Job Description
About the Department
General Summary:
The Harris County Attorney’s Office (HCAO) is hiring a Community Outreach & Engagement Manager to join our Communications and Outreach Division. The Harris County Attorney is the chief civil legal officer for Harris County. The office represents Harris County, its officials, and employees in legal matters and serves the public through impactful litigation and enforcement actions. The Community Outreach & Engagement Manager plays a critical role in building and sustaining meaningful connections between the Harris County Attorney’s Office and the communities we serve through key relationships and engaging programming.
We are looking for someone with strong leadership skills who can translate the important work the office does in an authentic and impactful way. This person will lead a team of three full time staff members and seasonal interns, with the expectation that they will build team capacity, guide program development, and foster a culture of accountability and impact. This position reports to the Director of Communications.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Community Relations & Strategic Outreach:
Build and maintain meaningful relationships with local nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and community groups, keeping them informed of the office’s work and identifying opportunities for partnership, resource-sharing, and mutual support.
Develop and implement a strategic community engagement framework that creates substantive, issue-informed connections with external stakeholders.
Collaborate closely with the Communications team to ensure outreach strategies and messaging are aligned, and to coordinate on materials, campaigns, and information distribution for community audiences.
Programming & Events:
Oversee the team managing office-led community programming, including informational sessions and public engagement events.
Lead and manage the office’s educational pipeline programs, including the Summer Legal Academy—a two-week readiness program for high school students interested in the field of law—ensuring strong recruitment, programming, and participant follow-through.
Oversee the office’s internship program, coordinating recruitment, onboarding, programming, and evaluation across high school, college, and law school participants.
Identify gaps in current programming and community engagement and bring forward recommendations for new or improved initiatives.
Team Leadership & Management:
Directly manage a team of three staff members and interns, providing clear direction, professional development, and ongoing coaching to support high performance.
Build team capacity to execute on a broad portfolio of programs and community relationships, ensuring the team can sustain and grow the office’s outreach work.
Set clear goals and priorities for the team, delegate effectively, and hold staff accountable to deadlines and quality standards.
Support future team growth by participating in hiring and onboarding of new staff.
Data, Reporting & Impact:
Work with available data and reporting resources to track and communicate the impact of outreach and programming efforts; identify gaps in how the office measures its community engagement work and guide the team on filling them.
Develop regular reporting and storytelling frameworks that demonstrate the reach, depth, and outcomes of the office’s community engagement activities to internal leadership.
Other Duties:
- This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Management may, at its discretion, assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx
If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.
This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.
Position Duties
Supporting Job Application Documents:
Applicants should provide a cover letter, resume, and three (3) professional references with their application.
Education and Experience:
A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university.
Minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of experience in relevant positions with increasing responsibility.
Related experience includes community engagement, community outreach, public affairs, program development, youth programming, nonprofit management, or other closely related fields in the public or private sector.
Minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of experience in community engagement, community outreach, public affairs, program management, or a closely related field.
Experience planning and managing programs or events from conception through evaluation.
Demonstrated experience building and managing external relationships with nonprofits, advocacy organizations, or community groups.
Proven experience managing people, with the ability to coach, develop, and hold a team accountable across a broad and complex portfolio.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Strong strategic thinking skills and the ability to develop a long-term vision for community engagement while managing day-to-day execution.
Deep commitment to working with and for diverse communities, with cultural competency and sensitivity across varied populations.
Ability to represent the office credibly across a wide range of settings, from community coalition meetings to formal presentations.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.
Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, as community programming requires.
NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation, but ONLY the information stated on the application will be used for consideration.
Minimum Qualifications
A sincere interest in public service and/or local government.
Familiarity with Harris County’s legal and civic landscape and a working knowledge of the issues the County Attorney’s Office addresses.
Experience working with or managing educational pipeline or youth engagement programs.
Experience in or alongside government, legal, or advocacy organizations.
Bilingual candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Strong attention to detail with the ability to prioritize, problem-solve, and adapt in a dynamic environment.
Other Qualifications
The Harris County Attorney’s Office:
Located in downtown Houston, the Harris County Attorney’s Office represents Harris County government, the Harris County Flood Control District, the Harris County Toll Road Authority, and the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network in all civil matters, including lawsuits. The office also provides legal advice to county officials and employees.
Position Type and Typical Work Schedule:
This is a full-time position.
Days and hours of work are typically Monday through Friday, with occasional weekends and holidays as necessary.
Work Environment and Physical Demands:
- This job typically operates in a professional office environment and uses standard office equipment such as computers, printers, scanners/copiers, and phones.
- This is largely a sedentary role, 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.
- The base compensation for this position will be determined on the candidate’s qualifications and the pay of other employees in the job function. Total compensation includes attractive paid leave programs, health benefits, and retirement plans.
- In addition, the position is eligible for the accrual of compensatory time off for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, consistent with Harris County personnel policies and procedures.
Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.
Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.