Job Title: Community Partnerships and Engagement Lead

Department: Strategic Partnerships and Social Innovation (SP + SI), Advancement Division

Location: Naples, FL

Job Type: Full-Time Salaried/Exempt

Schedule: Monday-Friday, Standard Business Hours

·Occasional Night/Weekend hours needed for events; flex time provided.

· Potential for hybrid work setting (in office and from home), when appropriate, after initial employment period.

Travel: Local Travel (reimbursed) is required across Collier County and Southwest Florida.

Reports To: Strategic Partnerships and Social Innovation Officer

Hiring Incentives: Immediate PTO accrual, comprehensive medical/dental/vision benefits, 401(k) with employer match, and professional development/tuition assistance.

Salary: Starting at $55,000.00 (Compensation based on experience, education, language skills and potential impact)

Position Summary

The Community Partnerships and Engagement Lead builds and manages strategic community-sector partnerships that generate referrals, deepen community trust, and advance the mission of David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC). This role operates within the Strategic Partnerships and Social Innovation (SP + SI) division and serves as the primary relationship holder for DLC's community-facing partnership pipeline: civic organizations, faith-based communities, employers, advocacy networks, and service organizations across Collier County and Southwest Florida.

Where healthcare-sector partnerships focus on clinical referral pathways with providers, this role owns the community-sector "Front Door," building relationships with populations and organizations not yet connected to behavioral health services and progressing them from awareness through active referral. The position is measured not by event attendance or impressions, but by partnership pipeline health: the number and quality of community relationships progressing toward referral activation.

This role also co-leads the Mindful Compassion initiative's community-facing engagement, co-leads the DLC Advocates program, supports the Regional Behavioral Health and Well-Being Coalition, and provides community engagement capacity for SP + SI pilots and social enterprise launches as they enter market. This is a relationship-building role.

Core Responsibilities

Partnership Cultivation and Pipeline Development (Primary)

• Identify, qualify, and develop strategic relationships with community organizations aligned to SP + SI priorities: including civic groups, employers, service clubs, advocacy organizations, senior-serving agencies, and faith-based communities.
• Manage a defined partnership pipeline in Raiser's Edge or Dazos, tracking each relationship from initial contact through engagement, referral activation, and ongoing stewardship.
• Maintain a prioritized target list of prospective community partners, refreshed quarterly, informed by demographic data, service gaps, and SP + SI initiative needs.
• Complement the Healthcare Partnerships and Referral Strategy Manager's clinical-sector work by owning the community-sector relationship ecosystem, ensuring full coverage across both referral "doors."

Mindful Compassion Initiative (Co-Lead)

• Co-lead community-facing engagement for the Mindful Compassion initiative, building and maintaining relationships with congregations, faith leaders, and community organizations.
• Coordinate culturally responsive outreach that advances help-seeking behavior change and stigma reduction across communities of color, rural populations, and underserved groups.
• Serve as the relationship point of contact for the annual Mindful Compassion campaign calendar, connecting activations to DLC service lines and community partners.

DLC Advocates, Coalition, and Advocacy Engagement

• Support the Regional Behavioral Health and Well-Being Coalition by engaging community-sector partners, coordinating DLC's presence in multi-sector convenings, and maintaining coalition relationship records.
• Co-lead the DLC Advocates program managing volunteer engagement, coordinating DLC representation at volunteer-focused events, supporting Advocate recruitment and recognition, and aligning advocacy efforts with SP + SI priorities and campaign cycles.
• Mobilize community voices for stigma reduction, help-seeking campaigns, and systems-change efforts.

Pilot and Initiative Launch Support

• Provide community engagement capacity for SP + SI pilots and social enterprise launches (e.g., Workplace Wellness employer outreach, Destination Experiences community partnerships, Hope On Purpose Journal distribution partnerships).
• Build the community relationships that make new initiatives viable, identifying early adopters, securing venue and distribution partners, and generating initial referral and participation pipelines.

Community Representation and Education

• Represent DLC and the SP + SI division at strategic community events, resource fairs, and partner convenings -- prioritizing events with high partnership-development potential over general visibility.
• Conduct partnership-focused presentations and informational sessions for community organizations, tailored to audience needs and aligned with SP + SI messaging frameworks. This role introduces partners to those DLC programs and connects them to the appropriate DLC team.
• Maintain current, working knowledge of all DLC programs, services, data trends, and referral pathways to serve as a credible subject-matter resource in community settings.

Data-Informed Outreach and Reporting

• Maintain partnership pipeline data in Raiser's Edge or Dazos with timely, accurate documentation of contacts, engagement stages, and outcomes.
• Produce monthly pipeline health reports aligned to the SP + SI Scorecard, tracking leading indicators (new contacts, engagement progression, referral activations) and quarterly Rocks.
• Contribute data and narrative to SP + SI quarterly reporting and EOS/Traction review cycles via Ninety.io.

Integrated Campaigns and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with MarCom on integrated awareness campaigns, ensuring community engagement efforts complement brand visibility and events strategy.
• Coordinate with the DLC Wellness Institute to connect community partners to prevention and education programming, facilitating introductions and warm handoffs.
• Participate in cross-functional coordination cadences between SP + SI, MarCom, and the Wellness Institute to maintain alignment and support warm handoff protocols.

Position Requirements

Required

• Bachelor's degree in a related field (public health, social work, communications, marketing, education, health/social services, nonprofit management, or similar) from an accredited institution
• 3+ years of experience in partnership development, community engagement, coalition-building, business development, or strategic outreach
• Demonstrated ability to build, manage, and sustain relationships with diverse community organizations and stakeholders
• Working knowledge of behavioral health needs, wellness strategies, and social determinants of health for youth and adult populations
• Experience with CRM, donor management, or partnership tracking systems (Raiser's Edge or Dazos experience preferred)
• Strong presentation and public speaking skills, with comfort adapting messaging across audiences (civic leaders, faith communities, employers, families)
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently -- prioritizing teamwork while managing a self-directed outreach calendar
• Superior interpersonal, stewardship, and customer service skills, both internally and externally
• Comfort with and genuine respect for diverse backgrounds, cultures, and communities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, Teams, and video conferencing platforms
• Valid Florida driver's license with a clean driving record
• A genuine interest in and passion for DLC's mission
• Current on all required trainings and immunizations

·Ability to pass Level II DCF Mental Health Fingerprinting (General Information can be found HERE), Drug Screen and Local Criminal Check = Required

Physical Requirements

This position requires a mix of physical activities throughout the workday, including periods of standing, sitting, and walking across various sites and community venues. The role includes tasks that may require bending, reaching, and other physical movements. Candidates must be able to occasionally lift and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds (event materials, display equipment, resource kits). A reasonable level of physical stamina and mobility is necessary to perform the essential functions of this role.

This role is essential to building the community-sector partnership infrastructure that connects individuals, families, and organizations to behavioral health and wellness services -- ensuring that SP + SI's strategic initiatives are grounded in trusted, productive community relationships.