Senior Manager, Community Engagement

Applications will be accepted through June 15, 2026.

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Senior Manager, Community Engagement, is a senior field and strategy role responsible for building trusted relationships, community intelligence, and cross-sector alignment that allow Bethany Legacy Foundation (BLF) to fulfill its mission as a systems-change funder. This role goes beyond marketing and communications. It is the organizational home for how BLF listens to, engages with, and is understood by Jefferson County — its partners, grantees, rural communities, and residents. The Senior Manager shapes the conditions under which BLF's grantmaking strategy can succeed: ensuring partners understand and can access BLF's priorities, ensuring leadership understands what communities need and believe, and ensuring BLF's public presence reflects the trust-based, equity-centered values it holds internally. This position partners closely with the CEO, Grants and Impact Director, and the broader leadership team. It carries strategic influence and is expected to contribute to organizational planning, external positioning, and long-term direction.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1.

Community Strategy & Field Leadership Serve as BLF's primary relationship-holder across Jefferson County's nonprofit, government, health, and civic sectors Develop and execute a community engagement strategy that advances BLF's systems-change priorities, not just its visibility Identify and cultivate emerging community leaders, organizations, and coalitions aligned with BLF's focus areas Advise the CEO and leadership on community sentiment, stakeholder dynamics, and strategic positioning Contribute meaningfully to organizational planning, Theory of Change development, and evaluation of BLF's community impact 2. Community Intelligence & Listening Systems Build and maintain formal systems for gathering community insight — through listening sessions, partner convenings, field visits, and structured feedback loops Synthesize and translate community intelligence into actionable recommendations for grantmaking strategy, communications, and organizational priorities Monitor shifts in the local nonprofit ecosystem, funding landscape, and community needs, and ensure leadership is informed and responsive Represent community voice and grantee perspective in internal strategy discussions 3. Grantmaking Alignment & Partner Engagement Clearly and proactively communicate BLF's funding priorities, values, and expectations to potential and current grantees Collaborate with the Grants and Impact Director to ensure community engagement efforts are directly informing and improving grantmaking outcomes 4. Rural Access & Equity Strategy Own BLF's strategy for equitable engagement with rural communities — treating this as a field-building and access challenge, not a messaging challenge Identify structural barriers that prevent rural organizations and residents from accessing BLF's funding and programs, and develop concrete plans to reduce them Build trusted relationships with rural community leaders, local media, faith communities, and civic networks Ensure BLF's events, funding cycles, and communication channels are genuinely accessible to rural and underserved populations 5. Strategic Convenings & Events Design and lead a convening strategy that positions BLF as a catalyst for cross-sector collaboration, learning, and systems alignment — not just a funder hosting events Curate convenings around BLF's funding priorities, creating spaces for partners to share knowledge, surface challenges, and develop shared solutions Lead event strategy and oversee execution, including logistics, vendor management, and on-site coordination for key convenings Evaluate convenings against clear strategic outcomes: relationships formed, alignment achieved, community needs surfaced 6. Brand, Narrative & Public Identity Steward and evolve BLF's brand identity and public narrative, ensuring they authentically reflect the organization's values and community role Oversee development of high-quality communications content — impact stories, reports, newsletters, video, social, digital — grounded in human-centered storytelling Ensure grantee and community voices are elevated in BLF's communications with their full consent and active participation, not extracted as content Oversee website, social media, email, and digital channels; use analytics to refine strategy and improve reach Support internal communications so that board, staff, and partners speak consistently and authentically about who BLF is and what it funds 7. Team & Operational Leadership Build and manage a high-performing community engagement function, including staff and/or consultants Manage external vendors and partners including designers, PR firms, and event partners Oversee the community engagement and communications budget and ensure effective allocation of resources Foster a culture of creativity, relational accountability, and continuous learning

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Bachelor's degree in a relevant field; master's degree preferred 7+ years of experience in community engagement, philanthropy, nonprofit strategy, or a closely related field Demonstrated experience building trust and sustained relationships across diverse communities, particularly in rural or under-resourced contexts Proven ability to translate community knowledge into organizational strategy and decision-making Strong communications and storytelling skills, with experience in both digital and in-person engagement Ability to hold both strategic and tactical responsibilities — thinking long-term while managing execution Deep commitment to equity, trust-based relationships, and community-centered practice Preferred Familiarity with trust-based philanthropy principles and grantmaking practices Experience working in Jefferson County or similar rural Indiana communities Experience designing and facilitating convenings, listening sessions, or cross-sector collaborations Understanding of systems-change frameworks and community health or social determinants of health

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

In the first year, the Senior Manager, Community Engagement will have: Built a structured community listening process that regularly feeds insights into organizational strategy Improved the quality and alignment of grant applications through proactive partner engagement Launched or significantly advanced BLF's rural access strategy with measurable changes to participation Led at least one major strategic convening that produced clear collaboration or alignment outcomes Strengthened BLF's public identity so that community members and partners can clearly articulate who BLF is and what it stands for

ABOUT BETHANY LEGACY FOUNDATION

Bethany Legacy Foundation (BLF) is a private health foundation established in 2022, dedicated to the health and wellness of Jefferson County, Indiana. BLF provides grant funding, capacity building, and community partnerships that help nonprofits, schools, and organizations create long-term, systemic change. Guided by the Legacy 2030 strategic plan, BLF's work is grounded in a trust-based philanthropy model that prioritizes grantee-led solutions, cross-sector collaboration, and upstream prevention over crisis response.

BLF holds a bold vision:

to make Jefferson County the healthiest place in the world — measured not just by health metrics, but by housing stability, mental health access, transportation equity, economic opportunity, and the dignity and self-reliance of every resident.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS BLF

offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience.

Pay:

From $83,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Disability insurance Employee assistance program Flexible schedule Health insurance Life insurance Paid parental leave Paid time off Retirement plan Tuition reimbursement Vision insurance Wellness program Application Question(s): Why are you interested in this role and our foundation? What strengths would you bring to this role, and where would you hope to continue growing professionally? How do you balance strategic priorities with day-to-day execution and competing priorities? Please use this space to share anything additional that would help us better understand your candidacy.

Work Location:

In person