Stakeholder Relations and Engagement Specialist

PURPOSE

Work closely with the Director of Communications and Community Relations to establish strong working relationships and manage engagement with district partners and stakeholders across local authorities, government, industry and business, communities, and other parties. Includes engaging families in district decision making and ensuring disenfranchised communities and stakeholders feel connected to the district. Identify existing barriers to the effective engagement of our key stakeholders and develop communication and engagement initiatives that enable increased stakeholder satisfaction. This role will also raise the profile of Salem-Keizer Public Schools’ services to our key stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB

May include, but are not limited to, the following

1. Development and successful delivery of stakeholder engagement plans in accordance with the overarching stakeholder engagement strategy
2. Manage stakeholder mapping and prepare communications to stakeholders and respond to stakeholder enquiries
3. Lead work of others providing guidance and directing their workload activities to ensure timescales and requirements are met. Work collaboratively with other members of the project team.
4. Arrange and attend stakeholder meetings and ensure feedback of stakeholder responses to district
5. Prepare and manage workshops, roundtable and forum logistics including developing agendas, project plans, minute taking and production of reports.
6. Develop Common Ground Council and coordinate sessions between district and community
7. Organize and supervise Student Engagement Cafes
8. Liaison to school district Safe Routes to Schools and Student Investment Account (SIA) committee
9. Writer and Editor of Community Insider newsletter
10. Develop a stakeholder engagement plan that links to Salem-Keizer Public Schools’ overall business plan objectives that identifies the specific requirements of each stakeholder group
11. Establish relationships with key stakeholders that meets each parties needs and agreed outcomes
12. Maintain stakeholder relationships once established through regular communication activities as identified with each stakeholder
13. Build capacity and knowledge of each key stakeholder to ensure effective communication outcomes by clearly defining lines of communication
14. Maximize stakeholder opportunities to say what they want and to provide information and feedback
15. Engage stakeholders at the most direct level and ensure that level is appropriate for the purpose
16. Strengthen engagement capabilities and identify the gaps and weaknesses
17. Identify and where possible, understand stakeholder issues, interests, aspirations, and concerns to better define what matters most
18. Effectively manage the expectations of stakeholders by being clear about what is negotiable and what is set in stone
19. Liaise with key stakeholders on the different programs and services that Salem-Keizer Public Schools offers on a regular basis
20. Inform key stakeholders on Salem-Keizer Public Schools value added business and/or service opportunities, e.g. work experience program
21. Engage stakeholders through presentations at meetings and events on Salem-Keizer Public Schools services and programs
22. Determine and use the right channels of communication to ensure the method of communication is appropriate to stakeholders
23. Apply the principles of person-centeredness in all communication strategies
24. Provide opportunities for stakeholders to ask questions, to seek clarification, of information and to contribute their own experiences
25. Establish clear and realistic timeframes for stakeholder input
26. Ensure any information provided to stakeholders is culturally appropriate
27. Review monthly performance against key performance indicators (KPI’s) and implement strategies to meet objectives, track and measure performance around stakeholder and community engagement
28. Establish and implement organizational policies, goals, objectives, and procedures, in conjunction with management and staff as applicable
29. Attend meetings and represent Salem-Keizer Public Schools as may reasonably be required Maintain regular and consistent attendance and punctuality
30. Perform related duties consistent with job description and assignment

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Ability to

1. Work with diverse audiences including bilingual families, students, and community members.
2. Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
3. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work

Experience and Training

1. Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is appropriate. A representative way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
2. 4-year degree in communications, public relations, or related field
3. Minimum of 5 years’ experience in community engagement, public relations and/or stakeholder development emphasizing a broad range of constituents including bilingual audiences
4. Significant experience of managing engagement with diverse stakeholders and building coalitions and support groups for district
5. Proven ability to connect with communities from diverse ethnicities and backgrounds such Hispanic/Latinx, African American/Black, Pacific Islander, Arabic, Swahili and Russian.
6. Experience in developing and successfully implementing stakeholder engagement plans
7. Proven ability to work and multi-task under pressure, respond quickly to changing situations in complex project environments, prepare responses/narrative quickly and clearly and use personal initiative
8. Good interpersonal and networking skills, highly articulate team player Strong project management and people management skills
9. High degree of accuracy in executing work
10. Ability to schedule work and deliver to tight deadlines
11. Broader project communications experience and skills desirable High degree of writing skills
12. Ability to review, ascertain findings and include in engagement plans Bilingual preferred and desired
13. Tribal relations experience desired

Work Environment

Climate controlled office setting with exposure to minimal noise intensity levels

Physical Requirements

Frequent reaching, handling, fingering, talking and hearing. Mobility to work in a typical office setting and use standard office equipment, stamina to remain seated and maintain concentration for an extended period. Hearing and speech to communicate in person or over the telephone. Vision: Frequent near acuity; occasional far acuity. Vision to read printed materials, computer screens and/or other monitoring devices.

Strength: Sedentary/Light – Exert force to 15 pounds occasionally or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull or move objects.