The Community Engagement Manager leads the growth of the Canine Health Foundation's (CHF) community engagement, volunteer, and grassroots outreach efforts by creating meaningful opportunities for individuals to participate in and advance CHF's mission. This position develops relationships, programs, and systems that attract new audiences, activate volunteers and ambassadors, strengthen community partnerships, and deepen engagement with existing supporters.
The role oversees the volunteer experience from recruitment through recognition and retention while expanding programs such as CHAMPS, fundRACERS, and other community-based initiatives. Working collaboratively across CHF, this position will help transform an established foundation of community programs into a strategic, measurable, and high-impact engagement function.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Develop and execute CHF's community engagement and activation strategy, establishing goals, target audiences, programs, priorities, and measurable outcomes aligned with organizational objectives and mission impact.
Build and maintain the infrastructure required for sustainable growth, including policies, procedures, role descriptions, training resources, communication plans, tracking systems, playbooks, and volunteer engagement tools.
Program Development and Growth
Expand CHF's community of participants and advocates by identifying, recruiting, and engaging new volunteers, ambassadors, community partners, and other individuals who can help extend the Foundation's mission and reach.
Lead and grow CHAMPS, fundRACERS, and other community-based engagement programs by developing communications, programming, and participation opportunities that encourage long-term involvement, connection, and advocacy.
Create new scalable pathways for supporters to become actively engaged in CHF's mission.
Build and manage a comprehensive volunteer program, including recruitment, screening, onboarding, training, placement, communication, engagement, recognition, and retention.
Develop clear pathways for deeper engagement, helping individuals move from awareness and initial participation to ongoing involvement as volunteers, ambassadors, advocates, event participants, and supporters.
Represent CHF at select AKC, conformation, sporting, and dog-related events to raise awareness and support for CHF within the dog community.
Build and maintain relationships with dog-related organizations, community groups, educational institutions, and other strategic partners that can broaden CHF's reach and mission impact.
Plan and coordinate community activations, volunteer initiatives, events, and grassroots engagement opportunities, including programs that can be replicated and scaled over time.
Manage community-specific social media channels to encourage engagement and ensure content aligns with CHF's mission and brand standards.
Collaborate with Development, Communications, Scientific Programs, Collaborations, and other CHF teams to connect community participation with education, fundraising, research awareness, events, and strategic organizational priorities.
Communicate CHF's mission and impact in a compelling manner that motivates participation and advocacy.
Track, analyze, and report community engagement performance metrics, including participation, growth, retention, volunteer activity, referrals, feedback, reach, and overall impact.
Use data and insights to evaluate program effectiveness, strengthen engagement strategies, and identify future opportunities.
Qualifications and Skills
Exceptional relationship-building skills with the ability to engage effectively with colleagues, volunteers, donors, community partners, and diverse external audiences.
Demonstrated success growing a community, membership, volunteer, ambassador, or grassroots engagement program, including attracting new participants and sustaining engagement over time.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate CHF's mission in a clear, engaging, and compelling manner.
Strong project management, organizational, and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, relationships, and activities simultaneously.
Creative thinker with the ability to develop innovative programs, engagement opportunities, and supporting content.
Experience using or learning digital communication platforms, social media tools, CRM systems, volunteer management software, and community engagement technologies.
Ability to translate organizational goals into meaningful and practical opportunities for community participation and involvement.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate program effectiveness and make data-informed recommendations for improvement.