JOB OPPORTUNITY: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS LEAD

Location: Houston (Clear Lake), Texas
Type of Role: Full-time, non-academic, salaried.
Department: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Disaster Resilience and Recovery -Mitigation Unit
Position Details: Open until filled. Interviews with be scheduled on a rolling basis.
Experience Preferred: At least 5 years of professional experience in communications, project management, stakeholder engagement, public outreach, marketing, event coordination, or related work.

 

WHAT WE DO
The DAR Mitigation Unit provides education, outreach, and planning support for communities around the state of Texas, focusing on approaches that foster collaboration and holistic solutions to reduce risks from floods and other hazards. Leveraging data-driven methodologies and innovative tools, such as CHARM and CommunityViz, our award-winning GIS-based scenario planning software, we facilitate collaborative sessions with community staff and elected officials working together to build a resilient and sustainable future. Operating within the largest university-based extension program nationwide, DAR Mitigation is uniquely positioned to deliver highly impactful community planning tools and services. We cultivate strong partnerships with sister state agencies and federal entities, and aim to share our knowledge, expertise, and tools to communities in need of sustainable planning practices.

YOUR ROLE
The Community Engagements Lead will plan, coordinate, and execute communications and engagement activities supporting CHARM products and initiatives within the DAR Mitigation Branch. Serving as a working lead for a small communications group, this position provides day-to-day direction while actively contributing to engagement campaigns, content development, digital communications, and community engagements such as workshops, trainings, and product demonstrations. The role requires strong project management, organizational, and communication skills, and works closely with CHARM product leadership, internal technical and program teams, external partners, and community stakeholders. This position may also support additional DAR Mitigation Branch communications and engagement priorities as needs and capacity allow.

JOB DESCRIPTION
The Community Engagements Lead is responsible for overseeing communications and engagement projects supporting CHARM products and initiatives. This role leads and manages project planning, scheduling, budgeting, content development, and stakeholder engagement, including conferences, workshops, and community activities, to ensure timely, high-quality deliverables that align with program goals and Texas A&M AgriLife branding and accessibility requirements. The ideal candidate is an experienced manager adept at leading communications staff, coordinating internal teams and external partners, and translating complex technical information into clear, effective communications for diverse audiences.

BENEFITS
One optional day to work from home. Employees are eligible for a generous health insurance plan, including dental and vision. PTO starts at 12 personal days a year, 11 paid holidays, and ten sick leave days. Employees join the Texas Teachers Retirement System (TRS) with employer contributions. Additional retirement savings are available. Office culture is casual but earnest about doing good work and helping communities improve their safety and well-being through planning. As university employees, staff will have no-cost access to LinkedIn learning training and professional credits. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Plans, coordinates, and executes communications and engagement projects primarily supporting CHARM products and initiatives. 

  • Turns product and program priorities into project plans, schedules, assignments, and deliverables. Tracks progress, follows up on outstanding work, and helps resolve issues that could affect deadlines or completion. 

  • Creates, edits, and coordinates communications materials, including presentations, reports, briefings, web content, announcements, newsletters, outreach materials, marketing collateral, and event materials. 

  • Works with the content writer, graphic designer, product team, planners, and technical staff to develop clear and accurate written and visual communications for different audiences. 

  • Plans and coordinates conferences, exhibits, product demonstrations, webinars, stakeholder meetings, and other CHARM engagement opportunities, including event logistics, materials, staffing, procurement, travel, and follow-up. This may require transport, set up, and break down of workshop, exhibit, and outreach equipment and materials including displays and presentation/AV equipment.

  • Partners with the Community Planning Team Lead to plan and coordinate CHARM workshops and community engagements, including schedules, participant communications, materials, staffing, technology needs, logistics, and follow-up. 

  • Maintains project schedules, communications and engagement calendars, and task boards. Uses Jira or similar tools to assign work, tracks deliverables and deadlines, identifies dependencies, and keeps the team informed of project status. 

  • Serves as a working lead for assigned communications staff by setting priorities, coordinating assignments, providing feedback and support, and taking an active role in completing the work. 

  • Translates technical or complex information into communications that are understandable and useful to communities, government partners, sponsors, professional audiences, and other stakeholders. 

  • Maintains CHARM web and digital content using WordPress or similar platforms and ensures communications follow Texas A&M AgriLife branding and accessibility requirements, in coordination with MarComm as necessary. 

  • Coordinates communications and engagement work with consultants, vendors, sub-awardees, partners, and other contributors, including timelines, deliverables, and follow-up. 

  • Supports budgets, purchasing, procurement, and expense tracking associated with conferences, workshops, communications, and other engagement activities. 

  • Builds productive relationships with community partners, agencies, professional associations, and other stakeholders and represent CHARM at meetings, workshops, demonstrations, conferences, and other activities as needed. 

  • Attends occasional evening meetings and overnight travel as required. 

  • Performs other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum:

  • Bachelor’s degree in communications, public affairs, marketing, project management, or a related field.

  • At least five years of professional experience in communications, project management, stakeholder engagement, public outreach, marketing, event coordination, or related work.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

  • Demonstrated ability to organize and manage projects, coordinate contributors, manage deadlines, and follow work through to completion. 

  • Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to take initiative and manage multiple projects and changing priorities.

  • Strong verbal communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills and the ability to professionally represent programs and products with partners and stakeholders. 

  • Experience coordinating events, workshops, conferences, stakeholder engagements, or similar activities. 

  • Strong writing and editing skills, including the ability to translate technical or complex information into clear communications for different audiences. 

  • Ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams and coordinate work across people with different areas of expertise. 

  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. 

  • Ability to learn and effectively use project management, content management, and collaboration platforms.

  • Experience using Jira, Confluence, or similar project management platforms. 

  • Experience working with federal, state, or local government agencies or clients. 

  • Experience in community planning, hazard mitigation, emergency management, resilience, public outreach, or a related field. 

  • Experience using WordPress or a similar content management system. 

  • Experience with Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar design and content development tools. 

TO APPLY

Please send a resume or CV and a cover letter to crystal.lugo@ag.tamu.edu.

Texas A&M AgriLife is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.