Regional Community Engagement Manager - Rio Grande Valley (26-27)

IDEA Public Schools•Weslaco, TX

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Regional Community Engagement Manager advances IDEA Public Schools’ mission by leading regional community engagement and partnership strategy across a multi-city footprint, serving as IDEA’s primary external representative to civic, nonprofit, and business stakeholders. Through this work, the role strengthens IDEA’s connection to the broader community and deepens understanding of and support for its schools and students. This role takes a proactive approach to community engagement—designing and managing a portfolio of external partnerships and cultivating relationships that strengthen IDEA’s presence, credibility, and long-term support across the region. Reporting directly to Regional leadership, the Regional Manager serves as a primary external representative between IDEA and the broader community. The role spends significant time in the community building and advancing strategic relationships, determining partnership priorities, and representing IDEA across civic and community forums—while also designing engagement opportunities that connect external stakeholders to IDEA’s schools, scholars, and mission. In close partnership with the IDEA Foundation Development team, the Regional Manager ensures that regional external and community engagement efforts are aligned with IDEA’s policies, processes, and standards. The role identifies and develops community-based opportunities that support IDEA’s broader philanthropic and student outcome goals, while partnering with Development leadership to transition prospective supporters into formal fundraising pathways.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience
5+ years of relevant experience in community engagement, external relations, partnerships, or a related field, with demonstrated ownership of external relationships or regional initiatives
Demonstrated experience building and maintaining relationships with external stakeholders, community partners, or constituents in a professional setting
Experience working in a matrixed organization, collaborating with multiple leaders or teams without direct authority
Experience leading or managing community engagement efforts, partnerships, advisory groups, or regional initiatives.
Experience working with or alongside fundraising, development, or advancement teams, with an understanding of appropriate alignment, coordination, and role boundaries
Experience using a CRM system (Salesforce preferred) to document relationships, track engagement, and support coordinated work
Demonstrated commitment to educational equity and a strong belief in the potential of all students to succeed in college and life

Nice To Haves

Experience working in community engagement, partnerships, external relations, or development within a nonprofit, education, civic, or mission-driven organization
Familiarity with the region’s philanthropic, civic, or business landscape, including local nonprofit, corporate, or community-based organizations
Experience supporting grassroots fundraising efforts, community-based campaigns, or regional engagement initiatives
Experience working closely with senior leaders, advisory boards, or external stakeholders in a support or coordination capacity
Experience collaborating with communications or marketing teams to support brand-aligned external messaging, engagement materials, or public-facing initiatives
Experience in K–12 education, higher education, or organizations focused on educational equity, youth development, or economic mobility
Bilingual or multilingual abilities relevant to the region

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary, visible representative of IDEA Public Schools across a multi-city region, building trust-based relationships with community leaders, civic organizations, and stakeholders and positioning IDEA as a key partner within the regional ecosystem.
Develop and execute a regional partnership strategy, including ownership of a portfolio of approximately 25+ community partnerships across public, nonprofit, and private sectors, and determination of tiered engagement approaches based on strategic value, impact, and regional priorities.
Own and advance IDEA’s relationships with municipal governments, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, and key regional stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions, representing IDEA’s interests and identifying opportunities for collaboration and alignment.
Lead the full lifecycle of regional advisory board strategy, including member identification, recruitment, engagement model design, and ongoing stewardship to ensure an effective and high-impact board.
Manage and execute grassroots, regionally-based fundraising initiatives and partnership-driven support opportunities in coordination with the IDEA Foundation Development team, ensuring alignment with organizational policies, thresholds, and regional priorities, while identifying and transitioning prospects for deeper philanthropic engagement.
Synthesize community insights, partnership performance, and regional trends to inform regional leadership and Development strategy, contributing to more coordinated and effective external engagement and philanthropic efforts.
Design and oversee regional external engagement experiences—including campus visits, student-facing partnership opportunities, and stakeholder events—that deepen connection to IDEA’s mission and advance regional priorities.
Collaborate with IDEA’s National Communications and Foundation Development teams to ensure external messaging, materials, and regional engagement efforts are brand-aligned, approved, and consistent with organizational standards.
Utilize Salesforce to document community and fundraising-related interactions, maintain accurate records of external partners and engagement activity, and support coordinated relationship management in alignment with the IDEA Foundation Development team practices.
Drive execution of advisory board engagement strategy, including planning, facilitation, and communication to ensure strong participation and alignment with regional priorities.
Prepare and advise regional leadership for external engagements, including community events, speaking opportunities, and stakeholder interactions.
Represent IDEA at select community, education, and civic events to support visibility, relationship-building, and regional engagement goals.
Partner with Communications and Development teams to ensure coordinated, strategic external engagement across the region.
Support the identification of potential risks or sensitivities related to external partnerships or community engagement efforts and escalate appropriately to Regional or Foundation Development leadership.
Facilitate the transition of prospective partners into formal Development portfolios when readiness for philanthropic engagement is identified, and contribute to the ongoing stewardship and engagement of select partners as part of the relationship management team.
Participate in a regular alignment cadence with IDEA’s Foundation Development team to review regional engagement activity, ensure adherence to organizational policies and processes, and maintain shared visibility into development-related work.