Engagement Director

Ellipsis; Johnston, Northern (IA, KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Ellipsis in Johnston, IA seeks a leader to design and deepen community engagement, partnerships, and volunteer programs. You will align fundraising, communications, and advocacy to advance child welfare and youth services, coordinating with the CEO and staff across departments.

This role emphasizes strategic partnerships, legislative advocacy, and culture-building, plus managing events, mentoring volunteers, and developing KPIs to measure impact with inclusive storytelling.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, marketing or related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 2 years communications, marketing, or legislative advocacy experience.
• Ability to engage diverse audiences and craft storytelling across campaigns.
• Experience in public speaking, advocacy, or storytelling-based campaigns.
• Proven project management with planning, execution, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Serve as ambassador to community partners, donors, volunteers, and civic groups.
• Represent the agency at events, coalition meetings, and campus tours.
• Develop and manage strategic partnerships with nonprofits, schools, and community leaders.
• Collaborate on messaging and campaigns with philanthropy and communications teams.
• Plan fundraising and stewardship events and mentor volunteers and staff.

Skills

Public speaking

Relationship building

Project management

Strategic thinking

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/related field

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Canva

Microsoft Office

G Suite / Google products

Job description

Builds, sustains, and deepens the network of relationships that surround and strengthen Ellipsis—from neighbors and civic partners to elected officials, donors, and staff. This role designs experiences that cultivate belonging and understanding of our mission, manages high-impact volunteer and service initiatives, develops staff and community engagement strategies, supports internal culture-building, and amplifies the voice of the CEO across key platforms. The role also leads our legislative advocacy strategy and ensures Ellipsis remains a visible and respected voice in child welfare and youth services policy.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships (30%)

• Serve as a key ambassador of the organization to community partners, neighborhood stakeholders, donors, volunteers, and civic organizations.
• Represent the agency at community events, speaking engagements, and coalition meetings.
• Build and manage strategic partnerships with local nonprofits, faith-based organizations, business leaders, school systems, and educational institutions.
• Collaborate with the philanthropy and communications teams to create messaging and campaigns that deepen community understanding and support.
• Plan and lead campus tours for funders, city leaders, neighborhood associations, and stakeholders.
• Co-design volunteer service events and ongoing programs (e.g., donation drives, service career day visits) that build authentic relationships between the public and our programs.
• Establish and grow a mentorship-style volunteer program that connects caring adults or community members with youth or programs in appropriate ways.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute fundraising and stewardship events (including golf tournaments, internal organization celebrations, and donor and community awareness events), ensuring alignment with organizational goals, donor engagement strategies, and budget guidelines.

Internal Employee Engagement and Culture Building (30%)

• Partner with the CEO and Philanthropy/Comms to draft internal staff messages and share compelling stories of success, milestones, and mission alignment.
• Create meaningful communication rhythms (e.g., internal newsletters, town halls, shout-outs, and video spotlights) that reflect Ellipsis values.
• Partner with CEO, HR, and program directors to enhance employee engagement and retention through recognition, planning events and celebrations, establishing feedback loops, and mission-driven culture building.

Legislative Advocacy (30%)

• Monitor state and federal policy developments related to child welfare, foster care, behavioral health, and emergency services.
• Develop strong working relationships with elected officials, legislative staff, and policy partners.
• Organize advocacy days, legislative briefings, legislative tours and opportunities for staff and board engagement in public policy in collaboration with the CEO and other leaders.
• Equip staff, youth, and community supporters to elevate their voices through tools like action alerts, storytelling campaigns, and letter-writing efforts.
• Coordinate grassroots efforts for Ellipsis supporters to contact their respective legislators by providing prepared communications.

Additional Duties (10%)

• Participates in the creation of the philanthropic strategic plan and helps achieve the goals outlined in the plan
• Develop and maintain key performance indicators (KPIs) for engagement, volunteerism, and advocacy
• Assists in the development of the stewardship plan for the organization and acts in accordance with the plan
• Ethics
  • Promotes and upholds the ethical standards for the nonprofit’s philanthropic activities in adherence to the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Code of Ethics and Donor Bill of Rights.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, marketing or related field, or equivalent experience
• At least 2 years communications, marketing, or legislative advocacy experience
• Demonstrated ability to engage diverse audiences and build programming through integrating the voice of persons served in storytelling, advocacy, and service events.
• Prior experience in public speaking, legislative advocacy, or storytelling-based campaigns.
• Proven project management experience, with demonstrated ability to plan, execute, track, and report on project progress
• Critical thinker and problem solver who demonstrates decision-making and time management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work independently, with minimal oversight, and with high ethical standards
• Able to interact tactfully with youth, family members, visitors, government agency representatives, and the general public
• Basic computer skills, including experience working in Microsoft Windows and Google products
• Clear criminal and child abuse background checks

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• 3 or more years of experience in fundraising and volunteer management through a variety of tactics; annual fund experience is particularly helpful
• 3 years or more of database experience (Raiser’s Edge preferred) and basic graphic design (Canva) is helpful
• Demonstrated expertise in event planning and/or volunteer management is helpful
• A marketing background is helpful

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work environment and 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.

• Able to sit or stand for extended periods
• Vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus
• Capable of pushing, pulling, lifting, and/or carrying up to 10 pounds
• Noise level in the work environment is generally low to moderate

Our mission celebrates diversity. Ellipsis is an equal opportunity employer.