Job Description
JOB TITLE: Community Engagement Officer
DEPARTMENT: Community Engagement
REPORTS TO: Associate Director of Community Engagement
STATUS: Full-Time
Urban Edge is a nonprofit community development organization located in Boston with a mission dedicated to strengthening communities and families. Together, we build affordable housing and vibrant, prosperous
neighborhoods. We focus on economic justice through financial counseling, wealth building through homeownership education, anti-displacement through foreclosure prevention, and resident support services as
we construct more affordable housing. Located where Boston’s Latin Quarter meets its historic African-American neighborhood at the crossroads of Jamaica Plain and Roxbury in Jackson Square, our goal is to foster diverse urban
neighborhoods of choice populated by resilient families and sustained by community relationships. In 1974, redlining, real estate speculation, and displacement of low-income families were tearing at the fabric of
Boston communities. The determined resident opposition had succeeded in halting the extension of I-95 through the City, but the landscape sustained the scars of cleared land. That’s when community leaders came together
and founded our agency to rebuild our neighborhood on the “urban edge.” To date, we have developed nearly 1,500 units of affordable housing and maintain a portfolio of 1,369 units. Urban Edge’s budget for CY22 is
approximately $5.3M, and we currently employ a staff of 30.
Summary:
The Community Engagement Officer is an outgoing, solution-oriented professional committed to maximizing stable tenancies, increasing the economic resiliency of families, and providing community leadership and
advocacy opportunities for residents and the community. The Community Engagement Officer works closely with neighborhood organizations and resident leaders to identify opportunities for facilitated leadership
development training and advocacy efforts. He/she will organize, lead and facilitate meetings to support the needs of the resident leaders and the neighborhood organizations.
The Community Engagement Officer will work closely with human service agencies that provide assistance around elder services, job placements, domestic violence prevention, home health aide, and after-school
programs. He/she acts as a liaison between residents and property management and works to increase opportunities for residents to enhance their income and assets, as well as to connect residents to health & wellness,
and educational opportunities. This person focuses on connecting residents to social service providers, increasing the income of families, and supporting neighborhood-led activities and initiatives. The Community Engagement
Officer represents the organization to a variety of stakeholders, including residents, neighborhood organizations, and city and state agencies.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Community Engagement Officer Page 2 | 3
Identify and lead community advocacy efforts that address the needs of the core neighborhood.
This could include but is not limited to public safety, affordable housing, civic engagement and
other issues.
Work with Community Engagement staff to develop a model for community leadership
development that draws from Urban Edge’s experience with resident leadership development.
Lead and implement leadership development initiatives and activities intended to increase the
success of meaningful resident engagement.
Identify leadership development opportunities for current and future resident leaders in the Urban
Edge portfolio, and the larger community.
Lead and facilitate monthly and/or quarterly meetings with peer organizations in Urban Edge’s Core
Neighborhood.
Provide one-to-one coaching and goal setting with residents, specifically around goals related to
promoting economic mobility, including housing, budgeting, education, career and more. This will
also include collaboration with the property management company to carry out some these
initiatives.
Identify and cultivate relationships with organizations that provide resources to families living in
affordable housing.
Design and execute effective communication strategies to inform residents of community events and
other relevant information.
Collect all required community engagement information and input them into appropriate databases.
Assist in report writing for community engagement activities and initiatives.
Additional Responsibilities:
Represent Urban Edge at resident, neighborhood, and City and State-wide meetings and initiatives.
Work closely with property management and other staff to resolve resident issues that destabilize
tenancy. This includes Urban Edge’s work with property management around resident receivables
across the portfolio.
Work with the Real Estate team and other Urban Edge teams as appropriate to ensure that residents of
Urban Edge’s service area are engaged and participating in the organization’s work and decision-making.
Collaborate with other teams within the organization in the planning/implementation of community
events and media relations for Community Engagement.
● Attend community events/celebrations and Urban Edge events/meetings as needed (events sometimes
occur during nights and/or weekends).
● Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Minimum Required Experience, Education, and Background:
● At least 2-3 years’ experience in resident resource coordination, community organizing, community
planning, and/or community relations.
● Strong Facilitation skills.
● Strong customer service orientation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
● Strong client management skills.
Community Engagement Officer Page 3 | 3
● Strong organizational skills as well as a demonstrated ability to handle a variety of tasks simultaneously,
and in logical sequence. Ability to show accuracy, timeliness, adaptability to changing circumstances and
follow-up on tasks.
● Ability to work with and understand people of all ethnic backgrounds; And, to understand the challenges
of residents living within affordable housing; or those of low income.
● Ability to work independently and to make judgments within the scope of the job.
● Proficiency in Microsoft Office and utilizing database software (e.g., Salesforce).
Additional Preferred Experience:
● Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
● Bi-Lingual (Spanish fluency a plus)
Application Process:
● Please forward your resume and cover letter to careers@urbanedge.org
● Urban Edge offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications, plus generous
benefits.
Urban Edge seeks a diverse pool of candidates. We are committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity
without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or
age.