Community Engagement Supervisor

The City of Seattle believes in the diversity of our people, ideas, and experiences and is committed to building an inclusive culture that is representative of the community we serve. The Community Police Commission (CPC) is seeking a collaborative and compassionate individual to serve as its Community Engagement Supervisor. This individual will help ensure the success of CPC’s charge to provide community-led systemic oversight of the police accountability system. The Community Engagement Supervisor will help develop and implement a comprehensive community outreach and engagement plan–with a focus on race equity–for both ongoing and discrete programmatic work. In addition, they will supervise 1-2 other community engagement staff, advise the Executive Director, manage crises, and coordinate commissioner-community engagement.

History of the CPC

The 2010 shooting death of First Nations woodcarver John T. Williams by a Seattle police officer, and a series of other serious incidents involving police and people of color, crystallized public concern about bias and the use of excessive force in the Seattle Police Department (SPD). In response to a broad-based community request, and after a federal investigation, the City of Seattle signed a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to reform SPD’s practices. The resulting Consent Decree outlined work to be done by the City of Seattle to meet the terms of the settlement agreement and memorandum of understanding with the DOJ. The Consent Decree is overseen by a federal judge and his specially-appointed police monitor.

Initially established as a requirement of the Consent Decree, the City of Seattle established CPC to make policy recommendations during reform and to serve as a conduit between SPD, the City, and the community. However, in 2017 the Seattle City Council made the CPC permanent and broadened its scope and responsibilities.

Job Responsibilities:
The work of the Community Engagement Supervisor will include:

• Developing, implementing and measuring a community centered engagement strategy and influencing the nature and scope of the CPC’s public involvement, in consultation with the Executive Director and the CPC.
• Leading a small team that facilitates engagement of the public to better understand communities’ needs and interests relative to public safety and policing policies.
• Communicating to internal and external audiences as a representative of the CPC on issues related to public safety and policing.
• Building and maintaining relationships with CPC Commissioners, Councilmembers, SPD officers, local leaders, and community members.
• Experience using software and/or databases to track metrics and organizational participation for use in reporting.

Qualifications:
The Community Engagement Supervisor must have a demonstrated ability to lead and manage staff in conducting community outreach and in recommending systemic improvements to policies and practices to support constitutional policing, ongoing system effectiveness, and police excellence. At the center of their professional practice is a commitment to listening, creating spaces for diverse perspectives, and the pursuit of inclusive, just, and racially equitable outcomes. The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Knowledge of race equity principles and experience putting those principles into practice.
• An ability to relate, communicate, and engage effectively with all who have a stake in policing, including, but not limited to, disenfranchised communities, SPD employees, CPC Commissioners, and relevant City officials.
• An ability to supervise, manage, and mentor staff to both develop their talents and achieve organizational priorities.
• Strong project management skills with a history of effectively managing project scope, schedule, and budget within a dynamic and evolving environment.
• An ability to effectively create and implement a community outreach and engagement plan.
• An understanding of public policy development and an ability to translate highly complex issues into easy understandable, succinct messages.
• An understanding of the City’s ethnic and socio-economic diversity and proven experience working with and valuing the perspectives of diverse groups and individuals.
• A commitment to the need for and responsibilities of law enforcement, community care-taking, and protecting the constitutional rights of all affected parties.
• The ability to create and maintain a system of reporting that can easily be maneuvered to extract information with which to brief key stakeholders and community members.

Desired Characteristics

• An ability to handle sometimes hostile, politically-sensitive situations and negotiate solutions despite varying opinions.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills, preferably in cross-cultural contexts.
• Experience using multiple engagement platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media channels.

Additional Information:
Please submit your application, resume and cover letter at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seattle . In your cover letter, please clearly describe how your knowledge, skills, and abilities prepare you for the job responsibilities and qualifications outlined in this job announcement. Please specifically discuss:

If you have questions, please contact Teeona Wilson at Teeona.Wilson@seattle.gov .

This position is pending final budget approval by City Council on November 20th and classification as a Strategic Advisor I (General Government).

Who May Apply

This position is open to all candidates who meet the qualifications. The Seattle Human Resources Department values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.