Community Connections Specialist

Good Shepherd Food Bank•Hampden, ME

10d•$52,000 - $63,336•Hybrid

About The Position

The Community Connections Specialist (CCS) supports Good Shepherd Food Bank’s statewide network of community, school, and healthcare partners, as well as retail donors, within a designated service region that may change. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Community Partnerships, the CCS serves as a primary liaison, building strong partner relationships and providing direct support and compliance guidance to strengthen partner capacity and program success. The role is community-based and involves frequent travel to partner locations, team meet-ups, and GSFB office sites across Southern Piscataquis, Southern Hancock, Waldo Counties, and the Sebasticook Lake Region. Candidates who live within the service area are strongly preferred. The CCS conducts site visits, monitors and synthesizes data, identifies service gaps, and works with partners to promote a safe, compliant, and accessible charitable food network that responds to the diverse needs of food-insecure individuals. The position also supports partner onboarding and operations, food rescue and retail pickup coordination, compliance monitoring and documentation, data tracking and evaluation, and grant-related activities. The role collaborates across GSFB departments and represents the organization at community events and gatherings. The position permits telecommuting from a home office, with occasional attendance or meetings at GSFB administrative offices in Auburn or Hampden, Maine. It is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week hourly, nonexempt position with a flexible schedule and infrequent evening and weekend work. Frequent travel throughout the service area is required; mileage is reimbursed at the federal rate. The job involves extended periods of walking, standing, and sitting; extensive computer use; and reading, comprehension, communication, hand use, reaching, talking, and hearing. Close and distance vision and the ability to adjust focus are also required.

Requirements

Proven experience in relationship management, community engagement, or a customer service-oriented role; nonprofit or community-based experience is ideal.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information, policies, and guidelines and adapt communication to diverse audiences.
Comfort and competency with public speaking and facilitating meetings.
Strong diplomatic skills and a solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving, with an eye for innovation.
Cultural competency and sensitivity, including the ability to work with diverse communities and understand barriers to food access.
Ability to self-manage and work effectively both as a team member and as a sole contributor.
Exceptional time management, accountability, timely follow-up, and ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines under pressure.
Ability to perform detailed documentation and record-keeping related to relationship sustainability and strategic planning.
Experience analyzing data to track trends, assess partner performance, and provide program-improvement insights.
Proficiency in data entry, Microsoft Office Suite, and virtual applications, and ability to learn new software and systems.
Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for travel within the assigned service area.

Nice To Haves

Nonprofit or community-based setting experience.
Residence within the assigned service area.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain trust-based relationships with partner agencies, retail donors, and community-based organizations in the designated service area.
Collaborate with partners and community organizations to understand and reduce barriers to food access and support a safe, compliant, and accessible charitable food network.
Conduct outreach to address service gaps, expand partnerships, and enhance hunger-relief efforts.
Represent GSFB at events, conferences, food distributions, and community gatherings.
Connect partners with GSFB departments, including logistics, operations, research and evaluation, and advancement.
Facilitate onboarding, account management, and ongoing support for new and existing partners.
Identify and share resources and opportunities, support capacity-building efforts, and foster connections among partners and community organizations.
Provide administrative support, data entry, and system navigation for partner operations.
Support the Retail Donation Outreach Manager in maximizing food rescue and coordinating retail pickup logistics.
Assess partner resource needs and collaborate with sourcing teams to align resources with community-specific priorities.
Conduct regular partner site and compliance monitoring visits to ensure adherence to Feeding America, IRS, and GSFB network standards.
Complete monitoring reports, document compliance activity, collaborate on corrective action plans, and initiate follow-ups as needed.
Develop efficient maps and schedules for partner site visits and maintain accurate, compliant partner files.
Document partner and retail donor interactions, communications, and compliance activities.
Collect and analyze partner statistics, identify trends, and recommend practices to strengthen network capacity and impact.
Gather and report qualitative and quantitative data about partner operations to inform improvements in neighbor experience and service accessibility.
Support grant-related tracking, coordination, and other activities; collect partner data, testimonials, and survey responses for funding requirements and organizational goals.
Provide cross-departmental feedback about partner and neighbor experiences, needs, and services.