Community Outreach Specialist

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth's Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly called a Certificate of Disability) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS) or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI).

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Position Title: Community Outreach Specialist

Department: Outreach & Admissions

Employment type: Full-time, exempt, grant-funded

• State of Virginia employee benefits
• Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, and vision)
• Virginia Retirement System (VRS) participation
• Generous annual leave and paid holidays
• Continuous learning programs
• Access to wellness resources and employee assistance programs

The PVCC Outreach & Admissions department seeks an entrepreneurial, innovative, and collaborative individual for the position of Community Outreach Specialist. The primary role of this position will be to identify, train, and support community-based connectors who can recruit job seekers and link them with the PVCC programs best suited to train them for employment that offers family‑sustaining wages. In addition, the Community Outreach Specialist will provide enrollment support for non‑credit students and coaching support to help PVCC students/jobseekers succeed in their programs of study.

This position is funded through a recurring grant and is dependent upon the availability of continued grant funding.

• Recruit community‑based connectors from the PVCC region who can help us identify prospective students seeking economic advancement through training.
• Train community‑based connectors how to use PVCC’s custom‑built platform, n2work.org, to match the individuals they know with the region’s quality jobs that require skills training.
• Provide ongoing support to community‑based connectors.
• Attend select community meetings and events to recruit connectors and/or prospective students.
• Assist non‑credit students through all aspects of the enrollment process from interest to registration.
• Provide coaching support for assigned students who face barriers, placing them at risk for not completing college programs.

May be required to perform other duties as assigned. May be required to assist the agency or state government generally in the event of an emergency declaration by the Governor.

• Demonstrated experience in community outreach, such as work as a grassroots community or political organizer, community health worker, or tenants’ association representative/advocate.
• Relevant experience in a related field or a blend of education and practical experience.
• Ability to train community‑based connectors on how to use the n2work.org technology platform.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues as well as community‑based connectors and organizations, to include consistent follow‑through.
• Ability to recognize and expand on successful strategies and learn from unsuccessful ones.
• Strong interpersonal skills to help engage, provide support, and motivate jobseekers, including the ability to create a rapid, trusting, and authentic rapport with jobseekers/students.
• Valid driver’s license.

• Demonstrated experience with community outreach in both urban and rural environments.
• Further education in a relevant discipline.
• Working knowledge of coaching and referral skills and techniques to help jobseekers/students identify and overcome barriers to career success.

Additional Information: The selected candidate’s offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background investigation, which may include fingerprint checks, local agency checks, employment verification, verification of education, and credit checks (relevant to…