City of Fort Wayne

Job Description:

SUMMARY

Working under the direction of the Department Head of the Department of Neighborhoods, with guidance from the Community Development Division Director, the incumbent engages neighborhood associations, business associations, community service organizations, and citizens in a public role. The incumbent will work closely with neighborhoods across the city and, most importantly, across departments housed both within Community Development and other City divisions.

This position is forward-facing, will champion outreach and engagement for neighborhood associations in planning and projects, and regularly facilitates meetings and participates in community activities and events. Several neighborhoods and City sponsored meetings happen outside of traditional workday hours, requiring flexible hours, both during nights and weekends.

The incumbent is must exercise good judgement, independence, initiative, and professional expertise in day-to-day operations. All work duties and activities must be performed in accordance with the City safety rules and operating regulations, policies and procedures as well as federal, state, and local regulations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the ability to interact with the public, City incumbents, and outside agencies with patience, tact, respect, professionalism and the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Neighborhood Engagement

• Develops digital and print materials for public outreach and communication;
• Prepares various illustrations, infographics, maps, surveys, and graphics that help communicate information with neighborhoods;
• Prepares memos, reports and provides correspondence between City departments and neighborhoods that can be clearly understood;
• Maintains and updates various online educational resources, files, mailing lists, electronic distribution lists, etc., as necessary;
• Provides effective communication of the City goals and policies to the public;
• Assists in the development and implementation of innovative programs to strengthen relationships between neighborhood associations, business associations, emerging communities and community services organizations;
• Supports facilitation of City sponsored meetings, including but not limited to, quarterly neighborhood presidents meetings, area neighborhood partnership meetings, and educational programs aimed at providing neighborhoods with knowledge and materials to be successful;
• Attends neighborhood association meetings and provides summaries of those meetings to appropriate City personnel. Also attends other meetings and special functions, schedules neighborhood walks and participates in other events as needed;
• Attends partnership meetings and provides summaries of those meetings to appropriate personnel.
• Attends other meetings and special functions, schedules neighborhood walks for City divisions and participates in other events as needed.

Neighborhood Planning

• Assists in the development of neighborhood plans and implementation strategies related to neighborhoods;
• Maintains neighborhood databases;
• Conducts existing conditions and demographic research on neighborhood planning areas to assist in community engagement strategies and plan development;
  
  Neighborhood Activation
• Assists neighborhood associations with the startup and reactivation of neighborhood and business associations;
• Provides a regular status report each month that provides an explanation of neighborhood activation process.Assists others in the Department in off-site fieldwork which could require several hours in a neighborhood meeting, at a neighborhood event, or outdoors conduicting interviews and focus groups;

Neighborhood Support

• Provides support services for neighborhood associations who need assistance in working with and navigating various departments and divisions across the City;
• Regularly communicates with neighborhood association leadership and attends neighborhood association meetings to ensure that projects are communicated clearly and effectively;
• Develops strengths and opportunities action strategies for neighborhood associations who need assistance in accomplishing goals to advance the quality of life for their residents.

MARGINAL FUNCTIONS

Performs other duties as required.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The incumbent is responsible to manage their performance in accordance with this job description and the performance expectations provided to them by management. If at any time the incumbent is unsure of their role or specific responsibilities, it is the incumbent’s responsibility to refer to their job description and ask for clarification from their supervisor. Management will work with the incumbent, as needed, to ensure performance expectations are clearly communicated and performance goals are achieved.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Incumbent has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to engage individuals with disability to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• A bachelor’s degree in urban planning, landscape architecture, urban design, sociology, psychology, public administration, communications, or related field and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• One- or two-years’ experience working with the public.

OTHER KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and/or ABILITIES

• Practical knowledge of and the ability to apply a full range of generally accepted and commonly used principles, theories, and methods of effective interpersonal communication;
• Knowledge of community services organizations;
• Practical experience in neighborhood associations, business associations, and / community services organizations;
• Knowledge or training on how to write grants for organizations;
• Ability to administer grant funds;
• Strong problem solving and communications skills both orally and in writing.
• Ability to facilitate meetings and workshops;
• Ability to work independently and coordinate projects as necessary;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationship with staff members throughout the City and general public;
• Knowledge of or training in the use of computers and standard office equipment; including use of internet and electronic media;
• Ability to use audiovisual aids and computers to present material;
• Ability to use a Personal Computer to produce a newsletter and maintain departmental files on Neighborhood Associations and other office databases.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Incumbent works with generally applicable rules and guidelines but must use sound judgment when resolving or initiating compromises on the many unusual and complex situations that arise between City Government and the public or neighborhoods. Incumbent handles matters of considerable importance to Neighborhood Associations and citizens, Business Associations, and Community Service Organizations and occasionally deals with distraught (irate) individuals.

The incumbent handles substantially intricate problems requiring individual diagnosis and treatment for the Neighborhood Associations and citizens, Business Associations, and Community Services Organizations without the aid of specific instructions from the supervisor.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

The incumbent must have the ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. The incumbent must have the ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

REASONING ABILITY

Incumbent is required to make recommendations to the supervisor in addition to making substantial contributions to the development of the department goals and objectives. Incumbent makes contributions on non-routine decisions and recommendations involving neighborhood problems and related issues based on organization guidelines and policies. The incumbent must use own judgment in selecting the most pertinent guidelines, in interpreting precedents, and in adapting standard methods or procedures. Unusual problems or deviations from departmental guidelines are discussed with the supervisor. Work is reviewed for soundness of judgment, technical adequacy, and conformance with practice and policy. Personal work relationships involve cooperative problem solving requiring discussion and persuasion to gain concurrence or cooperation in the face of significant difference of opinion or controversy.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Maintains a valid Indiana Driver's License if City vehicle is used.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk to hear. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Although the incumbent is seated and walking at will and has limited physical labor, the job generates a great deal of stress due to the nature of the work performed.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.