Advocacy and Community Engagement Manager at More Than Words

Posted June 12, 2024

• Job Title: Advocacy and Community Engagement Manager
• Hiring Company: More Than Words
• Location: Boston, MA

Job Description

About More Than Words

More Than Words (MTW) is a social enterprise that empowers youth, ages 16-24, who are in the foster care system, court involved, homeless, or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. By working as a team to manage their own retail and online used book business and community space, youth develop the employment skills, leadership, and self-confidence they need to successfully transition to adulthood.

MTW is an exemplary organization that has continually held up a mirror to identify areas for improvement and accountability; that ethic is part of the culture and fabric of MTW, and it extends to our commitment to ensuring our staff and board reflect the racial and ethnic diversity and lived experiences of the young adults we are privileged to serve. People of color are highly encouraged to apply.

The Opportunity

More Than Words (MTW) seeks a dynamic, highly motivated professional to manage the referral, admissions, community outreach, and case file management systems for our youth. The Admissions and Community Engagement Manager will help lead outreach, community engagement, and referral efforts to build partnerships and a robust and diverse pool of mission-fit youth applicants for ongoing training rounds at both the MTW Waltham and Boston locations. This is a full-time salaried exempt position.

Key Responsibilities of an Admissions and Community Engagement Manager include:

Admissions (35%):

• Communicate with interested youth and referral partners about MTW and the admissions process.
• Support new referrals through the admissions process including scheduling tours, review of applications, scheduling interviews, follow-up for complete applications.
• Reach out and follow up with referrals partners and key collaterals including state agencies, nonprofits, and families to obtain all necessary information to complete the admissions process.
• Work with Youth Development Staff to select youth for upcoming training rounds and transfer information from application stage.
• Proactively outreach to cultivate existing community partnerships and establish new partnerships to ensure referrals of mission-fit youth to MTW.
• Assess success of youth trainees to communicate with collaterals about process.

Readiness Management (25%):

• Support lead staff in the readiness pre-employment phase.
• Conduct Readiness assessment with new youth trainees.
• Work with readiness youth weekly on enabling conditions to best prepare for core social enterprise.
• Facilitate housing, court, Department of Children and Families (DCF), and Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) meetings with the appropriate staff members.
• Ensure that most readiness assessments threshold areas have been met prior to youth’s transition to the Core Social Enterprise (CSE).
• Upon youth’s completion of readiness phase, facilitates a transition meeting between youth and CSE staff.

Case File Management (20%):

• Create and maintain youth admission files with fanatical oversight of compliance around all key documents signed and entered in the Salesforce database.
• Coordinate with government agencies funding youth slots to ensure appropriate referrals, approval process, paperwork, compliance, and reporting.
• Proactively liaise with Advancement Department around documentation and compliance with Government contracts and grants that fund some youth referrals.
• Build out a touch point system with collaterals and new partners to support ongoing referrals and updates about current youth.

Performance Management (20%):

• Continually updates the Salesforce database to ensure accurate and timely tracking of all efforts, partnerships, and advocacy.
• Use data to routinely ensure that MTW is improving its retention rates. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to track and monitor the impact of this role.
• Oversee effective use of database to track all contacts with referral entities and use regular reports to evaluate outreach efforts, track and interpret analytics regarding pipeline development to strategically focus time and other resources.

Skills and Experience

• A passion for working with system-involved young adults and a strong commitment to the mission of More Than Words
• Skills and experience working with recruitment, admissions, partnership development, marketing/communications, and/or community organizing
• Critical attention to detail and ability to track process steps and ensure follow through and completion by key deadlines
• Strong writing and communication skills including extensive and tenacious follow up by email and phone to obtain key information required by deadlines
• Significant relationship and/or client management experience; excellent executive presence and client building skills, with focus on details and follow through
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate a wide variety of people and quickly build rapport, trust, and credibility
• Knowledge, understanding and experience working with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and other state agencies preferred
• Strategic thinker with a demonstrated ability to use data to drive decision-making
• Proficiency with databases, preferably in Excel, and Salesforce
• Strong critical thinking skills and ability to problem solve a range of issues
• Comfort with ambiguity; openness to change; adaptive leadership style
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of tact and discretion to maintain confidential/sensitive information

Qualifications

• Candidates must be able to work evening hours 1-2 times per month as needed for programming shifts, workshops, and/or special events.
• A valid driver’s license and access to a car are highly preferred. Candidate must pass MTW insurable driving record requirements.
• A high school diploma, GED or significant work experience is required.

Benefits

• Medical and Dental Insurance
• 401(k)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for health/medical, dependent care, commuter/parking benefits
• Generous paid vacation and sick time
• Significant growth opportunities and professional development
• Employee Discounts

Compensation

• $52,000 – $57,749; commensurate with skills and experience.

Contact Info

Chelsea Bonollo
[email protected]
(617) 829-4985

To apply, please send both a resume and cover letter.

MTW’s Boston and Waltham sites are commuter friendly and conveniently located near public transportation.

Background Checks

MTW requires all staff, service members, volunteers, board members, and youth over 18 years of age to undergo background checks. More Than Words is a CORI friendly organization and reviews CORIs on a case-by-case basis.

COVID-19 Protocols

More Than Words continues to adapt to safety protocols related to COVID-19 as we understand them and as required by all state and federal agencies. For the safety of the community and our staff, we require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 including boosters, when eligible. Additionally, we are a mask-friendly space at both our locations.

MTW EEO Statement

More Than Words is an equal opportunity employer fully committed to achieving a diverse and inclusive workplace that embraces and encourages applicants of every background. The organization’s policy regarding equal employment opportunity means that all decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, benefits, wage and salary administration, scheduling, disciplinary action, and termination will be made without unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, citizenship status, pregnancy or maternity, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to [email protected].