Community Engagement Liaison (Council Coordinator)

About the Department

Job Appointment: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8 am-5:00 pm. An alternate schedule may be available.
Work Location: 1221 SW 4TH AVE, PORTLAND OR 97204
Benefits: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of the benefits for this position.
Union Representation: Non-represented
To view current labor agreements, please visit https://www.portland.gov/bhr/employee-relations/labor-relations/labor-agreements.

Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland’s online portal. You will need to attach a resume and a cover letter.

Portland City Council’s office of Council Operations is actively seeking a Community Engagement Liaison (Council Coordinator).

The Council Operations Community Engagement Liaison provides community engagement services in a complex public sector organization. The office of Council Operations provides a range of specialized support functions that enable the Portland City Council and each Council office to conduct its official functions as the legislative body for the City of Portland. 

This position will plan and implement programs and activities to achieve the community engagement objectives of the City Council. The position is critical to working on behalf of the City Council with City Bureaus, community organizations, and a variety of organizations throughout the cities’ four districts.

The Council Liaison reports to the Council Operations Manager and plays an important role coordinating the work of council, Mayoral and administrative offices involved in providing engagement and outreach services.

The position receives general direction regarding the scope and approach to projects or assignments and is expected to operate with a high degree of independence and professional judgment to solve highly complex problems in the performance of their assigned duties.

The position will plan and organize community engagement efforts for a variety of citywide issues; developing comprehensive community engagement strategies, policies, and tactics that build effective relationships with the community and other City stakeholders.

To do this job effectively, the Liaison must embrace core principles of diversity, governance, public process, and mutual learning in the context of government service with the Portland City Council.

Job Responsibilities Include: 

• Coordinating and organizing community engagement activities for the City Council
• Providing coordination, communication, tools/resources, and technical assistance with council-specific community engagement activities across the organization
• Maintaining effective collaborations and relationships with city engagement staff and the Mayor’s immigrant affairs coordinator in support of community engagement efforts
• Collaborating with City Council staff to develop community engagement strategies related to key Council initiatives
• Serving as a technical advisor to City Council leadership/elected officials on community engagement issues
• Researching, developing, and recommending community engagement strategies
• Working collaboratively with Council communications staff and other stakeholders to develop and implement a communications strategy for the City Council’s community engagement efforts
• Building and maintaining partnerships with community-based organizations, non-profits, civic groups, impacted communities, neighborhood associations and other stakeholders to increase awareness and visibility for Council initiatives.
• Serving as the primary point of contact for community engagement efforts, ensuring community-based organizations, impacted communities, and other relevant stakeholders remain actively informed and involved in decision-making opportunities
• Participating in the planning, development, and execution of community engagement strategies, initiatives, events, and outreach activities that promote City services, advance program goals, and gather community feedback
• Monitoring, tracking, and evaluating engagement efforts, preparing reports and statistical analyses to assess community reach and inform ongoing program improvements
• Conducting evaluations of community engagement activities using performance measures and timelines, and selecting appropriate methods, tools, and procedures to assess effectiveness
• Maintaining accurate stakeholder databases and reporting systems, preparing and delivering presentations to community and advocacy groups to promote City Council’s goals and presenting findings and recommendations to leadership

Position Duties

Applicants should specifically address and demonstrate in their cover letter and résumé how their education, training, and/or experience meet each of the following minimum qualifications:

1. Knowledge of community based organizations, particularly those serving diverse and traditionally underserved populations.

2. Knowledge of online digital tools to support engagement and evolving digital engagement platforms.

3. Skills to lead internal and external group problem-solving efforts, facilitate group processes.

4. Skills to confidently and publicly articulate the benefits, progress, and objectives of programs to decision-makers, partnering jurisdictions and non-profits, and volunteer groups.

5. Ability to develop and implement a comprehensive community engagement plan.

6. Ability to demonstrate respect for the opinions, backgrounds, and lived experiences of others.

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge

• Developing contemporary strategies and best practices in community engagement with an emphasis on experience supporting historically under-represented communities.
• The impacts of systemic inequities on community access and participation.

