Community Engagement Specialist

The Well NE•Norfolk, NE

About The Position

The Community Engagement Specialist coordinates community engagement and outreach activities for the ConnectWell: Behavioral Health and Community Partnership Network within an assigned county. The role builds and maintains relationships with community partners, supports the Community Partnership Network, facilitates outreach and listening efforts, and assists with implementation of the Connection Prescription Network. Serving as a key connection between The Well and community organizations, behavioral health providers, healthcare partners, schools, public safety agencies, people with lived experience, and other stakeholders, the specialist helps strengthen collaboration, identify community needs and resources, reduce barriers to behavioral health and recovery supports, and build sustainable community infrastructure. ConnectWell works across Madison and Platte Counties to improve coordination, strengthen referral pathways, expand access to resources, and build regional capacity. The role requires frequent travel within the assigned county and periodic travel throughout the ConnectWell service area. Regular attendance at community meetings, outreach events, listening sessions, and partner meetings is expected. Some evening or nontraditional hours may be necessary. The work includes sitting, standing, walking, computer use, and occasionally transporting and lifting meeting or outreach materials. A valid driver’s license, current auto insurance, and reliable transportation are required; mileage is reimbursed according to The Well policy.

Requirements

Community engagement, behavioral health, outreach, coalition-building, or related experience is preferred.
Experience working with community organizations, healthcare providers, schools, public safety agencies, nonprofits, or other cross-sector partners is preferred.
Experience in rural communities and/or with diverse populations is preferred.
Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, including the ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with partners and stakeholders.
Comfort conducting outreach and representing The Well in community settings; ability to recruit organizations for collaborative initiatives.
Ability to facilitate meetings, community conversations, listening sessions, and partnership activities with people from varied professional, cultural, and lived-experience backgrounds.
Ability to identify community strengths, needs, barriers, and opportunities through listening and relationship-building.
Strong organizational and project coordination skills, including managing multiple partnerships, activities, deadlines, and follow-ups.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and willingness to learn project-specific technology, resource, referral, and data systems.
Ability to maintain accurate community-resource and partnership information and to assist with surveys, assessments, data collection, documentation, and grant-related reporting.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to maintain appropriate confidentiality.
Self-motivated, dependable, organized, responsive, adaptable, and able to work independently while collaborating closely with others.
Strong problem-solving and follow-through skills; able to work across organizations without direct authority over community partners.
Interest in behavioral health, community development, access to resources, and strengthening rural communities.
Valid driver’s license, current auto insurance, and reliable transportation.

Nice To Haves

Community engagement, behavioral health, outreach, coalition-building, or related experience.
Experience working with community organizations, healthcare providers, schools, public safety agencies, nonprofits, or other cross-sector partners.
Experience working in rural communities and/or with diverse populations.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain relationships with community organizations, behavioral health and healthcare providers, schools, public health agencies, law enforcement, EMS, faith organizations, and other stakeholders.
Recruit organizations and community representatives to participate in the Community Partnership Network, and support member engagement and retention.
Identify opportunities to strengthen collaboration and connect stakeholders with ConnectWell activities, resources, training, and partnership opportunities.
Represent The Well and ConnectWell professionally in the assigned community.
Coordinate outreach and engagement activities, participate in community meetings and events, and conduct or support listening sessions about needs, strengths, service gaps, barriers, and project priorities.
Develop relationships with populations and organizations that may face barriers to behavioral health and recovery resources; support accessible and bilingual outreach materials.
Conduct community engagement and listening sessions at least quarterly during applicable project years.
Support implementation and operation of the Connection Prescription Network, including partner recruitment, standardized referrals, and use of community resources and project tools.
Help identify barriers to accessing recommended resources and assist with follow-up to determine whether people accessed them and whether barriers were reduced.
Maintain current information about community services, eligibility, referral processes, wait times, languages, and hours; support accuracy of information in the shared community resource platform.
Help partners identify appropriate behavioral health, prevention, crisis, treatment, recovery, housing, employment, transportation, and other community resources.
Identify gaps or outdated information in referral and resource systems and share findings with the project team.
Assist with needs and resource assessments, surveys, listening sessions, inventories, data collection, and evaluation activities.
Document outreach, participating organizations, community contacts, and engagement efforts; help compile information for project reporting and performance monitoring.
Collaborate with the Project Director, Community Systems & Data Manager, project evaluators, and other ConnectWell staff on implementation, data collection, and continuous improvement.
Participate in network meetings, planning activities, trainings, Learning Collaborative activities, and relevant professional development.
Share community feedback, emerging needs, partnership opportunities, and implementation barriers with the project team; help identify sustainable partnerships, resources, and strategies.
Support other ConnectWell and organizational initiatives as assigned and consistent with the position’s scope.