Be The Bridge Between LA’s BEST & The Community - Join Us As A Family & Community Engagement Associate Today!
About LA’s BEST
LA’s BEST is a public/private partnership between the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), and the private sector, working together to provide safe, engaging, and enriching afterschool programming for elementary school students. Established 38 years ago, LA’s BEST serves children in neighborhoods with the greatest needs but the fewest resources, ensuring access to meaningful learning experiences beyond the school day.
Through this public-private partnership, LAUSD operates the program, the City of Los Angeles provides crucial public support, and the nonprofit entity advocates for funding and resources. This shared commitment allows LA’s BEST to provide high-quality enrichment activities that nurture academic growth, social-emotional well-being for students while also supporting working families across Los Angeles.
At LA’s BEST, we believe that diversity fuels innovation, creativity, and success. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where every individual's unique perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences are valued and celebrated. As we continue to grow and evolve, we are dedicated to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from individuals of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, ages, religions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Join us in our mission to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to thrive and contribute their best work. Your voice matters, and we invite you to bring your authentic self to our team.
Job Overview & Responsibilities
Reporting to the Senior Director of Public Partnerships & Policy, the Family & Community Engagement Associate works closely with the Public Partnerships & Policy, Development, Marketing & Communications, and Programmatic departments to foster increased engagement with the LA's BEST program. This role serves as the primary coordinator for site visits, volunteer experiences, and engagement opportunities for corporate partners, funders, elected officials, policymakers, and all LA’s BEST stakeholders. The position also leads the coordination of family engagement activities that strengthen connections between families and the LA's BEST program.
Working in partnership with the Central Operations LAUSD office, the Family & Community Engagement Associate creates meaningful opportunities for internal and external partners to experience the impact of LA's BEST firsthand while supporting volunteer engagement, alumni engagement, family engagement programming, and organizational events. Core responsibilities may include but are not limited to:
Site Engagement & Partnership Coordination (approximately 35%):
- Manage collaboration with the Central Operations LAUSD office to coordinate private and public partner engagement with the LA's BEST program.
- In support of the CEO, Public Partnership & Policy and Development departments, coordinate site visits for corporate partners, foundation representatives, elected officials, policymakers, community leaders, board members (e.g., Governing and BEST Friends) and other stakeholders,
- Facilitate volunteer engagements, employee engagement activities, partner recognition events, and school visits.
- Serve as the primary internal coordinator for site visit logistics, ensuring a positive experience for all guests.
- Partner with the Marketing & Communications department to gather content from sites to support organizational storytelling.
- Screen organizations interested in partnering with LA's BEST to determine alignment with the organization's mission, vision, values, and programming.
Family Engagement (approximately 25%):
- Coordinate family engagement activities and events that strengthen relationships between families and the LA's BEST program.
- Work collaboratively with Operations and school sites to support implementation of family engagement initiatives.
- Assist in developing family engagement resources and activities that promote student success and family participation.
- Coordinate logistics for family workshops, informational meetings, celebrations, and community engagement opportunities.
- Collect participation data and feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of family engagement efforts.
Volunteer Coordination (approximately 25%):
- Develop and implement strategies for volunteer recruitment, scheduling, training, recognition, and retention.
- Coordinate volunteer activities, including corporate volunteer events, employee engagement opportunities, and community service projects.
- Maintain accurate records of volunteer participation and volunteer hours.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for volunteers, providing support and resources throughout their engagement.
- Collaborate with internal staff to identify volunteer opportunities and ensure appropriate placement.
- Evaluate volunteer engagement activities and recommend improvements.
- Lead planning and coordination of volunteer appreciation events.
Internal Collaboration & Event Support (approximately 15%):
- Create and implement systems that strengthen collaboration between the Nonprofit Office and the Central Operations LAUSD office.
- Manage engagement with LA's BEST alumni, identifying opportunities for alumni involvement as advocates, volunteers, and supporters.
- Collect engagement data and monitor participation metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of engagement activities.
- Support planning and execution of site-based events, fundraising events, cultivation events, family engagement activities, and organizational special events.
- Support the Development department with external events where LA’s BEST has the opportunity to present about program enrollment and volunteer opportunities, as needed.
- Maintain a calendar of engagement activities, volunteer opportunities, family engagement events, and programmatic events to support the Development, Public Partnerships, Marketing & Communications, and Programmatic teams.
- Participate in special projects related to organizational partnerships as assigned.
Core Competencies
- Ability to maintain regular and consistent attendance.
- Strong ability to work effectively with internal teams and external partners.
- Skilled in creating and implementing systems to enhance collaboration.
- Proficiency in planning and executing various events, including site-based, fundraising, and cultivation events.
- Ability to maintain and manage a calendar of programmatic events to support engagement efforts.
- Expertise in managing partner engagement activities, including site visits, volunteer and employee engagements, and partner recognition events.
- Ability to cultivate and manage effective relationships at all levels of the organization and with external partners.
- Ability to effectively communicate the program’s mission, goals, and impact through compelling narratives.
- Strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects and deadlines efficiently.
- Capacity to handle changing priorities and adapt to evolving program needs.
- Willingness to take on new tasks and participate in various special projects as needed.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills to interact with diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to convey information clearly and persuasively to different audiences.
- Ability to identify opportunities for increased engagement and support within the LA’s BEST community.
- Skill in developing and implementing strategies to foster meaningful connections and partnerships.
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail in managing events, engagements, and collaborations.
- Ensuring that all aspects of engagement activities are well-coordinated and executed.
- Strong dedication to the mission of LA’s BEST and the ability to inspire others to support and engage with the program.
- Ability to coordinate multiple site visits, volunteers, and engagement activities simultaneously, and meet collaboratively designated outreach metrics.
- Ability to build positive relationships with families, schools, volunteers, funders, public officials, and community partners.
- Knowledge of effective family engagement practices.
- Strong event coordination and logistical planning skills.
- Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to represent LA's BEST professionally with a wide variety of external stakeholders.
- Passion for working in a nonprofit environment and contributing to the organization's goals.
Qualifications & Experience Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Nonprofit Management, Education, Community Engagement, or a related field is required.
- Minimum of two years of experience coordinating community engagement, family engagement, volunteer management, partnership activities, or related work.
- Experience coordinating meetings, events, or site visits involving multiple stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational and relationship management skills.
- Experience working with schools, nonprofit organizations, volunteers, or community-based organizations required.
Compensation
$25.81 per hour - $37.42 per hour; commensurate with experience.
Work Location
Currently, there is a hybrid work environment with three days per week required at the office in downtown Los Angeles (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays). Occasional evening and weekend work is required throughout the year. Candidates must also be able to travel to school sites and meetings/events within L.A. County on a regular basis and have access to reliable and timely transportation.
Company Benefits
LA’s BEST provides employer-paid medical, dental, & vision insurance for employees, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, 401(k) retirement plan with an employer match after six months of continuous employment, paid time off, and other benefits.
Equal Opportunity
LA’s BEST is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, and disability or veteran status. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request (LA’s BEST is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request).
How to Apply
Please submit a resume and a cover letter with your application. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered. We kindly ask that applicants do not contact employees of LA’s BEST directly regarding the status of their application.
