ABOUT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT

The Housing Department works to promote and maintain the socioeconomic diversity of the city by managing and implementing the City’s efforts to meet the housing needs of low-, moderate-, and middle-income residents; managing affordable housing programs; and developing initiatives to preserve and expand the City's stock of affordable housing.

The Housing Department works closely with the Community Development Department (CDD), the planning agency for the City of Cambridge as it fosters a livable, sustainable, just, and equitable community. The Housing Department and CDD engage and collaborate with community partners, other government agencies, and residents to make Cambridge a desirable place to live, work, learn, play, and innovate.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Under the supervision of the Director of Housing and working closely with the Inclusionary Rental Housing and Homeownership program teams, the Resident Engagement Manager is a key member of the Housing Department, responsible for developing and implementing the Department’s strategy to engage with residents in the City’s significant and growing portfolio of affordable rental and ownership homes. This portfolio includes affordable homes in mixed-income buildings; all-affordable condominium developments; and scattered-site homeownership units. The Resident Engagement Manager will review and assess engagement needs in the portfolio; develop materials to assist residents, City staff, property managers, and other stakeholders to address those needs; and serve as a main point of contact for resident concerns. This role focuses on building community, sharing resources, and fostering positive relationships between residents, the Housing Department, property managers, and community stakeholders. The ideal candidate is a skilled communicator with experience in affordable housing, program coordination, and diverse stakeholder engagement

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Primary responsibilities include:

Designing and conducting a needs assessment for resident engagement, including outreach to understand resident needs and desires. Outreach may include public meetings, small group listening sessions, and surveys;
Developing a comprehensive Housing Department resident engagement strategy with a focus on increasing engagement opportunities and the sense of community among residents in the Department’s rental and homeownership programs;
Planning and facilitating workshops, events, and other opportunities for residents to make connections with City and other community organization staff and each other to support maintaining stable housing and achieving long-term housing goals;
Developing thorough knowledge of available programs and resources and developing strategies to share resources with residents to promote their access to available resources and support;
Creating, maintaining, and distributing digital communications including educational materials, newsletters, and information on the Department’s programs in collaboration with other staff for residents of City-assisted affordable housing;
Building and maintaining partnerships with community organizations, financial institutions, and local service providers to enhance available resources;
Building and maintaining relationships with property managers and condominium associations and serving as a liaison between property managers, the Housing Department, other City departments, and residents to facilitate communication and address concerns;
Developing and providing resources and guidance for property managers and condominium associations on best practices for inclusive engagement strategies and community-building efforts;
Gathering and analyzing data on engagement activities to measure success and inform future strategy.
Identifying challenges and trends affecting residents and recommending solutions to strengthen program effectiveness.
Representing the Department at inter-departmental and inter-agency meetings and serving as liaison to relevant external partners.
Staying current on best practices in resident engagement, services and support in affordable housing programs.
Performing other duties as required.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education & Experience

Bachelor's degree in related field and seven years of related work experience. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered. A Master's degree in a related field may be substituted for 2 years of work experience.
Relevant experience in housing, human services, social work, property management or a related field.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners.
Experience designing and implementing outreach to large and diverse groups.
Experience developing and implementing information-gathering tools such as surveys and focus groups.
Ability to analyze data and present findings to support recommendations for program and policy actions.
Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; ability to communicate with people from all backgrounds in a courteous, compassionate, and professional manner.
Ability to build and maintain relationships with residents, property managers, service providers, and other housing stakeholders.
Demonstrated commitment to equitable community engagement.
Familiarity with affordable housing program programs and policies.
Excellent organizational and time management skills; ability to manage and prioritize workloads and meet deadlines while working in a fast-paced environment.
Self-motivated and detail-oriented; capacity to work independently, and to work collaboratively and cooperatively with colleagues.
Strong computer skills including proficiency with Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams) and familiarity with or ability to master other software applications, programs and data systems relevant to the job.
Commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion. The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds and ideologies.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of local and state resources for renters and homeowners.
Proficiency in Amharic, Haitian Creole, Arabic, Bangla, or Spanish.
Knowledge of the Cambridge community.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is conducted primarily in a standard office environment which includes fluorescent lighting, air conditioning, computers, and other standard office equipment, but may also involve meetings in other offices or facilities as well as meeting with individuals or groups of residents at properties around the city. This position may be eligible for hybrid work schedule (in-office and remote) under the City's Telework Policy, depending on operational needs.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Work requires ability to access, input, and retrieve information from a computer. Ability to read and analyze large quantities of information. Must have sufficient mobility to get back and forth from office and residential buildings throughout the city. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

BENEFITS SUMMARY:

Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance.
Vacation and Sick leave eligible.
Sick Incentive Pay Eligible.
3 Personal days.
14 Paid Holidays.
Management Allowance, $2700 year.
City employee transportation benefits (T-Pass reimbursement, Bluebikes membership, EZRide Shuttle)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Please upload the below documents to complete your application:

Resume
Cover Letter