Community Engagement Manager

Community Engagement Manager

Status: Full-Time, 1.0 FTE

Reports to: Chief Real Estate Officer

Location: Hartford, Connecticut

Salary: $65,000–$75,000, commensurate with experience

Position Type: Exempt

About SINA

Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (SINA) is a nonprofit community development organization working to strengthen Hartford’s South End/Southside neighborhood through partnerships, housing and neighborhood development, resident engagement, leadership development, and strategic investment. SINA works collaboratively with residents, homeowners, tenants, neighborhood institutions, businesses, government agencies, and other community partners to advance a vibrant, inclusive, and connected neighborhood.

Position Overview

SINA seeks a highly organized, relationship-oriented, and community-minded professional to serve as its Community Engagement Manager.

This position will play a central role in strengthening SINA’s relationships with homeowners and tenants, advancing homeownership opportunities for employees of SINA’s institutional partners, coordinating the Hartford Leadership Academy, managing volunteer engagement, and helping implement the Washington Street Development Plan.

The ideal candidate will be comfortable building trusted relationships in the neighborhood, managing programs and events, coordinating volunteers and institutional partners, and bringing stakeholders together to move neighborhood priorities forward. This position requires initiative, strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to move projects from ideas to implementation.

A key expectation is to plan proactively. The Manager will develop and maintain an annual and rolling calendar of homeowner and tenant engagement opportunities, volunteer events, Leadership Academy activities, and other neighborhood initiatives, providing SINA and its partners advance notice to participate, prepare, and contribute.

Key Responsibilities

Homeowner & Tenant Engagement

Develop and maintain meaningful, ongoing relationships with homeowners and tenants within SINA’s footprint.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop a proactive homeowner and tenant engagement strategy, including an annual and rolling calendar of activities such as mixers, neighborhood gatherings, informational sessions, and other opportunities for residents to connect with SINA and one another.
• Plan engagement activities sufficiently far in advance to maximize participation and allow SINA’s institutional and community partners to participate where appropriate.
• Coordinate communications to homeowners and tenants regarding programs, services, events, neighborhood improvements, and other opportunities; maintain systems for tracking relationships, engagement, needs, and follow-up.

Hartford Leadership Academy

Coordinate and strengthen the Hartford Leadership Academy as a meaningful leadership development and neighborhood engagement program.

Responsibilities include:

• Coordinate planning, recruitment, scheduling, logistics, communications, and implementation of the Hartford Leadership Academy.
• Work with SINA staff and community partners to ensure the curriculum reflects current needs and opportunities, and revise it to improve clarity, relevance, accessibility, and participant engagement.
• Strengthen connections between the Leadership Academy and SINA’s broader homeowner and tenant engagement efforts.
• Create opportunities for Academy participants to engage in neighborhood activities, volunteer projects, civic initiatives, and other SINA programs, and develop opportunities for alumni to remain connected to SINA and the neighborhood.
• Recruit and maintain relationships with speakers, facilitators, community leaders, and other program partners.

Volunteer Coordination & Institutional Partner Engagement

Develop and manage SINA’s volunteer engagement efforts, with emphasis on building long-term, recurring participation from SINA’s institutional partners.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and maintain an annual volunteer calendar identifying opportunities for cleanups, beautification projects, small construction and repair projects, and other community activities.
• Develop a proactive strategy for engaging SINA’s institutional partners in volunteer activities and actively encourage and follow up with partners to secure participation.
• Build relationships with companies, schools, colleges, faith communities, neighborhood organizations, and other groups interested in volunteering with SINA.
• Coordinate volunteer groups supporting construction, repair, maintenance, beautification, and improvement projects at SINA properties and other neighborhood locations.
• Coordinate volunteer schedules, communications, orientations, supplies, and on-site logistics.
• Maintain a database of volunteer groups, institutional partners, and individual volunteers and develop strategies for repeat engagement.
• Document volunteer projects through photographs, participation data, and brief impact summaries that can be shared with partners.
• Evaluate each volunteer event and use lessons learned to improve future events and increase participation.

The Manager is expected to take ownership of volunteer participation, including identifying opportunities for institutional partners, communicating opportunities in advance, making direct asks, following up with partner contacts, and increasing recurring institutional participation over time.

Washington Street Development Plan Implementation

Serve as a key coordinator in advancing implementation of recommendations contained in the Washington Street Development Plan.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and maintain an implementation work plan for priority recommendations within SINA’s role and sphere of influence.
• Develop and maintain a calendar of key meetings, stakeholder touchpoints, milestones, and implementation activities.
• Build productive working relationships with relevant City of Hartford departments, state agencies, elected officials, and other governmental stakeholders.
• Track implementation priorities, identify barriers, and help develop strategies to move projects forward.
• Prepare updates, presentations, briefing materials, and other communications regarding implementation progress.
• Identify opportunities to leverage SINA’s homeowner engagement, Leadership Academy, volunteer, and institutional partnerships to support implementation of the plan.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in community development, urban planning, public administration, nonprofit management, social work, business, real estate, communications, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• At least 3–5 years of relevant professional experience in community development, neighborhood engagement, housing, nonprofit program management, public administration, real estate, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience coordinating meetings, events, programs, or community initiatives.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records and documentation.
• Ability to work independently while functioning effectively as part of a collaborative team.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work respectfully with residents, homeowners, tenants, institutional partners, government officials, volunteers, and community organizations.
• Ability to plan proactively, establish timelines, and follow through on commitments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ability to learn and effectively use databases and other technology platforms.
• Ability and willingness to attend occasional evening and weekend meetings and events.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation, or another reliable means of traveling throughout the neighborhood and city as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with municipal government or public-sector stakeholders.
• Experience facilitating community meetings or leadership development programs.
• Experience coordinating corporate, institutional, or community volunteers.
• Knowledge of Hartford and its neighborhoods and community-development landscape.
• Experience working with residents and community stakeholders in an urban neighborhood setting.
• Bilingual or multilingual skills, particularly Spanish, are a plus.

Measures of Success

During the first 12–24 months, success in this position will include:

• A well-developed and actively managed annual calendar of homeowner/tenant engagement, volunteer, Leadership Academy, and neighborhood activities.
• Stronger and more systematic engagement with SINA homeowners and tenants.
• A refreshed and relevant Hartford Leadership Academy curriculum with stronger connections to neighborhood engagement.
• A growing and well-organized network of volunteer groups supporting SINA and neighborhood projects.
• Increased participation by SINA's institutional partners in volunteer and community engagement activities, including more advance commitments to recurring events.
• Successful completion of volunteer construction, cleanup, beautification, and community projects.
• Clear stakeholder coordination and measurable progress on priority recommendations of the Washington Street Development Plan.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: $65,000–$75,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Benefits include but are not limited to:

• 401(k) retirement benefit available after one year of employment; currently includes an employer contribution of 10% with a 3% employee contribution.
• Four weeks of paid vacation, generous sick leave, and comprehensive health insurance.

To Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter to achambers@sinainc.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. SINA is an equal opportunity employer and encourages individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.