Community Engagement Specialist

Full-Time | Portland Metro | Community Outreach + Partnership Development | Pay: $27/hour + Mileage Reimbursement

You'll represent Empowered Services throughout the Portland Metro community, build meaningful partnerships, connect families and providers with our Care Team, and help turn community relationships into lasting opportunities for the people we support.

Now Hiring

Who We Are

Empowered Services provides person-centered support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our work is built around strong relationships, reliable communication, and helping people receive quality support in their homes and communities.

We are looking for someone who enjoys connecting with people, building relationships, and creating opportunities that strengthen the communities surrounding the individuals we serve.

About the Role

We're hiring a Community Engagement Specialist to serve as an active, visible presence for Empowered Services throughout the Portland Metro region.

This is a field-based, relationship-driven role focused on community outreach, partnership development, events, referrals, and connecting community opportunities back to our Care Team.

You'll attend resource fairs, partner meetings, county events, hiring events, and community gatherings; build relationships with organizations connected to the IDD community; and help generate useful resources, referrals, prospective customers, and DSP or provider connections.

You'll work closely with the Regional Care Manager and Care Managers to understand where outreach is needed most and focus your efforts where they can make the greatest impact.

This is not a supervisory role and does not carry a customer caseload.

Compensation, Schedule & Benefits

Hourly Rate: $27/hour
Mileage: Reimbursement for qualifying business travel
Schedule: Full-time, primarily weekday business hours with regular evening and weekend event coverage
Travel: Regular travel throughout the Portland Metro area and surrounding counties

Full-time employees working 30+ hours per week may be eligible for:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with employer match (3% match)
• Paid Time Off (PTO)

Benefit eligibility is subject to Empowered Services plan requirements.

What You'll Do

Build Community Partnerships

• Develop relationships with county programs, brokerages, schools, transition programs, healthcare providers, employment and day-support providers, nonprofits, cultural organizations, housing partners, local businesses, and other community resources.
• Maintain active partner relationships through consistent communication and follow-up.
• Identify resources, programs, and opportunities that may benefit customers, families, or the Care Team.
• Bring relevant community connections back to Care Managers for practical use.

Lead Events and Community Outreach

• Represent Empowered Services at resource fairs, community events, partner meetings, county gatherings, and hiring events.
• Maintain the regional event calendar and identify new outreach opportunities.
• Coordinate event registration, materials, setup, staffing, breakdown, and follow-up.
• Help plan Empowered Services-hosted or co-hosted events when community needs create an opportunity.
• Make sure events and conversations lead to clear next steps.

Support Care Team Growth

• Work with Care Managers to understand county service gaps and growth priorities.
• Target outreach where referrals, customers, community resources, or workforce connections are needed.
• Provide warm, documented handoffs of prospective customers and families.
• Help generate prospective DSP and provider connections through community channels.
• Connect Care Managers with community programs, partnerships, and resources that can support their counties.

Track Relationships and Results

• Document partner activity, events, referrals, inquiries, and outreach efforts in the designated tracking system.
• Maintain accurate next steps and relationship status.
• Provide regular updates on partnerships, events, leads, and outreach results.
• Help create repeatable processes for outreach, event coordination, and relationship tracking.

Represent Empowered Services

• Communicate our services, mission, and values clearly and accurately.
• Use approved materials and current program information.
• Represent Empowered Services professionally, honestly, and consistently.
• Never overpromise services, availability, or outcomes to secure a referral or partnership.

What Success Looks Like

• Empowered Services maintains a growing network of active community partnerships.
• Prospective customers and families are connected quickly to the appropriate Care Manager.
• Outreach generates referrals, customer inquiries, resources, and prospective DSP or provider connections.
• Care Managers can identify clear ways community engagement is supporting their counties.
• Events and community conversations produce documented next steps.
• Outreach activity and results are consistently tracked and reported.
• Community partners view Empowered Services as responsive, trustworthy, and engaged.

What You Bring

Required

• Must be 18 years or older.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience in community outreach, partnership development, event coordination, case management, social services, or another relationship-driven role.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Confidence networking, starting conversations, and building relationships with new people.
• Strong organization, follow-through, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to work independently with limited day-to-day supervision.
• Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and current auto insurance meeting state requirements.
• Availability for scheduled evening and weekend events.
• Ability to transport and set up event materials and remain standing for extended periods.
• Ability to pass required background checks and credentialing requirements. Not all records are automatically disqualifying.

You'll Stand Out If You Have

• Knowledge of Oregon's IDD service system, ODDS, CDDPs, brokerages, Services Coordinators, Personal Agents, or provider agencies.
• Experience supporting or working alongside individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• An existing Portland Metro community network.
• Experience generating referrals, partnerships, or recruiting connections through outreach.
• Experience coordinating community events.
• Experience using CRM, relationship-management, or pipeline-tracking systems.
• Bilingual English/Spanish skills.

Why This Role Stands Out

This role is for someone who wants to be out in the community building relationships that create real value.

You'll have:

• A consistent full-time position with clear expectations.
• Independence in h