Work, Serve, Thrive. With the City of Durham Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.
Hiring Range:
$70,000
Annually Hours/Shift:
Monday
- Friday, 8:00 am
- 5:00 pm (some flexibility available)
- This position is primarily in-person and based in the field/community; limited remote work may be available.
Occasional evening and weekend work is required to support community meetings, events, and engagement activities. The City of Durham's Community Partnerships & Engagement Department leads inclusive, coordinated, and data-driven community engagement across all departments. By centralizing efforts, we streamline communication, maximize resources, and ensure consistent, high-quality outreach. Equity is at the core of our mission—centering the voices of historically marginalized communities through integrated Digital Inclusion, Language Access, and ADA programs. We serve as the hub for all engagement initiatives, helping the City connect more effectively with residents and make better, more inclusive decisions. The Community Engagement Strategist leads the implementation of strategic initiatives focused on working with youth who are justice-involved, at risk, and from historically underserved communities. This role is responsible for co-designing and implementing youth-centered programs that expand access to resources, build leadership and life skills, and support pathways to stability, opportunity, and long-term success for young people across Durham. This is a unique opportunity to work closely with department leadership in shaping and building new youth-focused program areas from the ground up while helping lead their day-to-day implementation and execution. The Strategist will work directly with leadership and the Manager to define program goals, develop strategic frameworks, and translate ideas into actionable, impactful initiatives that respond to the needs of underserved and at-risk youth. This role will also help strengthen partnerships with schools, community organizations, and youth-serving agencies while supporting the department's broader vision for equitable youth engagement, violence prevention, mentorship, and community impact. This position is primarily focused on the development and implementation of justice-involved initiatives, with secondary responsibility for supporting the Participatory Budgeting (PB) program as needed. This is a hands-on role that requires strong analytical, organizational, project management, and communication skills. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who can build programs from concept to execution, effectively engage community stakeholders, manage multiple priorities, and successfully implement complex initiatives in a fast-paced, high-visibility environment. Experience working with justice-involved individuals, at-risk youth, or other underserved populations is highly desired.
Key Responsibilities:
Program Design & Development (Primary) Lead the research, design, and development of programs supporting justice-involved and at-risk youth populations. Develop program frameworks, implementation plans, and training materials that build skills and strengthen community capacity. Partner with leadership to define program goals, scope, and performance measures. Program Implementation & Coordination Lead implementation of new initiatives, ensuring alignment with timelines, goals, and intended outcomes. Coordinate with internal departments, community partners, and service providers to support program delivery. Community Engagement & Capacity Building Build and maintain relationships with community organizations, service providers, and stakeholders. Support and facilitate trainings, workshops, and engagement activities that empower participants and strengthen community capacity. Ensure programs are accessible, responsive, and grounded in community needs. Data, Evaluation & Reporting Collect, track, and analyze data to measure program performance and impact. Support development of evaluation frameworks and continuous improvement strategies. Core Competencies Experience working with justice-involved or at-risk populations, with an understanding of barriers and support systems. Ability to design and deliver capacity-building programs that are practical, inclusive, and impactful. Strong analytical skills and ability to use data to inform decisions and evaluate outcomes. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including developing reports, presentations, and training materials. Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Community Development, or a related field. Two years of professional program administration and/or analytical experience in area of assignment. Master's degree (MPA, MPP, MSW, or related) preferred. Experience designing and implementing programs that support justice-involved or at-risk youth. Experience with capacity-building initiatives, workforce development, reentry programs, or community-based services. Experience working in or with local government, nonprofits, or community-based organizations. Experience facilitating trainings, workshops, or group sessions. Ability to create clear, engaging written materials and presentations.
