Community Outreach Manager

Anixter Center; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Paid Time Off

Holidays

Job summary

Anixter Center in Chicago is seeking a Community Outreach Manager to lead referral development with schools, ISCs, CSOs, CAUs, and transition partners. You’ll expand networks, guide referrals from first contact to enrollment, and coordinate with Intake, Case Management, program staff, and Marketing.

This full-time role requires 2+ years in outreach, a social services background, and strong relationship skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 2+ years in outreach, community development, referral or care coordination, case management, or transition services.
• Working knowledge of IDD and mental health service systems in Illinois.
• Excellent relationship-building, networking, and communication skills; CRM familiarity.
• Willingness to travel locally throughout Chicagoland; flexibility for evenings/weekends.
• Nonprofit, healthcare, or education-adjacent partnerships experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Build and grow a referral pipeline by developing relationships with schools, ISCs, CSOs, and CAUs.
• Conduct outreach through site visits, presentations, and meetings with school staff and coordinators.
• Represent Anixter Center at IEP/transition meetings, school fairs, and community events.
• Serve as a go-to resource on transition, IDD, mental health, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing services; explain eligibility and intake.
• Set up and maintain clear referral pathways; document steps and contacts.
• Track every referral from first contact to enrollment in our CRM; follow up with partners and families.

Skills

Relationship-building

Networking

Communication

CRM system

Local travel

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

CRM system

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Community Outreach Manager

Development Admin Full Time Management Chicago, IL, US 1 Attachments

2 days ago Requisition ID: 1481

Salary Range: $65,000.00 To $80,000.00 Annually

Marketing Services | Chicago, IL | Full-Time | Local Travel Required

Pay Range: $65,000 – $80,000 annually, commensurate with experience

Join us — and do work that matters.

We're a passionate team of change-makers, diverse thinkers, and problem-solvers. Our purpose: ensuring full access to quality living and championing the power of inclusivity. We proudly serve over 7,000 individuals with disabilities and behavioral health challenges, including those who are Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing.

If you're not looking for just any job — if you're ready to build a career where your work directly supports that mission — Anixter Center is the place for you.

About the Role

As our Community Outreach Manager, you'll be the face of Anixter Center to the schools and agencies that support young people and adults with IDD and mental health needs. You'll build and sustain a robust referral network that connects individuals and families to our transition and community-based services, and you'll make sure every referral ends in a successful connection. You'll be the primary point of contact for Special Education Teachers, Transition Schools, Integrated Community Supports agencies (ISCs), Community Service Organizations (CSOs), and Community Alternative Unlimited units (CAUs) across Chicagoland, and you'll partner closely with Intake, Case Management, program staff, and Marketing/Communications.

This is a full-time, exempt role based in Chicago, with regular local travel throughout the Chicagoland area. A flexible schedule is required, which may include evenings and weekends as necessary.

What You'll Do

• Build and grow a referral pipeline by developing strong, lasting relationships with Special Education Teachers, Transition Schools, ISCs, CSOs, and CAUs.
• Conduct regular outreach through site visits, presentations, and one-on-one meetings with school staff, coordinators, and case managers.
• Represent Anixter Center at IEP/transition planning meetings, school fairs, community events, and networking functions to raise awareness of our programs.
• Serve as a go-to resource on our transition, IDD, mental health, and Deaf/DeafBlind/Hard of Hearing services, helping partners understand eligibility, intake, and program fit.
• Set up and maintain clear referral pathways with partners, documenting how to refer, who to contact, and what to expect at each step.
• Track every referral from first contact to enrollment in our CRM, and follow up with partners and families to close the loop. Work with Intake, Case Management, and program staff to make each handoff smooth.
• Develop outreach materials with Marketing/Communications, monitor referral trends and outcomes, and share what you learn about gaps, underserved communities, and new partnership opportunities with leadership.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Education, Human Services, Public Health, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience (preferred).
• 2+ years of experience in community outreach, community development, referral or care coordination, case management, special education, or transition services (preferred).
• Working knowledge of the IDD and/or mental health service systems in Illinois, including ISCs, CSOs, and CAUs, and familiarity with PUNS (Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services) and the IEP/transition planning process.
• Excellent relationship-building, networking, and communication skills, with the confidence to engage school administrators, educators, and agency partners, and strong organizational skills with a CRM or referral-tracking database.
• A valid driver's license, willingness to travel locally throughout Chicagoland, and flexibility to work evenings and weekends as necessary.
• An existing network in Chicagoland special education, transition schools, or DHS/DRS-affiliated service coordination agencies; experience working with individuals who are Deaf, DeafBlind, or Hard of Hearing (ASL a plus); and nonprofit, healthcare, or education-adjacent partnerships experience are all a plus.
• A genuine commitment to nonprofit, mission-driven work.

Anixter Center offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, and generous paid time off and holidays.

Why Anixter Center

You'll join a collaborative, mission-driven team committed to inclusion and accessibility, where relationships and follow-through translate directly into people getting the right supports at the right time. We offer a mission you can feel good about and the chance to be the connection between families and the services they need.

Anixter Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to recruiting, developing, and advancing people with disabilities.