Community Engagement Coordinator
Downstreet Housing & Community Development, Barre, VT, United States
Downstreet is seeking a thoughtful, systems-minded professional to serve as the first point of contact for all external inquiries and to help lead our organization’s customer experience strategy. This position plays a critical role in shaping how community members experience Downstreet. As the gateway to our housing, homeownership, and supportive service programs, the Community Engagement Coordinator ensures that every person who contacts us feels respected, informed, and supported.
At the same time, this role is responsible for identifying patterns, barriers, and frustrations in how people engage with our services and translating that insight into system improvements across the organization. As part of the Development and Communications team, this position will support oversight and improvement of external-facing communication processes to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with Downstreet’s mission and values.
Key Responsibilities
Serve as the primary point of contact for all incoming phone calls, walk-ins, and general inquiries, ensuring a welcoming, professional, and mission-aligned experience.
Act as the organizational “gateway,” helping community members navigate housing applications, homeownership programs, services, and general inquiries with clarity and compassion.
Maintain detailed inquiry logs and track recurring themes in external inquiries to surface systemic barriers, communication gaps, or process inefficiencies.
Recommend and help implement improvements to external-facing systems, forms, scripts, call routing, intake processes, and communication workflows.
Support consistency, tone, clarity, and accessibility of all external communications across departments, including front desk materials, voicemail systems, automated responses, application instructions, and public information.
Collaborate with Property Management, Homeownership, Resident Services, and Development teams to ensure that public-facing processes are accurate, current, and easy to navigate.
Help develop and reinforce standards for customer service excellence to ensure a consistent experience across the organization.
Provide regular reporting to leadership on inquiry trends and community access challenges.
Contribute to broader Development and Communications strategies related to storytelling, community engagement, and public trust.
Assist in planning and coordinating organizational events such as the Annual Meeting, ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings, and other public gatherings, supporting logistics, outreach, and on-site presence.
Support tabling efforts and other community outreach opportunities, serving as a public-facing representative of Downstreet.
Attend community meetings as appropriate to strengthen partnerships, share information about Downstreet’s programs, and gather community feedback.
Coordinate and participate in resident meetings at Downstreet properties, helping ensure clear communication, trust‑building, and responsive follow‑up.
Uphold Downstreet’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and social and economic justice in every interaction.
Required Skills, Abilities, Education, and Experience
Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or equivalent life and professional experience.
Experience in customer service, community engagement, nonprofit administration, housing, or communications strongly preferred.
Demonstrated ability to identify process inefficiencies and recommend practical, systems-based improvements.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to clarity and tone.
High emotional intelligence and ability to engage respectfully with individuals experiencing stress, housing instability, or crisis.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple communication channels simultaneously.
Commitment to equity, inclusion, and social and economic justice.
Physical Requirements Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working at a computer.
Ability to occasionally assist visitors at the front entrance and move materials within the office.
Compensation The annual salary range for this position is $50,000.
Downstreet also provides a competitive benefits package, which includes:
403(b) with company match up to 4.5%
Healthcare insurance
Dental insurance benefits
Life insurance and short‑term disability benefits
Generous paid leave allowances (vacation, sick, and personal time)
Professional development opportunities
Hybrid remote/office work schedule available after introductory period
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At the same time, this role is responsible for identifying patterns, barriers, and frustrations in how people engage with our services and translating that insight into system improvements across the organization. As part of the Development and Communications team, this position will support oversight and improvement of external-facing communication processes to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with Downstreet’s mission and values.
Key Responsibilities
Serve as the primary point of contact for all incoming phone calls, walk-ins, and general inquiries, ensuring a welcoming, professional, and mission-aligned experience.
Act as the organizational “gateway,” helping community members navigate housing applications, homeownership programs, services, and general inquiries with clarity and compassion.
Maintain detailed inquiry logs and track recurring themes in external inquiries to surface systemic barriers, communication gaps, or process inefficiencies.
Recommend and help implement improvements to external-facing systems, forms, scripts, call routing, intake processes, and communication workflows.
Support consistency, tone, clarity, and accessibility of all external communications across departments, including front desk materials, voicemail systems, automated responses, application instructions, and public information.
Collaborate with Property Management, Homeownership, Resident Services, and Development teams to ensure that public-facing processes are accurate, current, and easy to navigate.
Help develop and reinforce standards for customer service excellence to ensure a consistent experience across the organization.
Provide regular reporting to leadership on inquiry trends and community access challenges.
Contribute to broader Development and Communications strategies related to storytelling, community engagement, and public trust.
Assist in planning and coordinating organizational events such as the Annual Meeting, ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings, and other public gatherings, supporting logistics, outreach, and on-site presence.
Support tabling efforts and other community outreach opportunities, serving as a public-facing representative of Downstreet.
Attend community meetings as appropriate to strengthen partnerships, share information about Downstreet’s programs, and gather community feedback.
Coordinate and participate in resident meetings at Downstreet properties, helping ensure clear communication, trust‑building, and responsive follow‑up.
Uphold Downstreet’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and social and economic justice in every interaction.
Required Skills, Abilities, Education, and Experience
Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or equivalent life and professional experience.
Experience in customer service, community engagement, nonprofit administration, housing, or communications strongly preferred.
Demonstrated ability to identify process inefficiencies and recommend practical, systems-based improvements.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to clarity and tone.
High emotional intelligence and ability to engage respectfully with individuals experiencing stress, housing instability, or crisis.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple communication channels simultaneously.
Commitment to equity, inclusion, and social and economic justice.
Physical Requirements Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working at a computer.
Ability to occasionally assist visitors at the front entrance and move materials within the office.
Compensation The annual salary range for this position is $50,000.
Downstreet also provides a competitive benefits package, which includes:
403(b) with company match up to 4.5%
Healthcare insurance
Dental insurance benefits
Life insurance and short‑term disability benefits
Generous paid leave allowances (vacation, sick, and personal time)
Professional development opportunities
Hybrid remote/office work schedule available after introductory period
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