Skills

• Excellent customer service to other government personnel, public officials, business and non-profit agencies, and community members.
• Knowledge of municipal functions, operations, organization and administrative practices and procedures.
• Employ excellent organizational, time management, problem-solving, reporting, and collaborative skills.

Ability

• Adapt to change.
• Demonstrate self-motivation.

Minimum Qualifications

STEP 1: Apply online between June 22, 2026, and June 29, 2026
 

• Cover letter.
  • Details are key! The city uses a merit-based system, so your cover letter should be thorough and specifically address each qualification listed in the "To Qualify" section of the job announcement. Your cover letter can exceed one page to ensure you can provide detailed information for every qualification. Follow the instructions, as a subject matter expert will be evaluating your details to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements.
• Resume
• Answer to Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

• Veteran’s Preference documents (e.g., DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter) must be submitted by the closing date.
• Update: As of March 3, 2025, if you have already submitted veteran documents and qualified for preference, you do not need to resubmit them for future recruitments.
• To update or remove veteran preference for this recruitment or from your profile, contact the recruiter listed in the job announcement.

• Your cover letter can exceed one page but no more than three, to ensure you can provide detailed information for every qualification. A subject matter expert will evaluate your details to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements.
• Your résumé should support the details described in your cover letter.
• How We Determine Pay: The City of Portland is covered by the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying.  It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid, regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all your relevant experience.
• E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.
• Do not attach any additional documents.
• Please note that all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
• You can use AI tools to assist with your job application, but please make sure to personalize your responses to supplemental questions. Avoid copying and pasting. We encourage the use of AI to generate ideas and then tailor them to reflect your own experiences and skills.
• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. 

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and cover letter, is weighted 100%.
• Your resume and cover letter will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation results. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required before the establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.

• The hiring bureau will review and select candidates to interview.
• Please note that the selection process may take up to 90 days from the notification of being placed on the eligible list.

• A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.
• 
  

Other Qualifications

Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• City of Portland Core Values
• Recruitment Process - Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations 

Benefits

A Career with the City of Portland offers many Employee Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to  

• Health Care (Medical, Vision and Dental) 
• Carrot Fertility 
• Wellness Benefits 
• Life Insurance 
• Long-term disability coverage to eligible employees and their families.  
• Employee Assistance Plan 
• Flexible Spending Accounts 
• Retirement 
• Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), including contributions to the PERS IAP plan paid by employer
• Family Medical Leave 
• City Paid Parental Leave 

AND SO MANY MORE! 

Benefits may vary depending on bargaining unit and employment status. Click here to review the many different benefits the City of Portland offers.

 

Supplemental Questions

01

Thank you for your interest in the City of Portland. We value your time and hope to make your application experience as positive as possible.

Your Cover Letter and Resume are an important step to assist us in the review for minimum qualifications for the posted vacancy.

In your Cover Letter, write specific and unique responses to address each of the minimum qualification listed in the "To Qualify" section. The information you provide must correctly reflect your work history/resume. A lack of information in your application materials to each of the minimum qualifications may result in elimination from the recruitment.

Note: Request for veterans' preference, please add a copy of your DD214 and/or Veteran's Benefit letter. All documents must be uploaded by the closing date and time of this announcement.

Have you read and understood all the information listed above?

• No - If you have a questions, please contact the recruiter on the announcement.
• Yes

02

Where did you first learn about this job opportunity? (If on a website or job board, please specify which one)

03

The City of Portland sometimes gets requests for public records. Please choose the response that best fits your preference:
(Your choice will not affect your application process.)

• I want my application to stay private. I understand that the City of Portland will keep my information confidential unless required to share it by law.
• I allow my application to be shared. I understand that by choosing this option, my information is no longer private.

Required Question

Agency Information

Employer

City of Portland

Address

1120 SW 5th Ave, Room 987








Portland, Oregon, 97204

Website

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/jobs