Community Engagement Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Bring Healthcare into the Community. Make Connections That Matter.  

The Community Engagement Specialist serves as CMEPs primary organizer and on-site representative for community events. The Specialist actively identifies outreach opportunities, plans CMEPs participation, attends events, recruits and coordinates residents and medical students, and documents each activity and its results. The role builds community relationships and ensures that CMEPs community engagement and outreach efforts is organized, visible, responsive, and aligned with organizational and community priorities.

What You'll Do

1. Proactively identify health fairs, school activities, neighborhood events, community meetings, outreach programs, and other opportunities where CMEP should participate.
2. Maintain a current community event calendar and track event dates, registration deadlines, host contacts, locations, requested services, and internal commitments.
3. Evaluate event opportunities with leadership and recommend participation based on community need, strategic alignment, staffing requirements, cost, and expected impact.
4. Contact event organizers, gather complete event details, register CMEP when approved, and serve as the primary point of contact before, during, and after each event.
5. Plan CMEPs event participation, including goals, staffing, schedules, supplies, educational materials, equipment, transportation, set-up, and follow-up activities.
6. Recruit and coordinate residents and medical students for community events in collaboration with residency programs, faculty, program coordinators, and medical school partners.
7. Create clear participant assignments and schedules; confirm attendance; provide event instructions; and communicate expectations regarding professionalism, dress, arrival time, roles, and supervision.
8. Attend community events as CMEPs on-site representative, including selected evening and weekend events.
9. Manage event-day logistics, participant check-in, booth or activity set-up, distribution of materials, communication with event hosts, troubleshooting, and breakdown.
10. Ensure residents and students perform only activities appropriate to their level of training and under required faculty or clinical supervision.
11. Develop or coordinate health education activities, screenings, presentations, and resource information in partnership with appropriate clinical and public health staff.
12. Build and maintain positive relationships with community organizations, schools, faith-based organizations, health departments, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and other partners.
13. Promote upcoming Engagement activities internally and provide accurate event information for organizational communications and marketing, as requested.
14. Prepare a written event summary after each activity, including the event purpose, CMEP participants, services or education provided, attendance or reach, partner feedback, outcomes, photographs when authorized, challenges, and recommended follow-up.
15. Maintain organized records of outreach requests, approvals, attendance, resident and student participation, materials distributed, partner contacts, expenses, and event reports.
16. Track community engagement and outreach metrics and prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual summaries for leadership, including number and type of events, communities served, learner participation, people reached, partnerships developed, and follow-up needs.
17. Obtain appropriate approvals and follow CMEP policies related to privacy, media releases, photography, branding, clinical activities, infection prevention, safety, and use of organizational resources.
18. Identify opportunities to improve outreach processes and recommend new events, partnerships, or approaches based on community feedback and documented results.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in public health, health education, communications, community development, social services, or a related field preferred; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Experience coordinating community events, outreach activities, volunteers, learners, or multi-organization projects.
• Demonstrated ability to independently identify opportunities, manage multiple deadlines, organize logistics, and follow assignments through completion.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear event summaries and activity reports.
• Strong interpersonal and public-facing skills with the ability to build relationships across diverse communities and organizations.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, shared calendars, spreadsheets, email, and basic data tracking tools.
• Public health, healthcare, higher education, graduate medical education, or community-based experience preferred.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for local events, as required.

CMU is an AA/EO institution, providing equal opportunity to all individuals, including minorities, females, veterans, and persons with disabilities.