Community Engagement Lead

JOB SUMMARY (Two/Three Lines): • The Community Engagement Lead builds and sustains LVPM's relationship with the Lehigh Valley community through content, participation, and outreach. • This role manages a network of volunteer community correspondents, edits and shapes community-created content to meet editorial standards, and oversees the education team, which connects residents to LVPM's journalism and storytelling through programs, workshops, and school and community partnerships. • The Community Engagement Lead is the primary steward of LVPM's community database and a key connector between the content team and the communities it serves, reporting directly to the VP of Content. RESPONSIBILITIES (Tasks): • Recruit, onboard, train, and manage a network of volunteer community correspondents, establishing clear expectations, workflows, and editorial standards for contributed content. • Edit and manage community-created content across formats ensuring accuracy, fairness, and alignment with LVPM's editorial standards before publication. • Maintain and grow LVPM's community database, tracking relationships with community organizations, civic leaders, educators, cultural institutions, and individual contributors. • Support bilingual outreach and content in coordination with bilingual staff, with a focus on the Lehigh Valley's Spanish-speaking communities. • Serve as a primary outreach contact for community organizations, coordinating story leads, content partnerships, and participation opportunities. • Oversee the education team, providing direction, support, and accountability for LVPM's community education programs and school and organizational partnerships. • Ensure education programs are connected to and supported by LVPM's editorial work and community engagement goals. • Plan and coordinate content-based community events including listening sessions, community conversations, and engagement activations, working closely with Events, Development and Content leadership. • Collaborate with the Director of Content on coverage planning to ensure community voices and perspectives are integrated into the daily editorial workflow. • Identify underrepresented communities and coverage gaps and develop relationships and strategies to address them. • All other duties as assigned. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (Results Ownership): • A functioning, active volunteer correspondent network producing credible community content on a regular cadence. • Editorial quality and accuracy of all community-created content published across LVPM platforms. • Growth and accuracy of LVPM's community database, including organizations, contacts, and engagement history. • Successful coordination and execution of community education programs and content-based events. • Measurable growth in community participation, including correspondent submissions, event attendance, and audience engagement from underrepresented communities. • Strong performance and development of direct reports. Requirements KEY COMPETENCY COMPONENTS (Behaviors Exhibited): • SKILLS: (Ability to use knowledge effectively and competently in execution) o Strong editing skills across formats, with the ability to shape community-contributed content while maintaining the contributor's voice and perspective. o Demonstrated ability to build and manage relationships with diverse community stakeholders including organizations, volunteers, and individual contributors. o Experience managing a CRM, contact database, or outreach tracking system. o Experience helping to plan and execute community-facing programs and events with multiple moving parts and stakeholders. o Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to represent LVPM in public-facing settings. • KNOWLEDGE: (Facts acquired by a person through experience or education) o Deep understanding of community journalism, participatory media, and the role of local news in civic life. o Familiarity with the Lehigh Valley's communities, demographics, institutions, and civic landscape. o Understanding of editorial standards and how they apply to community-generated content. o Knowledge of media literacy principles and community education approaches. • EXPERIENCE : (Work experience, degree attainment, professional certifications) o At least three (3) years of experience in community journalism, engagement journalism, audience development, or a closely related field. o Experience managing volunteers, contributors, or community programs. o Experience coordinating events or public-facing programs with community partners. o Bilingual in English and Spanish required. o Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, community organizing, or related field, or equivalent professional experience. • TRAITS: (Distinguishing qualities of a person) o Relationship-driven o Organized o Community-centered • CHARACTERISTICS: (The special trait that makes a person unique) o Sees the community as a collaborator in journalism, not just an audience for it. o Earns trust quickly with people from different backgrounds and brings genuine curiosity to every community relationship. o Holds contributors to high standards while making the process of participation feel welcoming and accessible. OTHER WORK REQUIREMENTS: · Some evenings and weekends are required, particularly for community events, listening sessions, and tentpole programming. · As you will/may be driving a company vehicle or your own vehicle on a regular basis, a valid driver's license and a good driving record as determined by a driver's license background check is required for this position. · All team members must successfully pass a background check (7 years), FBI fingerprint clearance and PA child clearance.