Overview
Director of Community Engagement and Education
Position Summary
PCOA believes older adults are most likely to thrive when support reaches them where they already live, gather, and build their lives. They are most likely to thrive when they have access to education and opportunities that help them to connect, support each other, and make healthy choices. And they are most likely to thrive when we build cross-functional partnerships to elevate our services beyond what any one organization can do.
The Director of Community Engagement and Education leads the agency’s work to make that real. This is a visionary, relationship-driven role responsible for extending PCOA’s presence into neighborhoods across Pima County, mobilizing volunteers and those who support them, and building the partnerships that connect older adults to one another and to the services they need. This role builds and strengthens educational offerings and embeds programs and support into cross-sector partnerships.
This is not a back-office management role. The Director is a determined motivator and community builder who turns PCOA’s mission into visible, local action. They lead a team and a growing network of partners and volunteers toward a shared goal: that no older adult in our community is isolated, overlooked, or out of reach.
The Director carries direct programmatic oversight and team management for a portfolio of community-facing programs, including Evidence-Based Health Promotion Programs, the Neighbors Care Alliance, Community Lunch Programs, volunteer services, and other educational and partnership roles.
Reports To
Chief Program Officer
Category
Full-time, Exempt
Compensation
$81,000 – $95,000 annually, dependent upon relevant education, experience, and qualifications.
Schedule, Work Location & Travel
Regular hours are 37.5 hours weekly, generally Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional work outside regular hours is expected but infrequent.
This position works from a combination of a home office and PCOA’s office at 600 S. Country Club Road, Tucson, AZ. Because this is a community-facing role, local travel to sites across Pima County is frequent. Statewide or national travel for meetings or conferences is possible but rare.
Vision and Leadership
· Set and carry forward a clear, compelling vision for PCOA’s community presence, grounded in the belief that older adults deserve connection, dignity, and access in their own neighborhoods.
· Partner with the Chief Program Officer on strategic planning, goal setting, and resource decisions for this area, and represent the work to executive leadership, the Board, funders, and the broader community.
Community Engagement and Mobilization
· Build PCOA’s presence in the neighborhoods where older adults live and gather, with particular focus on communities that have historically had the least access to services.
· Design and lead a community navigator model that places trusted, local points of connection closer to older adults across Pima County.
Education and Learning
· Strengthen community lunch program sites as hubs for connection, learning, and engagement, not only meals.
· Lead the expansion of community-based classes, workshops, and gatherings that promote healthy aging, movement, falls prevention, and social connection.
· Direct outreach strategy, including presentations, tabling, and targeted engagement in priority communities, and use what is learned in the field to sharpen the agency’s reach.
Volunteer Mobilization
· Inspire, grow, and sustain a network of community volunteers who extend PCOA’s reach through companionship, transportation, and program support.
· Lead volunteer recruitment, engagement, and recognition as a core driver of community impact, not a support function.
· Align volunteer engagement with service availability and organizational priorities in partnership with internal program leaders.
Partnerships and Collective Impact
· Develop and sustain strategic partnerships with community organizations, local governments, healthcare entities, faith communities, and other stakeholders to bring services closer to older adults and to advance shared goals.
· Position PCOA as a connector and convener, building relationships that lead to shared resources, coordinated effort, and collective impact across the county.
· Represent PCOA professionally and persuasively with diverse community and professional audiences.
Programmatic Oversight
The Director directs the work of multiple program areas, ensuring each one is well run, well-staffed, and connected to PCOA’s broader community presence. This includes
· Evidence-Based Programs, including health, movement, falls prevention, and chronic disease self-management offerings delivered in community settings.
· The Neighbors Care Alliance, including its network of neighborhood-based groups and volunteers.
· Other offerings designed to increase connectedness, reduce social isolation, and provide community information and education.
· Set program goals and standards, monitor performance and outcomes, and ensure each program meets quality, compliance, and reporting requirements tied to its funding.
Team Leadership and Operations
· Provide leadership and oversight of assigned programs, community outreach, volunteer engagement, and community-based programming, ensuring high-quality, culturally responsive, consumer-focused service.
· Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership to a multidisciplinary team, including hiring, performance management, workload and staff assignments, resource allocation, and professional development.
· Use data and community feedback to guide program development, evaluate impact, and improve effectiveness.
· Work with the Chief Program Officer to develop program budgets, review financials, and determine the staffing and resources needed to succeed within budget.
· Partner with administration and finance teams to ensure compliance, reporting, and billing on grants and contracts, and ensure work adheres to local, state, and federal regulations and other applicable requirements.
· Facilitate team meetings, huddles, and planning sessions, monitor staff participation in required trainings and agency events, and use virtual collaboration platforms (e.g., Zoom or Teams) as needed.
Qualifications
· A Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Public Health, Healthcare, Social Services, or a closely related field. A Master’s degree is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience related to the position may be considered.
· At least four (4) years of experience in program development, implementation, and management.
· At least four (4) years of experience in community development, mobilization, or engagement work.
· At least four (4) years of experience in human or social services involving older adults and those in their network.
· At least four (4) years of experience presenting to and collaborating with diverse groups.
Additional Requirements
· Must have reliable transportation.
· Must successfully obtain and maintain an Arizona Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance Card and Central Registry background clearance.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
· A visionary and determined leader who can rally people around a shared purpose and turn ideas into community-level action.
· Demonstrated success in community engagement, mobilization, or partnership development.
· Strong ability to build and maintain trusting relationships across diverse communities and sectors.
· Ability to translate community needs into scalable programs and partnerships.
· Experience managing staff, volunteers, and multi-component programs, with the ability to coach and motivate a multidisciplinary team to optimize productivity and morale.
· Knowledge of nonprofit operations, including strategic planning, resource allocation, budget management, and program administration.
· Knowledge of project management principles and tools applicable to program planning and implementation.
· Knowledge of aging services, public health, or community-based service systems preferred.
· Strong communication, education, and presentation skills for both community and professional audiences.
· Strategic thinking paired with practical implementation skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
· Knowledge of electronic recordkeeping systems and best practices for data integrity and documentation.
· An active, positive, contributing member of the Management Team who demonstrates commitment to the vision, mission, and values of Pima Council on Aging.
· Commitment to fairness, access, and culturally responsive service delivery.
Physical and Environmental Factors
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, walk, and stand, and occasionally to climb or balance, squat, stoop, twist, turn, push, pull, kneel, crouch, crawl, and reach with hands and arms. Hearing requirements include the ability to listen and respond appropriately to conversations in person, virtually, and by phone. Vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
This position occasionally works remotely and should be able to maintain a quiet, confidential space with appropriate internet connectivity. The office environment has low noise levels due mostly to office equipment. This position occasionally must lift or move up to thirty-five (35) pounds and infrequently up to fifty (50) pounds.
PCOA reserves the right to modify and interpret this position description. This description in no way implies that these are the only duties and responsibilities to be performed by the employee occupying this position. This position description is not an employment contract, implied or otherwise; the employment relationship remains “at will.” The position requirements are subject to change to reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities.
Pay: $81,000.00 - $95,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Tucson, AZ 85716
