Manager, Community Relations and Outreach

About the role

The Manager of Community Relations and Engagement leads CATS' community engagement and outreach efforts, ensuring customers, neighborhoods and stakeholder organizations throughout Mecklenburg County and outlying areas are informed, heard and meaningfully engaged in transit-related initiatives. This role is responsible for developing and implementing engagement and outreach strategies supporting service changes, major projects and planning and ongoing operations and service enhancements while strengthening relationships with community partners and advocacy groups. The Manager serves as CATS' primary lead for structured community engagement activities, translating service information and agency priorities into accessible, community-centered communications and ensuring public input and community perspectives are incorporated into planning and decision-making processes. Please note: the anticipated hiring range for this position is $115,000- $118,000. Major Duties and Responsibilities: Community Engagement Strategy & Program Leadership Develop and implement CATS' community relations and outreach strategies in alignment with agency communications and service priorities. Establish standards, tools and processes for community engagement activities, including public meetings, briefings and outreach events. Ensure engagement approaches are inclusive, accessible and responsive to diverse communities. Develop comprehensive recaps and program updates on a regular basis, audience both internal and external. Stakeholder & Partner Relationships Build and maintain relationships with neighborhood groups, advocacy organizations, community-based organizations and regional partners. Serve as a primary liaison between CATS and external stakeholders regarding service initiatives, projects and operational changes. Coordinate engagement efforts with municipal, county and regional agencies as appropriate Public Meetings and Outreach Execution Plan and lead community meetings, open houses, listening sessions and outreach events related to service changes, projects and/or initiatives. Ensure materials and pre/post presentations are clear, accurate and tailored to community audiences. Support staff participation in community events and forums. Ensure community engagement and outreach events are properly staffed and those staffing are trained. Service Change & Project Communications Support Coordinate with Communications, Marketing, Planning Customer Service and Operation teams to support outreach related to service changes and major initiatives. Translate technical service information into accessible language for public audiences. Ensure community feedback is documented and shared with appropriate teams. Feedback, Data & Continuous Improvement Collect, analyze and summarize community feedback, concerns and trends. Identify recurring issues or barriers and recommend engagement or communication improvements. Lead and support development of reports and summaries on outreach activities and outcomes. Organizational Leadership & Staff Management Lead and manage community relations staff and outreach specialists. Establish performance expectations, accountability structures and professional development priorities. Build a scalable outreach team capable of supporting expanding service and project needs. Cross-Functional Coordination Coordinate with Customer Service, Marketing, Planning, Operations and Legal teams to ensure consistent messaging and engagement practices. Support agency-wide initiatives through aligned outreach strategies. Participate in cross-functional planning related to service changes and major projects. Core Competencies: Community Engagement Leadership - Designs and leads outreach and engagement strategies that connect the agency with communities and stakeholders. Stakeholder Relationship Management - Builds trust-based relationships with advocacy groups, community organizations and partners. Public