Neighborhood Engagement Senior Manager (Office of the Mayor - Recovery Office)

Overview

• Department: Office of Mayor Cara Spencer – Recovery Office
• Job Type: Full-Time (Permanent)
• Location: STLRecovers Outreach Center – St. Louis, MO
• Reports To: Director of Neighborhood and Resident Engagement
• Salary Range: $70,000 – $90,000 annually, commensurate with experience

The City of St. Louis Mayor’s Office seeks a collaborative, community-minded Neighborhood and Community Engagement Manager to carry out resident and community engagement for the city’s tornado recovery. Reporting to the Director of Neighborhood and Resident Engagement, this role builds and coordinates relationships with impacted residents, block units, neighborhood associations, and community organizations; plans and leads neighborhood meetings and events; gathers and elevates community feedback; and helps residents stay informed and connected to recovery programs and updates. The Manager keeps engagement active and responsive on the ground so the recovery stays shaped by the people rebuilding their neighborhoods.

Position Vision

In our vision for St. Louis, recovery works best when the people living through it help shape it. For neighborhoods affected by the North St. Louis tornado, that means real, ongoing connection between residents and the Recovery Office—clear information, genuine opportunities to be heard, and follow-through residents can see.

The Neighborhood and Community Engagement Manager makes that connection happen day to day: showing up in neighborhoods, listening closely, and making sure residents’ voices reach the people making recovery decisions. Success in this role means engaged, informed neighborhoods and a recovery that residents recognize as their own.

Position Description

Reporting to the Director of Neighborhood and Resident Engagement, the Neighborhood and Community Engagement Manager leads day-to-day community engagement for the City’s tornado recovery. The role serves as a point of contact and liaison for neighborhood organizations, block units, and community stakeholders, and creates meaningful opportunities for residents to shape recovery efforts.

The Manager translates recovery initiatives, resources, and progress into clear, accessible information—through meetings, materials, and updates—so residents can navigate available help and stay engaged. Working closely with the Director and the Recovery Office team, the Manager gathers community feedback, coordinates responsive follow-up, and helps advance an equitable, resident-centered recovery.

Key Functions

• Relationship Management Systems & Coordination: Develop and implement systems that facilitate relationships between the Mayor, the Recovery Office, and neighborhood and community groups, balancing responsive constituent needs with proactive outreach through neighborhood meetings, town halls, listening sessions, and neighborhood events that connect residents to city and recovery initiatives.
• Stakeholder & Partnership Development: Building and sustaining relationships with block units, neighborhood associations, community organizations, faith and cultural institutions, and civic leaders across all St. Louis tornado-impacted neighborhoods.
• Feedback & Equity Management: Gathering, synthesizing, and elevating resident and community feedback to inform decision-making, with particular attention to reaching historically underserved communities and ensuring equitable participation.

Responsibilities

Community Outreach & Relationship Building

• Manage and coordinate relationship building between the Mayor, the Recovery Office, and resident leaders, block units, neighborhood associations, and community organizations.
• Act as a lead representative and first point of contact for resident leaders, block units, neighborhood associations, and community organizations.
• Proactively plan and lead neighborhood cluster advisory groups, town halls, and neighborhood volunteer events that highlight city and recovery initiatives, infrastructure projects, and policy priorities.
• Develop and maintain a network of community partners, cultivating trusted relationships that extend the reach of the Mayor’s Office and Recovery Office into every neighborhood.
• Proactively partner with neighborhood improvement specialists to provide regular updates to residents, block units, neighborhood associations, community groups, and Recovery Office leadership on rebuilding progress and available resources at meetings.

Resident Communications & Feedback

• Gather, document, and synthesize resident input, and funnel it to the Director of Neighborhood and Resident Engagement, Recovery Office leadership, and relevant departments to inform city and recovery decisions.
• Coordinate with Recovery Office leadership and the communications team to align engagement efforts with broader city and recovery goals.
• Prepare accessible materials, talking points, newsletters, and briefings that help residents understand recovery progress and available resources and participate meaningfully in city processes.
• Define or recommend collateral to bring to community meetings to educate on recovery progress.

Coordination, Equity & Monitoring

• Track community sentiment and participation, and evaluate the reach and impact of engagement efforts across neighborhoods.
• Anticipate community concerns, help coordinate responsive follow-up, and support the administration in maintaining trust during difficult periods.
• Champion equitable outreach, ensuring historically underserved communities have genuine and accessible opportunities to participate.

Skills and Qualifications Desired

• Strong Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication, able to clearly and warmly convey complex ideas to diverse audiences.
• Relationship Building: Exceptional interpersonal skills and a proven ability to build and sustain trust with residents, community leaders, and diverse stakeholders.
• Community & Public Engagement Expertise: Experience with grassroots outreach, event coordination, and public participation, with an understanding of current engagement practices and tools.
• Local Knowledge: Strong understanding of St. Louis city governance, local neighborhoods, and regional civic and political issues is highly preferred.
• Recovery & North St. Louis Focus: Preference for candidates with background in, experience with, or a strong connection to the North St. Louis tornado-impacted zone and to disaster recovery or community rebuilding efforts.
• Composure: Proven ability to work under pressure, manage competing priorities and deadlines, and handle sensitive matters with diplomacy and tact.
• Preferred Background: Professional experience in community engagement, public affairs, organizing, government, recovery, or a related field, with a commitment to public service.

Experience & Education

This role is experience-focused, with no specific degree requirement. We are most interested in a demonstrated track record of building community relationships and leading successful engagement efforts, experience coordinating events and outreach across diverse audiences, and a proven ability to adapt to fast-paced, deadline-driven environments while keeping residents at the center of the work. Lived experience in and deep familiarity with St. Louis neighborhoods—particularly communities engaged in recovery and rebuilding—is highly valued. Relevant education in fields such as Public Administration, Communications, Urban Planning, or Community Development is welcome but not required, and can be substituted by comparable professional or community experience.

Salary Range

$70,000 – $90,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Application Process

Interested candidates are invited to submit a comprehensive resume, and, optionally, a cover letter outlining their qualifications and interest in the role, to Chief Recovery Officer, Julian Nicks, at nicksj@stlouis-mo.gov. Applications are reviewed and processed on a rolling basis, and interested candidates are encouraged to apply early.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The City of St. Louis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of St. Louis will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the City.