Location:

Isla Vista Community Services District

970 Embarcadero del Mar Suite 101

Isla Vista, CA 93117

Islavistacsd.ca.gov

Salary & Benefits:  

$60,000-$75,000 DOE

Platinum PPO health, dental, and vision insurance (value of $12,339/year), provided 30 days after hire

Retirement - Required participation in a 457(b) retirement plan, 9% employer contribution and 3% employee contribution

Paid Time Off - 11 Paid Holidays, Winter Recess (12/24-1/2), 15 vacation days per year (prorated upon hire, with rollover), and sick days.

FLSA Exempt | Benefited, At-will position

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Community Engagement Director supports the Isla Vista Community Services District’s goals to build stronger relationships within the District and the wider community, to expand awareness and utilization of the District’s services, and to regularly engage, educate, and gather feedback from community members.

With the direction of the General Manager, in a high-level leadership role, the Community Engagement Director will lead in planning, developing, managing, and executing the District’s community engagement initiatives, including education, advocacy, communication and outreach. 

IVCSD VISION STATEMENT

For Isla Vista, by Isla Vista, building the community we deserve.

ABOUT THE IVCSD

Isla Vista, CA is a close-knit oceanside town along the South-Central Coast in Santa Barbara County. It is known for its youthful atmosphere and the adventurous spirit of its residents. The Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) was formed in early 2017 (Pursuant to Government Code § 61250) after decades of struggles for self-governance by the residents of this unincorporated community. The District’s adopted 2020-2021 budget includes $1.3 million for community facilities and programs, public safety services, a rental housing mediation program, a community beautification program, a compost collection service, and more. We have a small staff of a General Manager, Assistant General Manager, and interns; along with many contractors and community partners. 

JOB DESCRIPTION:

• Develop and establish collaborative partnerships with a diverse set of people and organizations to include community/student groups, non-profits, public agencies, faith communities, businesses, property owners, schools, and service providers to identify and address issues in the community.
• Initiate and execute all of the District’s communication, marketing, and outreach efforts to raise awareness in the community about the IVCSD and its services.
• Lead the development, design, and delivery of community engagement events/efforts such as topical town hall meetings, networking meetings for stakeholders, online surveys/discussions, educational/informational campaigns, etc.
• Work with the General Manager to monitor the effectiveness of outreach, communication, and community engagement efforts.
• Supervise District interns to support community engagement efforts.

OTHER DUTIES: To support IVCSD operations other duties, responsibilities, and activities may be assigned. This position will work on weekends and evenings as needed for community outreach.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Google of Drive for storage; Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, and Sites for collaboration.
• Web content management systems, social media management, and working knowledge of digital communication software such as Adobe, Creative Cloud, Canva, etc.
• The principles, methods, and practices of strategic communication.
• Community outreach and paid advertising programs through digital and print media.
• Various digital communication platforms and channels.
• Community engagement and/or organizing.
• Some knowledge of local government in California is preferred but not required.

SKILL/ABILITY TO:

• Respond to public inquiries in a professional manner.
• Create and execute programs to enhance community engagement
• Speak professionally and clearly in public 
• Work within a collaborative environment.
• Produce simple graphic design materials.
• Conduct networking activities. 
• Facilitate meetings, town halls, educational forums, etc.
• Construct compelling narratives and relatable stories about  IVCSD missions programming and public communication.
• Engage with a wide variety of audiences.
• Analyze effectiveness of outreach programs.
• Design compelling, multi-channel campaigns to increase engagement
• Write strongly, clearly, and effectively for both external communication, such as press releases, and internal communication, such as reports to the Board.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Has the willingness to understand and be a part of Isla Vista’s unique community culture.
• Can work independently as needed, in a fast environment with multiple priorities/tasks.
• Maintains a friendly, professional and approachable demeanor.
• Keeps internal matters confidential.
• Speaks Spanish (preferred but not required).
• Works well with a wide array of partners including other government agencies, students, nonprofits, businesses, property owners, and community groups.

EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION 

A bachelor's or associate’s degree from an accredited College/University, or equivalent experience, in the following fields is preferred but not required: communications, public relations, English, management, arts and humanities or a related field.

