Position Summary:

The community specialist will be the local primary point of contact for volunteers, troop leaders, members, and the community-at-large in specific geographic areas. She/he is responsible for meeting assigned girl and adult new and renewal goals that support council-wide sustainable organizational health and increased participation in the Girl Scout Movement. In this key position, the community specialist will partner with community managers (volunteer position) to foster strong and positive community relationships and grow volunteer involvement year over year, with heightened support for new volunteers in their first year of service. She/he reports to a regional membership manager.
This position requires daily travel throughout the council’s jurisdiction. Areas will cover Southwest DuPage County – Naperville, Aurora, Lisle, Bolingbrook to name a few.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with local community volunteers. Serve as a partner and advocate for each community. Develop and foster community partnerships and volunteer involvement.
• Identify and recruit Girl Scouts and local volunteers to fill key community-level positions, provide mentorship to new and existing troop leaders through the volunteer lifecycle, increase local engagement in Girl Scouts, and strengthen local Girl Scout events and activities.
• Work toward achieving the council’s membership goals for new and renewing girls and adults.
• Ensure Girl Scouting is available to all youth and adults by actively participating in developing environments that foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and access through words, actions, and attitude.
• Promote Girl Scouts as a safe space where girls’ wellness is a priority.
• Facilitate new member recruitment and placement and provide the highest level of customer service as the first point of contact for prospective customers.
• Initiate new relationships and steward existing ones with youth-serving organizations, businesses, corporations, schools, and houses of worship in specific communities.
• Mentor, coach, and support adult volunteers who work with girls to ensure the delivery of programs and services to girls.
• Understand lead generation, recruitment techniques, campaigns, programming, and opportunities relevant to prospects and members.
• Interpret the Girl Scout Leadership Experience philosophy and the council’s policies, procedures, and standards for troop leaders/volunteers.
• Work with a cross-functional team (volunteer experience specialists) to ensure the effective support of troop leaders and program-grade levels within service units.
• Monitor and provide support to solve problems and help with conflict resolution at the service unit and troop levels in a timely manner.
• Facilitate and promote using customer-facing technology platforms to help optimize the customer experience (myGS, VTK, gsLearn) and help maintain data integrity.
• Provide answers, problem-solve, and respond appropriately to inquiries including, but not limited to, email, phone, and walk-in customers.
• Support the work of the council related to product program, fund development, brand, program, and camp at the service unit and troop level.
• Perform other duties as required or assigned.

Accountabilities in Role:

• Leadership – Model professional behavior consistent with the Girl Scout Mission and supports council initiatives, plans, and compliance with national/ local Girl Scout policies and federal/state regulations.
• Oral and written communication – Listen with compassion and provides effective communication in person, on the phone, and through email with diverse groups of people.
• Customer Service – Go above and beyond to ensure current and prospective members and their families feel supported in the process of registering and renewing their memberships.
• Judgment, decision-making, and problem-solving – Recognize when sufficient information has been obtained to solve problems and make decisions consistent with mission and processes.
• Team-builder – Collaborate proactively and positively with staff and volunteers to create an environment of transparency, information-sharing, and accessibility.
• Data Quality – Strive to attain high levels of data integrity while understanding the relationship of membership data and reports to reaching annual membership goals.

Experience, Skills, and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Minimum 1-3 years’ experience in sales, marketing, and/or membership.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent presentation skills for small and large groups.
• Ability to work independently and communicate through technology and in person.
• Computer skills MS Excel, MS Word, and MS PowerPoint.
• Proficient in creating and delivering PowerPoint Presentations
• Reliable vehicle and current insurance to travel as needed within the council’s jurisdiction