Church Engagement Specialist

Rural Economic Development • Raleigh, NC

1d • $65,000 - $70,000

About The Position

The Church Engagement Specialist is an integral member of the NC Rural Center’s Faith in Rural Communities (FIRC) team. FIRC partners with rural churches and community leaders to build community hubs that address the spiritual, physical, and economic needs of their neighbors. The program supports faith communities through leadership training, coaching, strategic planning, and grant assistance, while promoting equitable, community-driven programs that include local people in their design and implementation.

The Specialist works alongside faith leaders, community partners, and diverse stakeholders to strengthen local leadership, facilitate community-driven solutions, and support programs that create lasting impact. The position reports directly to the Senior Program Manager of FIRC and is funded through grants from the Lilly Endowment and The Duke Endowment. It is a time-limited position anticipated to run from January 2027 through November 2027, with the possibility of becoming permanent.

Requirements

• At least five years of experience working with faith communities and/or rural economic development, a bachelor’s degree in a related field, or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Experience and comfort working with churches and rural communities.
• Ability to develop and propose practical solutions to rural challenges.
• Experience with or understanding of community economic development.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with project partners and stakeholders.
• Appreciation for working with diverse staff and communities.
• Approach work using an equity framework.
• Commitment to constant learning and continuous growth.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong presentation abilities.
• Ability to travel within North Carolina.
• Occasional evening and weekend work is required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and Salesforce.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in a related field.

Responsibilities

• Provide community development coaching and facilitation to faith communities and community teams, which may include faith, nonprofit, community, and government leaders.
• Oversee continuous improvement and development of curriculum with FIRC team members.
• Help implement a system for measuring and evaluating programmatic impact in partnership with the Director of Research and Senior Program Manager of FIRC.
• Ensure compliance with all funding requirements.
• Participate in team, full-staff, and other relevant internal meetings.
• Participate in external partner and stakeholder meetings as needed.
• Maintain knowledge of current best practices and models in faith-based community development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time