Network Engagement Specialist

NETWORK ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST:

FELICIA EVANS

 

Background

Ready for School, Ready for Life (Ready Ready) is a collaborative effort to build a connected, innovative system of care for Guilford County’s youngest children and their families. Our focus is ensuring all children in Guilford County and their families get the resources they need for healthy development. We want every child born in Guilford County from 2022 and beyond to enter kindergarten developmentally on track in five key areas:

  • Physical
  • Language and communication
  • Social-emotional
  • Cognitive
  • Approaches to play and learning

Family voice informs our work, and we share our learning with residents and community stakeholders. We also work with more than 100 community partners in Guilford County and North Carolina to create this system of care. As a backbone organization, our goal is population-level change.

 

The Network Engagement Specialist is directly responsible for regular engagement with partners including hosting partner meetings to obtain resource information, attending community collaboratives for resource sharing, and convening partners for various committees that support Ready Ready’s overall mission and values. This position is responsible for collecting, maintaining, and updating the information in the resource database that is used by the Evidence-Based Programs (EBPs). The specialist is responsible for engaging community stakeholders to increase participation in the resource database. This position will work with the EBPs and community agencies to develop an accurate, comprehensive resource tool. This position is expected to have a great understanding of Guilford County community resources and knowledge about program updates that impact service delivery.

 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Evidence-Based Program Support

  • Manage the collection of successful client stories from EBPs for Ready Ready Communications Director
  • Provide excellent tools – including precise instructions, help videos and FAQ’s – and technical support to enable members to use CF’s web profile interface.
  • Design partner outreach processes for conducting interviews, training, and onboarding new partners
  • Develop and coordinate Network communications announcement for partners in partnership with the Director of Communications
  • Review EBP request form and manage resource needs, troubleshoot referral challenges, and provide updates as needed.
  • Work closely with the Family Engagement coordinator

Network Engagement

  • Identify and recruit new organizations that serve prenatal – 8
  • Plan and Facilitate regular community meetings to foster relationship building, collaboration, and promotion of equitable services; including but not limited to the Community Alignment Design Team and High Point Children’s Initiatives
  • Facilitate community conversations and focus groups with diverse groups to share information and resources as well as collect information that will inform the process for addressing gaps.
  • Attend community meetings on behalf of Ready Ready to listen to community concerns, provide information about community engagement, and advocate for participation in addressing community gaps.
  • Troubleshoot with public and private partner agencies, organizations, and programs  to help improve the referral process and the alignment of local resources
  • Provide ongoing support, information, and materials (as requested) that support internal and external communication efforts about community programs and service delivery updates
  • Create relationships with and send out annual solicitations to all agencies listed in the resource database and data input into the database management software
  • Supervise local interns, develop learning objectives and goals and provide continual support as needed

Technology Support

  • Work closely with the Data and Systems Specialist to design and automate processes for community partners to easily share information
  • Collect and obtain information via Salesforce on new and existing community programs and organizations
  • Design data collection processes, conduct-screening, data entry, quality assurance and provide updates on data entered into the database on a regular basis
  • Utilize data from the Data and System Specialist to inform processes for increasing partnerships and recruiting new programs based upon specific Navigation needs
  • Reviews current agency information for completeness and accuracy prior to conducting annual survey and updates profiles as needed in Salesforce

 

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s degree in early childhood development, public policy, or a related field such as social work, public health, public administration, business, communication.
  • Two or more years of experience working on community-based projects with multiple team members.
  • Knowledge of the early childhood, education and/or health care systems is desirable.
  • Prior project/program management experience is highly desirable.
  • A commitment to Ready for School, Ready for Life’s Values and Principles.
  • Supports the Ready ReadyEquity Statement and commits to implementation of the Equity Strategy Plan (to be completed spring 2022).
  • Sound judgment and ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
  • Strong organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills.
  • Ability to work autonomously.
  • Intermediate to advanced skills with Microsoft desktop programs, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Teams, and others.
  • Must have a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and pass a criminal and driving background check.