Community Engagement Specialist

Located in Boston’s historic Fenway area, Simmons University has a strong tradition of empowering women and challenging traditional gender roles. Simmons was founded for equality 125 years ago as one of the first higher education institutions dedicated to helping women become leaders. Today, our university continues to grow and evolve and now offers Boston’s only women’s undergraduate program and graduate programs open to all. 

You’re joining our community at an especially exciting time as we continue to innovate for the future. Simmons recently launched a six-school academic structure that leverages our expert faculty and longstanding expertise in professions that make our communities stronger. In addition, we continue to highlight our high-value education proposition that is delivering greater ROI to students and putting them on the fast track to career growth and success. You’ll find that people who work here truly believe in our mission of preparing students to become social justice-oriented leaders who excel in their professions and their communities. This commitment and pride make for a dynamic workplace.

As a university that values diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices–at all levels, for all positions–ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Community Engagement Specialist is responsible for coordinating and supporting co-curricular community engagement programs at Simmons University. This position works collaboratively with students, campus partners, and community organizations to implement service-oriented programming, support student leadership development, and cultivate meaningful community partnerships. The Specialist contributes to the planning, execution, and assessment of programs that advance community engagement and social justice initiatives.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Co-Curricular Program Development and Support:

• Coordinate day-to-day operations of current co-curricular service programs.

• Provide training, professional development, and reflection opportunities for students with an emphasis on leadership and social justice.  Coordinate leadership training curriculum with other co-curricular and academic initiatives.

• Research best practices and new approaches to improve quality and impact of programming.

• Assist in assessing program outcomes, evaluating effectiveness, preparing reports, and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.

• Monitor program expenses to use resources efficiently; manage student program budgets: manage purchases; track student group spending; maintain records and documentation.

• Track Community Federal Work Study, ensuring that the center hits annual targets.

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with community partners which meet student and program needs, while providing a community benefit.

General Support for Community Engagement and Social Justice:

• Support the overall operations of the Center including campus-wide engagement initiatives, evaluation across programs, and creation of a comprehensive annual report. 

• Contribute to campus-wide community engagement initiatives and participate in planning efforts related to student engagement.

• Assist with implementation of departmental initiatives and projects that support student engagement priorities.

• Provide day-to-day direction, scheduling, and training for student office assistants.

• Represent Community Engagement at orientation, admission, and other College student recruiting activities.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

•  Bachelor’s degree required;

• 2-4 years of related experience in community engagement, student affairs, non-profit management, or a other related field;

• Demonstrated experience advising, mentoring, or supporting  diverse student populations, with a strong focus on student leadership development; 

• Experience supporting program assessment and monitoring program budgets.

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with diverse populations and collaborate across departments.  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Excellent communication (Written, Verbal, Presentation) and interpersonal skills; 

• Passionate about creating an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive environment;

• Teamwork & the ability to work collaboratively with others toward common goal

• Capacity to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and adapt to evolving community needs.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Full time, 40 hours a week position 

• Eligible for partial remote work arrangement working up to two days a week from home

• Requires occasional night and weekend work

• Typical environment is an office setting with moderate noise.

• Physical activities required are, finger dexterity necessary to operate equipment used in the position, talking, seeing and hearing. Walking, sitting, bending/stooping, pushing/pulling and minimal unassisted lifting (up to 20 pounds) associated with the job duties is required.

ADDITIONAL INFO FOR APPLICANTS

A cover letter is required for consideration. Please upload your cover letter along with your resume when submitting your application.

In accordance with applicable pay transparency laws effective October 29, 2025, Simmons University is committed to pay equity, transparency and clear communication throughout the hiring process. The hourly or annual salary range for this position is:

This is a benefits-eligible position.

Actual compensation will be based on factors such as experience, education, skills, equity, and external market benchmarks that help guide compensation decisions. Our compensation philosophy is centered around a comprehensive package that includes pay, health benefits, and retirement savings offerings that can be seen here, as well as work-life balance initiatives such as flexible hours and remote work opportunities. We are committed to offering a package that empowers individuals to thrive in their roles, contribute meaningfully, and lead with confidence.

Instructions to Applicants: Please upload all applicable application materials (e.g. resume/cv, cover letter, writing sample, teaching philosophy, etc.) in the Application Materials box on page 2 ("My Experience") of this application. Documents can be uploaded individually or as a combined document (e.g. PDF).

Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual’s community experience. As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices–at all levels, for all positions–ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.