Three to five years working in the following fields is preferred but not required: public relations, communications, community engagement/organizing, marketing, or a related field

Important Dates:
Recruitment Opens: May 14, 2021
Deadline for Applications: June 14, 2021
Invitations to Interview: June 16, 2021
Interviews Conducted: June 17 - 21, 2021
Target Hire Date: July 6 - August 1, 2021

How to Apply:

Submit a resume, cover letter, and application to generalmanager@islavistacsd.com by 11:59pm June 14, 2021: https://forms.gle/boUefwWa3xvDGxmeA

The Isla Vista Community Services District provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disability or veteran status.

EXAMPLES OF JOB DUTIES

This list is a broad list of duties that may be completed as part of the job description, the Community Engagement Director will work closely with the General Manager to prioritize work needed to be accomplished for the District.

• Regularly attend meetings to build relationships within the Isla Vista community and at large. Recognize opportunities for partnerships, information sharing, and service delivery.
• Develop and maintain a list of community contacts, organizations, businesses, property owners, public agencies, and partners. 
• With strategic direction from the General Manager, maintain a calendar of key groups and one on one meetings for the District to have a representative at.
• Provide support for community projects and efforts, in line with Board Policy, to expand and deepen community entrenchment of the IVCSD.
• Support District partnerships and programs through participation in committees, established community networking groups, and other ad hoc partnerships as assigned.
• Travel off-site to conduct IVCSD related business or meetings with other public information officers or representatives of the media.
• Proactively build relationships with all IVCSD staff, contractors, and partner service providers in order to collaborate effectively on community engagement and develop referral funnels for District services.
• Propose, develop, and implement projects to build relationships, increase awareness, and engage the community.
• Work with District staff, contractors, and partner service providers to identify engagement needs and develop strategies for public awareness/involvement.
• Assist the General Manager to identify, respond to, and document issues, concerns, and requests for information; analyze community issues and create programs to address those issues as requested; create sustainable and measurable partnerships between neighborhoods, citizens, and the City; tie work to IVCSD Board Goals and report performance.
• Provide assistance to District staff and contractors on community problem-solving, community engagement methods and best practices, and other areas that enhance positive relationships and promote inclusion.
• Provide direct assistance to residents, business owners, and property owners who need help in accessing and using District services including provision of bilingual services and/or access to bilingual services for residents and City departments.

• Develop and maintain a daily social media operation (Facebook, Instagram, and more) to increase awareness of the District and engage community members, through organic and paid mediums. 
• Develop, grow, and maintain an email list and newsletter to increase awareness of the District and engage community members. 
• Develop and operate a door-to-door canvassing and tabling program, utilizing interns and volunteers, to increase awareness of the District and engage community members.
• Develop and maintain a list of highly visible flyer posting locations and build the necessary relationships to consistently utilize them.
• Develop and operate a press release system to increase awareness of the District through local news media.
• Develop and maintain an editorial calendar for newsletters, press releases, and social media posts, mailers/door hangers, etc.
• Develop and maintain the District’s community survey and needs assessments operations.
• Identify differing and evolving means of contact and outreach, exploring the best channels for the IVCSD to reach residents.

• Regularly read and build the District’s presence on online community discussion forums, such as Facebook & Reddit, by responding to community iniquires, seeking feedback, and distributing information.
• Recruit and manage volunteers as necessary for outreach.
• Support and devise new and innovative branding for IVCSD programs and services to increase awareness, recognition, and connectivity to the community.
• Specifically develop and maintain relationships with key channels that distribute information to the community at large, such as highly followed social media pages and owners of large reputable email lists.
• Maintain the IVCSD website’s content to ensure it is user friendly, transparent, current, and engaging (IVCSD has a professional company handling the backend of the website).
• Create all necessary community outreach, educational/information, and marketing materials, both print and digital materials, with assistance from District staff, interns, and professional contractors as necessary.
• Consistent with Board Policy and the direction of the General Manager, utilize established relationships and communication channels to raise awareness on community issues.