Community Outreach Lead – New Orleans

CDM Smith; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 91,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

CDM Smith is seeking a community engagement expert to enhance public health through infrastructure projects, starting in New Orleans. You will join a cross-discipline strategic communications team, leading community outreach for municipal drinking water initiatives.

Responsibilities include directing large-scale engagement efforts, planning and facilitating public meetings, and shaping communication strategies for diverse programs, while mentoring junior staff and collaborating with stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of corporate governance practices, organization design principles, accounting principles, finance, and supply chain management.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills required.
• Ability to understand highly complex technical, professional and business materials.

Responsibilities

• Lead large teams of communications experts and ensure tasks are executed.
• Facilitate discussions within programs and improve cross-team coordination.
• Create and implement communication plans for stakeholder decisions.
• Translate technical content into accessible, visual storytelling.

Skills

Governance

Org design

Accounting

Finance

Supply chain

Org management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Company Overview

Check out this video and find out why our team loves to work here!

Join Us! CDM Smith – where amazing career journeys unfold.

Imagine a place committed to offering an unmatched employee experience. Where you work on projects that are meaningful to you. Where you play an active part in shaping your career journey. Where your co-workers are invested in you and your success. Where you are encouraged and supported to do your very best and given the tools and resources to do so. Where it’s a priority that the company takes good care of you and your family.

Our employees are the heart of our company. As an employer of choice, our goal is to provide a challenging, progressive and inclusive work environment which fosters personal leadership, career growth and development for every employee. We value passionate individuals who challenge the norm, deliver world-class solutions and bring diverse perspectives. Join our team, and together we will make a difference and change the world.

Job Description

This position is for a community engagement expert looking to use their passion to improve public health through infrastructure projects around the United States, starting in New Orleans. You will join CDM Smith’s growing, cross-discipline strategic communications team, leading community outreach and engagement for municipal drinking water projects.

Projects you may work on include leading vast community engagement teams comprised of different firms working towards a unified goal and approach, planning and facilitating internal and high-stakes public meetings, developing presentations for internal and external stakeholders, helping develop guidance and communication strategies for a variety of programs, and reviewing communications deliverables for consistency and accuracy.

Passionate about organizational efficiency, you think through processes to ensure the right people get the right information at the right time – and you think about how to best present data for efficient understanding. With a strong sense of plain language and the ability to tailor to any audience, you dig deep into material to ensure it communicates its key message. When someone thinks something cannot be done, your first instinct is to find a solution anyway. You are comfortable jumping from one technical topic to another and applying your expertise to different scenarios.

The core of your work will be directing large-scale communication and engagement efforts related to drinking water infrastructure improvements.

Your tasks will generally include:

• Leading large teams of communications experts; ensuring communications tasks are executed
• Facilitating discussions within your respective programs and creating plans to promote better organizational coordination and management
• Creating and implementing communication plans to ensure stakeholders receive information needed appropriately when being asked to make a decision
• Writing and editing documents to specific reading levels while ensuring they meet brand and style guidance
• Translating highly technical textual information into a visual story that the audience can relate to and make decisions about
• Proving highly detailed quality control and readability reviews
• Managing and mentoring junior staff working on project communications
• Teaching technical staff communications best practices
• Interacting with the public, especially disadvantaged communities, via virtual and on-the-ground community forums
• Facilitating community engagement forums, like public meetings, hearings, and listening sessions
• Working with social media and electronic methods of survey and data collection; analyzing that data efficiently
• Creating forums to brainstorm and act on ideas to improve communication best practices, and/or creatively address specific client challenges
• Contributing to proposals to win more work, including writing public-engagement related scope, building up a team, and estimating cost
• Some weekend and evening hours will be required to attend project public engagement events.

Skills & Abilities

• Strong knowledge of corporate governance practices, organization design principles, accounting principles, finance, supply chain management, and organization management.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to understand highly complex technical, professional and business materials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• 7 years of related experience.
• Domestic and/or international travel may be required. The frequency of travel is contingent on specific duties, responsibilities, and the essential functions of the position, which may vary depending on workload and project demands.
• Equivalent additional directly related experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.

Amount of Travel Required

10% or less

Driving Requirements

An appropriate and valid driver's license is required.

EEO Statement

We attract the best people in the industry, supporting their efforts to learn and grow. We strive to create a challenging and progressive work environment. We provide career opportunities that span a variety of disciplines and geographic locations, with projects that our employees plan, design, build and operate as diverse as the needs of our clients. CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, pregnancy related conditions, childbirth and related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression), national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Background Check and Drug Testing Information

CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries (hereafter collectively referred to as “CDM Smith”) reserves the right to require background checks including criminal, employment, education, licensure, etc. as well as credit and motor vehicle when applicable for certain positions. In addition, CDM Smith may conduct drug testing for designated positions. Background checks are conducted after an offer of employment has been made in the United States. The timing of when background checks will be conducted on candidates for positions outside the United States will vary based on country statutory law but in no case, will the background check precede an interview. CDM Smith will conduct interviews of qualified individuals prior to requesting a criminal background check, and no job application submitted prior to such interview shall inquire into an applicant's criminal history. If this position is subject to a background check for any convictions related to its responsibilities and requirements, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history. Criminal history will not automatically disqualify a candidate. In addition, during employment individuals may be required by CDM Smith or a CDM Smith client to successfully complete additional background checks, including motor vehicle record as well as drug testing.

Massachusetts Applicants

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Notice

The hiring department will conduct interviews of qualified individuals prior to requesting a criminal background check, and no job application submitted prior to such interview shall inquire into an applicant's criminal history. If this position is subject to a background check for any convictions related to its responsibilities and requirements, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history. Criminal history will not automatically disqualify a candidate.

Additional Pay Range Information

CDM Smith is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. This pay range is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels for the geographic location assigned to the position. In addition to geographic location, a candidate’s salary is determined by several other factors including, but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, relevant work experience, skills, required certifications, and education/training.

Additional Compensation

All bonuses at CDM Smith are discretionary and may or may not apply to this position.

Visa Sponsorship Available

No-We will not support sponsorship in the United States, i.e. H-1B or TN Visas for this position

Agency Disclaimer

All vendors must have a signed CDM Smith Placement Agreement from the CDM Smith Talent Acquisition Manager to receive payment for your placement. Verbal or written commitments from any other member of the CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries staff will not be considered binding terms. All unsolicited resumes sent to CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries and any resume submitted to any employee outside of CDM Smith Talent Acquisition Team will be considered property of CDM Smith. CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries will not be held liable to pay a placement fee.

Pay Range Max

USD $160,118.00

Pay Range Min

USD $91,478.00