Job Description: Program Director, Civic Engagement

Program Director, Civic Engagement
National Civic League

Job Description

About Us

The mission of the National Civic League is to advance civic engagement to build equitable, thriving communities. The League strengthens democracy by increasing the capacity of our nation’s people to fully participate in and build healthy and prosperous communities across America. Through our All-America Cities program and tools like the Civic Index and All-America Conversations toolkit and National Civic Review, we help local governments, civic leaders, nonprofit organizations, businesses and others work together to improve health, education, economic prosperity and other qualities. More information is on our website, at www.ncl.org.

Description of Job

This position directs the League’s civic assistance program, through which the League provides direct assistance to communities in different parts of the U.S., with usually 2-3 communities involved each year. The position is also responsible for overseeing the final year of a contract that promotes the use of solar energy and other activities that advance environmental sustainability and community health through civic engagement. Other responsibilities include periodic speeches, workshops and articles related to programs and services of the National Civic League, including the Civic Index, National Civic Review, All-America City awards, among others. As one of NCL’s four program directors, this position reports directly to the League President.

The League’s civic assistance program provides planning, facilitation and outreach services to communities that are creating strategic plans, civic engagement programs or other community plans. In recent years, for example, the League worked with Gladstone, MO, for over a year to update their strategic plan and with Castle Pines, CO, to gauge public sentiment about the direction of the community and promote a sense of community.

In the area of environmental sustainability, the League is a subcontractor for a U.S. Dept of Energy program called Solsmart, in which we are part of a team that is encouraging communities nationwide to change policies and regulations to facilitate residents and businesses installation of solar energy panels. As the lead staff on this contract, the program director communicates regularly with other Solsmart team members, reviews applications submitted by communities and participates in various program activities. As part of our sustainability work, the program director is also responsible for building upon the Solsmart program, which ends in August 2020, to create an ongoing program to promote sustainability through civic engagement. 

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

This is a non-exempt, at-will, position with full benefits and a performance-based pay plan. Benefits include eleven paid vacation days and 20 paid-time-off (PTO) days during the first two years, fully-covered health insurance (for the employee only), a 403(b) savings plan with a percent match in employer contributions, partial reimbursements for parking and cellphone, life insurance, and disability insurance.

Pay Range: $45,000-$55,000

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Political Science, Public Policy, Pre-Law, Communications, Sociology, or a field of study related to the work assignment;

AND

At least two years of responsible professional experience in a nonprofit, government agency or equivalent working in community to create, and implement program strategies related to racial equity

Preferred Qualifications

The following supplemental experience, competencies and abilities are highly desirable for this position and will be considered in selecting the successful candidate:

  • Proven expertise in nonprofit or government program implementation, particularly related to community engagement, health or environmental areas;
  • Graduate degree in a related field;
  • Demonstrated ability to establish collaborative partnerships and effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external customers and diverse stakeholders;
  • Outstanding skills and abilities in verbal and written communications; ability to adapt a style to fit audiences of varying technical levels, and at various levels within an organization, in large groups and individual settings;
  • Excellent skills in consensus-building, persuasion, negotiation and influence, including the ability to navigate in a complex political environment; ability to inspire trust in others and use influence and social capital to drive initiatives;
  • Ability to work well with constituents and partners regardless of position and authority, contribute to governing boards and committees, and adhere to clear lines of responsibility and accountability;
  • Outstanding ability to connect with, engage and work with people from all backgrounds.
  • Proven ability to lead conversations and facilitate meetings around difficult subjects with grace, respect and purpose;
  • Excellent skills in project management and facilitation, including establishing goals and timetables, tactical plans, securing and coordinating resources, monitoring progress, engaging and working with other personnel or teams, measuring results, developing contingencies, and reporting out;
  • Ability and motivation to develop creative solutions to complex, interpersonal, process, and systemic challenges;
  • Excellent judgment and decision-making skills; makes decisions in accordance with upper management’s philosophy, values and goals; perceives items and issues that are of great importance and initiates action proactively and within appropriate boundaries;
  • Ability to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret data and information; and
  • Ability to adapt work behavior and methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles.

Conditions of Employment

The successful candidate in this position will: be willing to submit to and able to successfully pass a criminal background check; possess and maintain a valid Colorado driver’s license and be able to travel up to 25% of the work time throughout the U.S.; and be willing and able to perform work in excess of 40 hours per week as work dictates.

To Apply:

Please send a résumé with cover letter to Doug Linkhart, President of the National Civic League, at DougL@NCL.org or by mail to National Civic League, Attn: Doug Linkhart, 190 East 9th Ave., Suite 200, Denver, CO 80203. Deadline for applications is June 6. Please call or email with any questions, 303-571-4343.

NCL is an equal opportunity employer.

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