Project Specialist – Community Catalysts
Location: St. Louis, Missouri (On-Site at Schools, In-Office + Virtual)
Job Type: Contract
Pay: $30.00 per hour
Start Date: August, 2026
Grant Period: 2026–2027, with potential for continuation
About ActivateMO
ActivateMO is a Missouri based nonprofit that believes families are not just stakeholders in education—they are the engine of educational equity. Since 2020, we have trained hundreds of parents in advocacy, policy literacy, and community organizing across Missouri. Our work centers families as change agents and builds programming around real-world needs.
The Community Catalysts Initiative, funded by NewSchools Venture Fund, mobilizes parents, caregivers, and trusted community members to serve as high-impact, compensated partners in K–12 public schools across Missouri. This is not a credential program; it is a readiness program rooted in lived experience, cultural responsiveness, and a deep belief that the people closest to students are best positioned to support them.
About the Role
ActivateMO is seeking a Project Specialist to serve as the primary operational lead for the Community Catalysts Initiative. This person will drive day-to-day implementation, build and maintain school-community partnerships, and support ongoing program learning and evaluation.
The ideal candidate is a connector, builder, and strong communicator who is equally comfortable developing systems and cultivating meaningful relationships with families, school leaders, and community members.
Key Responsibilities
Program Design & Implementation
- Lead the co-design and refinement of the Community Catalysts training curriculum in partnership with families, school leaders, and ActivateMO staff.
- Coordinate recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing support for 5–8 Community Catalysts per pilot site across urban, suburban, and rural school settings.
- Develop and manage role descriptions, MOUs, scheduling protocols, and compensation workflows.
- Facilitate training sessions and learning circles for Community Catalysts and adapt content to meet site-specific needs.
- Ensure programming reflects trauma-informed, belonging-centered, and culturally responsive practices.
School & Community Partnership Management
- Serve as the primary relationship manager for Community Catalysts pilot sites.
- Coordinate with school leaders and site leads to effectively integrate Community Catalysts into school routines, culture, and classroom support.
- Build strong relationships with principals, teachers, parents, and community stakeholders through consistent presence and communication.
- Identify and troubleshoot implementation barriers with a solutions-oriented, equity-centered approach.
Learning, Evaluation & Documentation
- Design and manage an impact dashboard tracking Catalyst hours, student engagement, site feedback, and program outcomes.
- Lead shared learning across pilot sites and capture insights to continuously improve the program.
- Compile case studies, implementation narratives, and data summaries for internal stakeholders and funder reporting.
- Coordinate content for the Community Catalysts podcast, op-eds, and publicly available replication toolkit.
Storytelling & Communications
- Amplify the voices and experiences of Community Catalysts, parents, and school leaders through compelling storytelling and documentation.
- Draft content for ActivateMO's communication channels in alignment with program and grant deliverables.
- Represent ActivateMO and the Community Catalysts Initiative at partner meetings, convenings, and advocacy events.
Project & Administrative Support
- Manage project timelines, deliverables, and budget tracking related to grant activities.
- Collaborate with ActivateMO leadership on strategic decisions, progress reporting, and funder communication.
- Participate in ActivateMO team meetings, retreats, and organizational initiatives.
Qualifications
Required
- 3+ years of experience in community organizing, education, family engagement, nonprofit program management, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated commitment to educational equity and community-driven approaches to systems change.
- Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work effectively with families, school staff, community members, and institutional partners.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
- Experience with program design, facilitation, and/or training.
- Proficiency with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and basic data-tracking tools.
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly throughout Missouri, primarily within the St. Louis, University City, and southern Missouri regions.
Preferred
- Lived experience as a parent, caregiver, or community member within Missouri's K–12 public school system.
- Background in K–12 education, educational policy, or school-community partnerships.
- Experience managing externally funded grants or working with philanthropic partners.
- Familiarity with trauma-informed practices, restorative discipline, or belonging-centered school models.
- Experience with podcast production, storytelling, or public narrative work.
- Bilingual Spanish/English strongly preferred.
What We Value
At ActivateMO, we believe families are change agents, readiness matters more than credentials, and strong programs are built with communities rather than for them. We are looking for someone who is relationship-driven, organized, communicative, innovative, resilient, and deeply committed to achieving meaningful outcomes for Missouri families and students.
ActivateMO is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from individuals whose identities and experiences have historically been underrepresented in the nonprofit sector.
In addition to applying through Indeed, please send your resume directly to [email protected] with the subject line “Community Catalysts Project Specialist.”
We look forward to hearing from you!
Pay: $30.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
