Community Impact Director

Purpose and Scope of Job:
Reporting to the President & CEO, this leadership role is responsible for shaping and implementing a holistic vision for community impact, ensuring that UWSWI’s programs, partnerships, and resources are strategically aligned to our organizational objectives. As the primary staff liaison to the Community Impact Cabinet (CIC), the Director ensures that strategic initiatives are community-informed, data-driven, and results-oriented. This role also plays a key part in organization-wide efforts, such as planning, forecasting, and donor engagement, to advance UWSWI’s mission with clarity and purpose. Participates in various multi-sector community improvement efforts and directs the work of the Community Impact staff.

Essential Responsibilities

Community Impact Agenda, Strategies, and Programs
• In partnership with the CIC, plan, design, implement, and evaluate UWSWI’s Community Impact Agenda and integrated strategies to fit within larger community efforts to address critical issues.
• Partner with Board, agencies, investors, and community leaders to ensure the implementation of effective strategies that attract investment and engagement in improving community conditions.
• Partner with the UWSWI Leadership Team to integrate impact into fundraising, marketing, and communications to attract the resources necessary to carry out the impact plan.

Community Needs
• Assemble and analyze a variety of data sources to develop and maintain an understanding of community problems and service gaps.
• Serve as a thought leader on community needs and impact issues, including establishing formal partnerships/alliances with other organizations that can strengthen our efforts.
• Oversee the convening of community conversations to obtain and share public knowledge.

Community Investment
• Serve as the primary liaison and support to the CIC, ensuring accountability for program review, grant processes, and fund distribution.
• Oversee the creation and management of our grant-making processes and administration, including all grant-making documentation.
• Develop and/or review grant agreements, consultant contracts, and Memorandums of Understanding in partnership with the President & CEO.
• Work with funded partners and evaluation consultants to establish and manage reporting metrics.
• Ensure quality procedures are in place and consistently practiced in all grant-related activities.
• Work in partnership with the CIC, Board, and Leadership Team to identify and recruit a diverse group of business, academic, community and lived-experience subject-matter experts to serve on Pathway Taskforces.
• Work with Finance to ensure timely distribution of grant payments to funded partners.
• Responsible for communicating Pathway process information and impact results throughout the organization and to the Board of Directors.

Community Engagement & Collaboration
• Actively develops strategic partnerships with community and business leaders throughout our service area to maximize United Way’s leadership position in community impact.
• Responsible for collaborative and collective impact work, including leadership of the TalentEVV Upward Mobility work team.
• Manage the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) and Public Policy committees.
• Participate in collaborative tables, special committees, and select fundraising activities.

Advocacy
• Continuously monitors and aligns with IUW and United Way Worldwide’s stance on advocacy and public policy issues, as appropriate.
• Works with Public Policy Committee(s) to identify advocacy/lobbying priorities based on community needs and UWSWI’s impact agenda.
• Plans, executes, and evaluates advocacy and lobbying efforts.
• Collaborates and communicates with a variety of stakeholders to advocate for and educate around UWSWI policy priorities.

Organizational Leadership
• Ensures that Board and staff work in unison to provide the most effective response to community needs through engagement, investment, and advocacy.
• Provides community needs data, outcome measures and stories, poverty/upward mobility education, and community perspectives to UWSWI’s Board and staff.
• In partnership with the Development Director, Board, and fundraising volunteers, ensure effective communication of community needs, UWSWI’s impact plan, and outcomes to strengthen grant proposals, presentations, and other donor/investment marketing material.

Team Leadership & Supervision
• Provide goal setting, strategic direction, and mentorship to the CI staff, promoting best practices and ensuring a cohesive community impact operation that attains goals.
• Foster regular, open communication and constructive feedback in evaluating performance, ensuring accountability and alignment with vision, values, and goals.
• Oversee, direct, and support the implementation of UWSWI-run programs and initiatives, including resourcing and budgeting.
• Identify opportunities for training and professional development.

Core Competencies

• Mission-Focused
• Results-Driven
• Relationship-Oriented
• Collaborative
• Talent Management
• Outward Turning

Required Qualifications, Skills & Abilities
• Bachelor’s degree in education, social service, public administration or related field of study from an accredited four-year college or university. Master’s degree preferred.
• 5+ years’ experience leading community change projects or impact work. Requires knowledge of research, grant evaluation, planning, and system change. Will consider candidate with equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Ability to thrive and lead in a highly complex and changing community environment.
• Demonstrated capacity to play a leadership role in partnerships with a broad range of constituents across community, philanthropic, business, and government sectors.
• Experience working with diverse interests and communities, understanding systemic challenges, and developing shared solutions.
• Strong active listening, conflict resolution, coordination, and consensus building skills.
• Skill in exercising a high degree of initiative, flexibility, judgment, and decision making.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents; prepare and deliver effective presentations to staff, Board, committee members, and the public.
• Working knowledge of business infrastructure, social services, project management, and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Valid driver’s license, insurance coverage, and/or daily access to reliable transportation.

Physical Requirements
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to sit, stand, walk, drive/operate a car, lift and carry bags and boxes of approximately 20 pounds; talk or hear, read, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, reach with hands and arms; climb stairs, stoop, kneel, or crouch, type, operate a computer and copy machine.