Job Overview:
The Community Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator supports the successful integration of IRC clients in Iowa, primarily refugees, asylees, and related immigrant populations. They lead the IRC office in the development and implementation of a strategy and maximizes community knowledge, support, and engagement in IRC’s work in Iowa. They collaborate with IRC staff at local and HQ level to determine priority community support and client needs, coordinate community outreach, build effective relationships, raise awareness of IRC’s work, and connect clients with community-based resources. This position reports to the Development Manager and works in close partnership with many staff on the IRC Iowa team.
Major Responsibilities:
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Community Engagement
- In close collaboration with the Development Manager, define and implement an effective local community engagement strategy for the benefit of the community and IRC’s clients. Community engagement includes general support of IRC’s mission and clients by creating and maintaining close relationships with local community members and community-based groups, including but not limited to businesses, civil society, and faith-based organizations.
- Create regular, engaging community messaging through a variety of platforms, such as social media, quarterly newsletters, and website articles.
- Assist Development Manager with media engagement strategies and messaging.
- Curate impactful stories about the work of the IRC in the community that may include client, staff, and partner collaborations, highlights, and interviews.
- Increase community engagement through outreach, meeting with community members, delivering presentations, and representing the IRC at local events.
- Create tools, fact sheets, presentations, and templates for engagement, meetings, and public speaking events as well as external communication activities as defined above.
- Lead the solicitation, collection, distribution, and general management efforts of in-kind donations, with some support from local Operations Manager.
- Support the Development Manager in event planning and execution as needed and directed.
- Other related duties as assigned, including potential support to Contribution in Kind (CIK) recording keeping and reception, inventory management support to operations.
Intern and Volunteer Coordination
- Ensure the IRC maintains an active, effective, and professionally managed intern and volunteer program.
- Coordinate with IRC Iowa staff to determine volunteer needs and assist with generating clear and consistent position descriptions.
- Conduct outreach activities to attract and recruit new volunteers and interns.
- Conduct interviews as well as onboarding and orientation sessions for new volunteers and interns.
- Maintain regular communication and act as a liaison between IRC Iowa staff and onboarded volunteers/interns.
- Maintain volunteer files; enter case notes and records in database; manage timesheets and timesheet entries and reporting each month.
- Conduct recognition and reimbursement efforts for volunteers and interns.
- Maintain relationships with all universities in the area.
- Other related duties as assigned.
Job Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university strongly preferred.
- 2-3 years of related professional experience.
- Prior volunteer or professional experience in community development or volunteer coordination strongly preferred.
- Experience working with refugee and/or immigrant populations strongly preferred.
- Strong relationship building, diplomacy, and networking skills; ability to effectively build internal and external relationships.
- Demonstrated success working and communicating effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
- Self-starter with excellent problem-solving skills combined with the proven ability to multi-task, prioritize duties, and manage time effectively.
- Fluent in English, both spoken and written; proficiency in language(s) spoken by IRC’s clients is desired.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook); ability to use the internet and other digital tools for data entry, research, and problem-solving purposes.
- Valid driver’s license and access to a personal, insured vehicle.
Working Environment
- Standard office environment, possible partial hybrid or remote work, and ‘field’ time within the service delivery area to perform the above outlined responsibilities.
- May require weekend and/or evening work.
- May require some travel within 100 miles radius of Des Moines and Iowa City offices, particularly between the two offices to support teams in these locations.
Compensation: Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.
Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.
Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
US Benefits: The IRC offers a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. All US employees are eligible for sick time, a 403b retirement savings plans: up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus an 3-7% additional IRC contribution, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support in times of crisis and mental health struggles.
In addition, full-time employees are eligible for 10 US paid holidays, 20-25 paid time off days, disability & life insurance, medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee contribution starting at $135, $7, and $5 per month respectively) and FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs. Part-time employees are eligible for a proportionate amount of paid time off. These additional benefits apply to employees who work at least 6 months within a 12 month time period.