Community Engagement Manager Mid-Continent Public Library

Position Type:
Full Time

FLSA Status:
Overtime Exempt

Salary: $68,455 – $76,156, Annually

The Community Engagement Manager leads the Community Engagement team and provides strategic leadership for the library’s community engagement efforts. The manager develops the systems, training, partnerships, and initiatives that empower branch teams to serve as the library’s primary ambassadors and trusted presence within their communities.

While branches build and maintain local relationships, the Community Engagement Manager cultivates system-wide partnerships, identifies opportunities, and leads collaborative initiatives that strengthen the library’s impact. The manager works with branches and partners to understand community needs and ensure those insights inform responsive services, programs, and partnerships.

The Community Engagement team advances the library’s mission through three core functions:
Promotion, increasing awareness of library services and resources;
Direct Community Services, delivering library services beyond library locations to those facing barriers to access; and Strategic Community Partnerships, building relationships that deepen understanding of community needs and support innovative initiatives

• Design and deliver robust training programs and procedures that empower branch staff to be the active face of their community and confidently foster local connections.
• Coordinate a diverse array of targeted engagement programs and events, catering to all age groups and curated to neighborhood interests.
• Collaborate closely with local branches, HQ Departments, and Mission Enhancement departments to align engagement activities and ensure all aspects of the library are seamlessly represented.
• Cultivate and sustain strategic partnerships with community organizations, schools, senior centers, and social service agencies to co-create impactful, collaborative initiatives.
• Build relationships in order to evaluate community needs, identify underserved populations, assess emerging trends, and discover partnership opportunities for innovative services.
• Recruit, train, supervise, lead, and evaluate a high-performing department staff, providing operational oversight for day-to-day engagement services.
• Efficiently administer and manage the department budget.
• Establish and maintain effective communication channels to champion library services, promote resources, and deepen relationships throughout the community.

• Represents MCPL and presents content at local, state, and national committees and conferences.

• Master’s degree in a relevant field required;
• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from an ALA-accredited program preferred.
• 3 years of library outreach, community engagement, or related work required.
• 3 years of management experience required.

• Advanced verbal, written, and discreet communication skills with management, coworkers, and the public in a clear, timely, and proactive manner.
• Ability to collaborate with Library leadership to effectively develop, adhere to, and work within the constructs of the library’s budget.
• Advanced ability to maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with multiple stakeholders.
• Reliable, punctual, and flexible with scheduling.
• A demonstrated understanding of the MCPL value of intellectual freedom in order to uphold those values while performing their job duties.
• Advanced knowledge of a public library’s mission and purpose, ability to provide clear expectations and direction, to manage competing priorities, to evaluate quality of work, and provide feedback and accountability.
• Advanced knowledge of department processes and procedures, expert knowledge of Library Professional Ethics, advanced knowledge of the impact of decision-making on MCPL, and demonstrated mature judgment to make department-level/system level decisions.
• Advanced proficiency in customer service skills through polite, professional, and collaborative interactions with internal and external customers.
• An advanced understanding of the role of MCPL leaders at all levels in creating…