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Working Title: Community Engagement Director - State Prog Admin Manager

Job Class: State Program Administrator, Manager

Agency: Children Youth & Families Dept

+ **Job ID** : 86319

+ **Location** : St. Paul

+ **Telework Eligible** : Yes

+ **Full/Part Time** : Full-Time

+ **Regular/Temporary** : Unlimited

+ **Who May Apply** : Open to all qualified job seekers

+ **Date Posted** : 05/16/2025

+ **Closing Date** : 06/05/2025

+ **Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit** : Children Youth & Families Dept / DeptChildYth&Fam-Managerial

+ **Division/Unit** : DCY - Payroll / SystemsChange&PublicEngagement

+ **Work Shift/Work Hours** : Day Shift

+ **Days of Work** : Monday - Friday

+ **Travel Required** : No

+ **Salary Range:** $40.26 - $58.20 / hourly; $84,062 - $121,521 / annually

+ **Classified Status** : Classified

+ **Bargaining Unit/Union** : 220 - Manager/Unrep

+ **FLSA Status** : Exempt - Executive

+ **Re-Posting** : Yes

+ Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : Yes

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families is unable to provide sponsorship for work visas. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States at the start of employment. DCYF does not participate in E-Verify.

The work you'll do is more than just a job.

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

In the 2023 legislative session, the Governor’s Office, Minnesota legislature, and leaders for children and families worked in partnership to pass legislation establishing the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to create a sustainable, public face for children’s issues in state government. This new cabinet-level agency brings together programs centered on children and families, including child care and early learning, child support, child safety and permanency, economic support and food assistance, and youth opportunity. The new Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) Agency became effective on July 1, 2024.

*Employees may generally telework up to 50% of their scheduled workdays in a month. Employees that live 50 miles or more from their permanent/principal work location **and** live within the State or a county bordering the State may telework more than 50% with approval. *

The Community Engagement Director will provide strategic leadership, direction, and implementation for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families’ (DCYF) agency-wide public engagement and partnership initiatives. This position will be responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing community engagement strategies, initiatives, infrastructure, systems and trainings to ensure that the agency effectively engages and partners with diverse partners, integrates community perspectives, and aligns with DCYF’s mission and vision, all while advancing equity by ensuring that all actions and decisions are equitable and inclusive.

The Director will play a key role in developing and equipping DCYF staff with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to lead and embed effective and equitable community engagement throughout the agency's efforts. The position requires independent decision-making, program oversight, and a high level of responsibility for managing sensitive, high-impact initiatives across divisions and external organizations. Responsibilities include:

+ Defining and embedding engagement and partnership across DCYF, operationalizing agency’s engagement framework. Develop and manage strategic engagement systems, programming, initiatives, and projects to improve and develop agency engagement knowledge, practices, systems, and culture. Connecting and systematizing engagement efforts.

+ Actively seek and develop effective relationships with staff, leadership, partners, community organizations, and communities.

+ Engage publicly and visibly with community members and partners, representing DCYF at events, meetings, and public forums. This role requires comfort with public interaction and proactive community engagement.

Minimum Qualifications

_**To facilitate proper crediting, please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month, day and year for each job held.**_

+ Demonstrated leadership experience. Leadership experience can include:

+ Experience as a supervisor, lead worker, team lead, project lead;

+ Completion of a State of Minnesota leadership program (e.g. ELI, L4);

+ A paid/unpaid position leading a program or chairing a committee (e.g. ERG) - experience must include:

+ 1+ year of experience identifying issues, goals and strategic actions

+ 100+ hours per year time commitment

A minimum of five (5) years of senior leadership experience with a strong emphasis on community engagement, partnership development, and outreach within culturally diverse populations. This experience must include:

+ Leadership within a large organization (300+ employees) with a demonstrated ability to navigate complex systems, manage relationships with diverse internal and external partners, and apply intercultural competence and diplomacy to foster inclusive engagement.

+ Demonstrated success in engaging directly with communities through outreach, event planning, hosting community events, and building bridges between the public and the organization, ensuring accessible and inclusive interaction.

+ Demonstrated track record of developing and leading community engagement strategies, programming, and training programs that build staff skills, strengthen agency community engagement infrastructure, and empower the organization to champion equity-driven community engagement.

+ Demonstrated experience developing and facilitating engagement-focused training, curricula, and workshops for staff and community members, building staff capacity to lead equitable engagement and strengthening community ability to engage effectively with the agency.

+ Demonstrated ability to lead and manage advisory committees, councils, or cross-sector collaboratives, fostering inclusive dialogue, and aligning initiatives with broader organizational goals.

+ Experience in assessing community needs and co-developing actionable strategies with communities and staff to improve service access, address gaps, and drive measurable and equitable outcomes for the community.

+ Demonstrated experience in assessing and improving policies, structures, systems, and organizational culture through a community engagement lens.

+ Strong communicator with the ability to explain community engagement, DEI concepts, intersectionality, and conflict management frameworks clearly and respectfully across diverse audiences—in writing and in person

+ Experienced in facilitating high-tension meetings and navigating challenging conversations with respect, sensitivity, and a solutions-oriented approach.

+ Advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) knowledge and strong background in advancing people-centered strategies, integrating DEI principles into community engagement practices, with the ability to provide strategic guidance on DEI-related initiatives.

+ Budget management and strategic planning experience.

Preferred Qualifications

+ A bachelor’s degree in public administration, Community Development, Diversity and Inclusion, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

+ Extensive experience managing community engagement strategies in large organizations, especially those that serve children, youth, and families.

+ Experience with grant writing.

+ Variety of experiences working effectively with others from different backgrounds and cultures.

Additional Requirements

REFERENCE/BACKGROUND CHECKS – DCYF will conduct reference checks to verify job-related credentials and a criminal background check prior to appointment.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email [email protected] . Please indicate what assistance is needed.