About Room to Grow

Room to Grow is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the vision that one day all parents will have the resources they need to unlock their families’ potential and become champions for babies and their community. Its mission is to offer structured parent support, material goods, and community connections to support parents as they activate their natural strengths and expand their knowledge, so children thrive from the start. Room to Grow was founded in New York in 1998 and expanded to Boston in 2005, currently partnering with over 1,500 families with an annual budget of $8.5M and a team of 50 passionate and dedicated staff members. 

Room to Grow uses a two-generation, preventative, and strengths-based approach to engage families. Through its unique program, parents and caregivers partner with program staff to develop strategies to support their child's development, select the material items that their child needs, and connect with community resources that can expand their support network. Room to Grow program staff work alongside parents and caregivers as they build upon their existing skill sets and parenting styles and promote the well-being of their children and family. 

As an entrepreneurial and growth-oriented organization, Room to Grow is in an exciting period of development as it continues to expand its reach and impact in Boston, New York and Chicago. 

Position Summary

The External Engagement Manager will support our local external engagement efforts in the New York region in partnership with the New York Executive Director. Primary work includes: direct fundraising (managing a personal portfolio and hosting site visits), procuring baby and toddler items (managing drop boxes, collection drives, and Fill-A-Truck events), and supporting local community engagement efforts (tabling, partnership development). In addition, this position will serve as the primary office manager of Room to Grow’s South Bronx Family Center.

Reporting to the New York Executive Director, the External Engagement Manager will actively contribute to the development and implementation of New York specific fundraising and community engagement strategies and tactics. This position will join a mission-oriented local team including the New York Executive Director, Program, Community Engagement, and Site Operations teams. The local team is part of the broader External Engagement team, which is led by the Chief External Engagement Officer who oversees events, corporate partnerships, foundation giving, individual giving, and communications across the entire organization. This position may also include directly managing and supporting the NY Community Engagement, Associate. This is an in-person full-time position based in the South Bronx, NYC.

The right candidate is a natural relationship builder and an agile and collaborative leader. This position would be an ideal opportunity for a vibrant, creative, and proactive individual looking to take initiative and grow in a role that advances the profile of an impactful program model. 

Position Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Community Engagement (45%): Support the execution of large-scale strategies and activities locally to ensure a sustainable flow of baby and toddler items, and serve as a representative of Room to Grow, looking for opportunities to grow partnerships and bring in new supporters.
  • Identify and coordinate opportunities for Room to Grow to participate in local community events, managing setup and staffing when needed for tabling.
  • Lead on some inventory generation initiatives, such as coordinating fill-a-truck events, securing locations for local drop-box sites, and managing community drop-off days.
  • Attend select group volunteer sessions at the Donation Processing Center.
  • Alongside the External Engagement team, build and cultivate a network of relationships with local schools, daycare centers, small businesses, and peer organizations to support volunteer, inventory, and community engagement goals.
  • Support New York Executive Director with research, scheduling, and preparation for engaging with local elected officials, staff at government agencies, and community board meetings.

• Office Management (20%): Oversee the day-to-day management of the South Bronx Family Center.
  • Track and maintain general office supplies, coordinating the order of additional supplies as needed.
  • Manage vendor relationships and communication for all associated contractors (e.g. cleaning services). 
  • Serve as the main point of contact for building management.
  • Coordinate with the Operations team to ensure local compliance with Room to Grow’s organization-wide space and office norms.
  • Serve as local lead for site safety, technology, key, and mail management.
  • Manage inventory of local event supplies used for procurement and community events.
• Fundraising Support (35%): Coordinate and support the New York Executive Director in various fundraising efforts. Responsibilities include:
  • Interact with supporters through phone, written correspondence, video and in-person meetings and assure that communications are handled timely and professionally.
  • In collaboration with the Chief External Engagement Officer and New York Executive Director, support donor outreach campaigns throughout the year (e.g. annual appeal).
  • Work alongside the events team to ensure the smooth execution of New York based fundraising and cultivation events.
  • Support New York Executive Director with research, scheduling, meeting preparation and follow-up with financial donors
• Cross-Organization Collaboration: Partner with other departments in order to maximize fundraising efforts and enhance work across the organization. Examples include:
  • Coordinate with the External Engagement team and local Executive Director to problem-solve, share information, and ensure alignment on strategy and activities.
  • Liaise with the Program Team and other departments to maintain up-to-date knowledge and understanding of program activities, impact, outcomes, and needs, as well as to plan donor site visits, etc.
  • Collaborate with other External Engagement team members to support or lead on special projects, as needed (e.g. Capital Campaign, Annual Benefits, etc).

