Community Engagement Coordinator

WHO WE ARE:

West End House (WEH) is a vibrant community anchor and youth development organization rooted in Boston’s Allston neighborhood and serving young people citywide. Since 1906, WEH has empowered youth to succeed academically and in life — providing high-impact programs that foster learning, creativity, wellness, leadership, and economic mobility.

West End House’s programming is grounded in a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach that spans seven interconnected focus areas serving 1500+ youth annually. Fortified by meaningful, long-standing community partnerships and operating out of a safe, dynamic 46,000-square-foot facility, WEH’s programs are designed to help youth ages 7-24 thrive emotionally, socially, and academically.

West End House is committed to advancing racial equity across all aspects of the organization, including youth programs, community and family engagement, and board and leadership. Employees reflect and build upon the organization’s values - opportunity for all, youth first, joy, equity, and community.

Despite all that has changed since the organization’s founding 120 years ago, West End House has and will continue to evolve to meet the needs of Boston’s youth and families—ensuring every young person has the opportunity, support, and confidence to lead, create, and thrive.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

As Community Engagement Coordinator, you’ll help to lead and manage initiatives aimed at cultivating new individual and institutional volunteer relationships. You will focus on managing volunteers across the breadth of West End House’s programming, while partnering closely with the Program Impact team to brainstorm and implement engagement pathways for alumni, volunteers, and donors. You will be the primary point of contact for all community and volunteer relations. In addition, you will play a key role in planning, coordinating, and executing Club-wide community events and celebrations that strengthen connections among youth, families, alumni, volunteers, donors, and community partners. If you’re a relationship-driven communicator who excels at building meaningful connections and takes pride in engaging diverse communities through impactful volunteer and outreach initiatives, this role is for you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Volunteer Relationship Management

• Recruit, cultivate, and steward relationships with diverse individual and corporate volunteers; provide them with accurate information about West End House programs and place them in supporting roles within programs and events to maximize their potential contribution
• Facilitate and support the creation of pathways to transition alumni relationships to volunteer relationships and volunteer relationships to donor relationships
• Identify opportunities for club members and alumni to engage with corporations through field trips, job shadowing, and internships,
• Design ongoing training and development opportunities for new and existing volunteers reflecting our equity, inclusion, and social justice values
• Maintain and update a database with detailed records of current and prospective volunteers, and their relevant program schedules
• Develop social media posts to highlight volunteer and partnership activities and initiatives

Program and Academic Support

• Lead the West End House volunteer tutoring program by ensuring effective matching of youth with volunteers that have expertise in the relevant fields and who also reflect our diverse youth membership.
• Build sustainable relationships with youth to identify individual areas of required support and work with program staff to provide the same by leveraging diverse volunteer experience

Community Engagement and Event Coordination

• Lead the planning and execution of key Club-wide events and celebrations, including signature events such as Biggest Fun Ever, Youth of the Year, and holiday celebrations, family engagement events, volunteer appreciation activities, and other community-building initiatives.
• Coordinate event logistics, volunteer support, vendor relationships, communications, and on-site event management to ensure successful and engaging experiences for participants.
• Collaborate with program and operations teams to develop events that advance West End House’s mission, celebrate youth achievements, and strengthen relationships with families, alumni, volunteers, donors, and community partners.

WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

There are a multitude of ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally, and we know that people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. With this in consideration, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate many of the qualifications and experiences listed below:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• 1+ years of prior experience in a role that included a large focus on written and verbal communication
• Robust communication skills with the ability to actively initiate and maintain relationships with corporations and volunteers from diverse backgrounds
• Experience project managing events and/or other community-based activities
• Experience planning, coordinating, and executing events, celebrations, or community engagement activities involving multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to track and synthesize relevant program information into effective marketing material for attracting volunteers
• Demonstrable ability to craft uplifting and insightful communications summarizing developments in the community
• Marketing and/or media relations experience is a strong plus