Civic Engagement Manager

Location

SAINT LOUIS, MO 63105



Scheduled Hours

37.5

Position Summary

WashU's Division of Student Success seeks a dedicated professional for the position of Civic Engagement Manager. The Division of Student Success advances the educational mission of the university through resources and experiences outside the classroom that prepare our students for lifelong success.

The Civic Engagement Manager leads engagement strategies to foster students’ knowledge, skills, and active involvement in civic life. Central to the Gephardt Institute’s Engage Democracy pillar, this position leverages national and local elections as a key strategy for fostering a culture of civic engagement at Washington University that engages undergraduate and graduate/professional students through a year-round approach.

The Gephardt Institute envisions that Washington University students will graduate with the knowledge, skills, and commitment to actively engage in the process of democracy and in the pursuit of a thriving democracy through political participation, public problem-solving, and civic dialogue. This position focuses on the institute’s goals to educate students for lifelong engaged citizenship and infuse civic engagement throughout the Washington University student experience.

The Civic Engagement Manager leads program strategy and implementation through close coordination and partnerships with student leaders, university schools and departments, Gephardt Institute staff, and local and national organizations. This position applies the institute’s theory of change, data-informed strategies, and leading practices in civic learning, civic engagement, and voter engagement, with particular attention to engaging diverse audiences.

This position requires a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. This position also requires a strong commitment to non-partisanship and to engagement of all Washington University students regardless of their political positions.

Job Description

Voter Registration, Engagement, and Turnout: Leads the development and implementation of a data-informed strategy for voter registration, education, and turnout within the Washington University student community, with a particular commitment to developing strategies for inclusion of all students (this includes undergraduates, graduate/professional students, and non-voters) in the process of democracy. Responsibilities include:

• Leads voter registration efforts for Washington University by coordinating the WashU Votes Campus Network, which includes the WashU Votes undergraduate student committee and faculty/staff Voter Champion Network.
• Researches national best practices for voter engagement, consults with regional and national colleagues and leaders, and reviews Washington University voter engagement data and reports to lead development of a comprehensive voter engagement strategy.
• Develops and implements campus programming and communications to encourage voter registration and answer common questions.
• Manages TurboVote, the Gephardt Institute’s online platform for voter registration and reminders.
• Serves as the primary advisor to WashU Votes student leaders to provide training and guidance, coordinate peer-to-peer outreach efforts with university-wide strategy, ensure compliance with university policies and voting regulations, including but not limited to nonpartisanship, and support partnership-based voter engagement efforts in the St. Louis community.
• Collaborates with and trains student groups, academic and administrative departments, Voter Engagement Hubs, and individuals who are invested in voter registration and turnout.
• Collaborates with Division of Student Success Marketing & Communications Office in the development of strategy and content to ensure a robust website, and with Gephardt staff and WashU Votes student leaders to ensure strong social media presence and relevant, accurate print materials.
• Writes social media copy for voting related materials
• Collaborates with relevant colleagues in the development and implementation of data collection and assessment strategies.
• Coordinates with national partners to align resources and share promising practices.
• Maintains regular contact with the St. Louis County Board of Elections, City of St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners, and campus officials responsible for ensuring federal and local compliance with election law and coordination of on-campus polling places.

• Collaborates on written proposals, plans, and reports related to voter engagement efforts, including national coalitions and designations.
• Handles inquiries and collaboration requests from on-campus and off-campus organizations.
• Supervises relevant graduate assistants and student interns.

Civic Learning and Dialogue Programming: Manages year-round programming and initiatives that educate and engage the student body, with a focus on voting rights, the voter registration and voting process, understanding the process of policy-making and policy change, civic dialogue, and related avenues for year-round citizen and non-citizen engagement with the process of democracy. Responsibilities include:

• Develops and coordinates Gephardt Institute initiatives such as voter registration drives, Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, National Voter Registration Day, Civic Action Week, debate watch gatherings, strategies for engaging incoming students, post-election programming and communications, and emergent events and strategies.
• Leads the planning and implementation of student visits to the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City and other trips to governmental sites, in coordination with key campus planning partners.
• Collaborates with Associate Director for Civic Engagement to conceptualize, plan, implement, and continuously improve immersion trips to Washington DC, St. Louis, and other site visits for Civic Action Lab courses. Collaborates with Engage Democracy team, relevant committees, and campus colleagues) on development, implementation, and continuous improvement of education and engagement strategies including Civic Action Week, special events, and other emergent strategies.
• Advises students and fosters coordination and collaboration among student-facing groups and departments in the development and implementation of programming and initiatives aligned with the goals of the Engage Democracy pillar.

Serves as an essential member of the Gephardt Institute team.

• Contributes to initiatives, meetings, and events of the Gephardt Institute, including developing strategy and vision for initiatives, planning processes, grant/proposal applications and reporting, donor cultivation and stewardship, special projects, and special events.
• Collaborates with Gephardt Institute staff and relevant stakeholders to coordinate planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of all Gephardt Institute programs and services.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:

Job Location/Working Conditions

• Normal office environment
• Alternative work schedule as regular part of job (on-call, shifts, evening, weekends)

Physical Effort

• Typically sitting at desk or table
• Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement
• Ability to move to on and off-campus locations

Equipment

• Office equipment

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

Relevant Experience (3 Years)

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in political science, public policy, legal studies, communication, student affairs, social work, psychology, business, or related field.
• Three years of experience in higher education, civic engagement, civic education, voter engagement, community outreach, and/or community organizing, preferably with adolescents or young adults.
• Experience developing marketing, communications, outreach, and engagement strategies for diverse audiences.
• Experience with large-scale and complex event or engagement strategies.
• Relevant experience with civic engagement, civic learning, or related initiatives at a professional, co-curricular, and/or volunteer level
• Experience with organizing and planning events, outreach, and engagement strategies, and leading or facilitating groups toward a common purpose
• Demonstrated ability to work in a nonpartisan environment. Commitment to maintaining a nonpartisan and inclusive approach to all educational, programming, outreach, and communication strategies 
• Experience with and openness to managing tasks, data, and records with various applications such as Microsoft Excel, Mail Merge, and project management software
• Ability to function both independently and collaboratively in a dynamic, highly collaborative environment with multiple functions, audiences, and priorities.
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for civic engagement through the political and electoral process
• Ability and willingness to work evening and weekend hours for special projects, events, and deadlines in service to students and the institute’s mission

*All applicants are asked to submit a cover letter and resume when submitting an application.

*WashU graduates are encouraged to apply

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

Master's degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:

Communication, Deadline Management, High Accuracy, Organizing, Prioritization, Stress Management, Work Efficiency, Working Independently, Workload Management

Grade

G10

Salary Range

$49,700.00 - $82,100.00 / AnnuallyThe salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email[email protected]or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.

• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.

• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.

• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.

• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.