The Community Engagement Specialist will work to broaden and deepen the PRC’s impact on New Orleans, with a special emphasis on the city’s African American and other multicultural communities. The Specialist will bring preservation tools to neighborhoods and residents across the city, gathering their feedback and soliciting partnership opportunities. This position will advance the work of the PRC’s decades-old Multicultural Heritage Committee (formerly known as the African American Heritage Program) and will work with the staff to spearhead new programs and projects that honor history and serve residents in unique ways. This is a highly visible position tasked with regular attendance at community gatherings and events. The right candidate will be outgoing, warm, genuine, and respectful. Knowledge of New Orleans’ neighborhoods and culture is a must. The Community Engagement Specialist reports to the Public Policy Research Director & Advocacy Coordinator.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Attend neighborhood association meetings and other regular community gatherings, making presentations and forging connections with residents across the city to let them know about PRC’s work and gauge ways PRC can serve them with our programming. After hearing residents’ needs, the Specialist will bring this information back to PRC team members to refine PRC programs in ways that support and empower more residents.
  • Propose new projects, programming or engagement efforts that can improve PRC’s impact in serving neighborhoods of primarily multicultural residents (e.g., documentation or recognition of historic places, classes or events, and physical preservation efforts).
  • Manage the Multicultural Heritage Committee, including:
    • Assisting the chair to communicate with the committee, plan meetings, print materials and otherwise staff the committee as needed;
    • Launch and staff at least one new committee—lead initiative.
    • Strategically recruit new members and grow the attendance and prominence of the committee.
  • Forge and nurture alliances with key partners such as HBCUs, community and political coalitions, banks, property owners, business owners, and more.
  • Working with committee and/or staff, explore and propose ways that historic PRC programming, such as the Ladies in Red gala, the jazz plaque program, the My City, My Home curriculum, could be reintroduced in a modern, impactful form.
  • Propose research or data collection when helpful to Public Policy Research Director & Advocacy Coordinator in order to support evidence-based advocacy.
  • Work with administrator of PRC’s Revival Grants program to help better advertise the program in eligible neighborhoods across the city.
  • Work with the Communications Director to create content to document and celebrate the histories and ongoing contributions of multicultural residents of New Orleans.
  • Work with the Development Director to raise money to support expanded multicultural programming at PRC.
  • Work with the Executive Director and senior team members on assessment of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) goals.
  • Incorporate new work into organization’s overall strategic goals.
  • Assist in devising budgets, oversee spending, and help raise money for programs when applicable.

 

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS:
  • Bachelor’s degree required.
  • Community engagement or activism experience required (paid or volunteer basis).
  • Historic preservation experience preferred but not necessary.
  • Demonstrated cultural competence and ability to collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds.
  • Exceptional written and oral communications skills and attention to detail.
  • A team player with a goal-oriented approach.
  • A self-starter who can work well independently.
  • Strong organizational and time-management skills. Ability to set and meet deadlines.
  • The ability to represent the Preservation Resource Center in a professional and positive manner.
  • Must embrace the mission of the Preservation Resource Center.

 

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
  • This job requires regular evening and weekend work, and work in off-site locations, including construction sites.
  • Applicant must have reliable transportation.
  • All PRC staff are periodically asked to work at PRC events, including setting up, operating the event and helping to take down and assist in the cleanup.

 

COMPENSATION:

This is a full-time, salaried position with benefits. More information on request.

 

TO APPLY:

Please email resume or CV and cover letter to Danielle Del Sol at ddelsol@prcno.org by Friday, April 7, 2023.