Community Engagement Specialist

Community Engagement Specialist (Field Outreach) – Contract

Locations: Chicago, IL

Type: W-2 contract

Pay: $48.92/hr

Work arrangement: Hybrid: work from home + local field outreach (no office)

About the role

Our client, a leading financial technology company, is expanding its retail tax-service locations across the U.S. and investing in four key markets. We’re hiring Community Engagement Specialists to be the brand’s face in their own city: building relationships with local businesses, nonprofits, associations and community organizations, and spreading the word about new neighborhood locations, services and free community programs.

This is not a traditional sales role and not an office marketing job. It’s about getting out in your community, starting conversations and building relationships. No tax experience needed.

What you’ll do

• Build relationships with local businesses, community centers, nonprofits, associations and neighborhood organizations.
• Visit organizations in person, attend community meetings and introduce the brand’s local locations and services.
• Find new organizations and contacts beyond the outreach lists you’ll be given.
• Make intro calls, schedule meetings and hold Zoom conversations.
• Promote free community offerings (e.g., resume reviews, professional headshots, local events).
• Visit local retail locations and work with store managers and experts on community programming.
• Log interested prospects in Salesforce so the sales team can follow up.
• Keep an organized record of contacts, meetings and follow-ups, and report your outreach activity.
• Share what’s working with your manager and team in regular team meetings.

What we’re looking for

• Experience in community engagement, community relations, outreach, field marketing, B2B/field sales, territory management or another customer-facing role.
• Confidence approaching businesses and organizations and representing a brand.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Self-starter: you plan your own day, find opportunities and set meetings on your own.
• Organized and comfortable with basic tools (Google Sheets/Excel, email, Zoom, Slack); willing to learn Salesforce.
• You must currently live Chicago, IL.
• Able to travel around your city (driving is helpful in LA and Dallas; comfortable with public transit across boroughs in NYC).
• Comfortable working independently from home and in the field, in a brand-new program that will evolve.

Nice to have

• An existing network of local businesses, nonprofits or community organizations.
• Grassroots marketing, field sales or business development experience.
• Experience in financial services or insurance.
• Salesforce or another CRM.
• Bilingual: Spanish or another language spoken in your community.

Good fit backgrounds: Community Outreach Coordinator, Community Relations Representative, Field Marketing Representative, Territory or Outside Sales Rep, Business Development Representative, Community Partnerships Coordinator, Field Representative (insurance or pharma).