-solving skills and good judgement;
Planning, developing and conducting effective public awareness strategies and campaigns;
Preparing and delivering effective oral presentations;
Writing, editing and proofing a variety of materials, including fact sheets, project updates and other pieces;
Facilitating meetings;
Using computers and related software applications, including stakeholder database and Microsoft Office products;
Communicating in order to interact with co-workers, supervisor(s) and the general public at a level conducive to exchanging information, influencing productive discussion and receiving helpful work direction and buy-in;
Managing and tracking multiple activities;
Leadership, organization and attention to detail;
Managing within an environment that operates at a rapid pace and is ever evolving.Positions in this class typically require: talking, hearing, and seeing.
Incumbents may be subject to travel.
Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
Salary : $85,793 - $128,689