Qualifications and Experience

• A passion for the mission, vision, and core values of Room to Grow
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships
• Strong written and verbal communication skills – articulate and persuasive, with the ability to quickly craft resonant messaging and diligent follow up
• Ability to adjust course as needed and thrive in a nimble, fast-paced, and flexible organizational culture
• An exceptionally high level of integrity, accountability, and judgment
• Strong organizational skills: including the ability to manage time effectively, prioritize tasks, set goals, and develop systems for achieving those goals
• Action-oriented, proactive, resourceful, adaptable, and innovative approach to work
• Experience in working with diverse teams and constituencies
• A high level of accountability, with a strong growth mindset

• Experience working with CRM databases (e.g. Salesforce) or willingness to learn tools
• Flexible work schedule including some evenings, Saturdays, and some local travel

• Familiarity with and relationships in New York City a plus
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) candidates are strongly encouraged to apply

Core Competencies

Mission & Culture Alignment - Allows a candidate to thrive at Room to Grow and to be highly motivated by the organization’s work and mission. A successful candidate:

• Embodies RtG core values, including integrity, respect, growth, collaboration, community and inclusion
• Articulates an authentic passion for and unwavering belief in RtG’s mission, demonstrating a commitment to and literacy around the issues of equity that undergird the work 
• Navigates ambiguity and pivots with ease; presents as collaborative and flexible with a strong service mentality and ability to navigate a local/national structure
• Models transparency and encourages open dialogue and inclusivity
• Demonstrates a growth mindset; approaches work with a learning orientation, continuously seeking to improve his or her own work and the work of the organization
• Possesses a deep appreciation for diversity, equity and inclusion and seeks to bring people together along lines of difference; is able to model this value in Room to Grow’s internal work by treating our diverse population of families with sensitivity, respect, compassion, and dignity, as well as demonstrating this value with an external presence

Relationship Building - Enables a candidate to build deep relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including Room to Grow community members. A successful candidate: 

• Leads on the initiation, cultivation, and maintenance of meaningful relationships with diverse stakeholders
• Is an approachable and compelling communicator who can deliver reliable and relevant information to stakeholders with diverse backgrounds 
• Able to prioritize and strategize around communications with various stakeholders

Fundraising and External Engagement - Allows a candidate to achieve fundraising goals as well as serve as an effective ambassador and thought leader for Room to Grow, establishing deep relationships with a diverse range of external stakeholders. A successful candidate: 

• A skilled communicator with the ability to engage and influence a diverse spectrum of individuals, independently driving the cultivation and stewardship of donors and other external partners 
• Executes a holistic strategy to achieve annual revenue targets, and an eagerness to think creatively about exploring alternative ways to diversify revenue
• Is able to initiate, cultivate, and influence key stakeholder groups including board members, current funders, prospects, and policy leaders with effective communication, relationship building, and fostering trust
• Delegates responsibly with an emphasis on growing team members’ expertise while executing effective and powerful special events

Operational Focus - Enables a candidate to efficiently and effectively fulfill their responsibilities while maintaining Room to Grow’s high level of professionalism and integrity to the program. A successful candidate:

• Monitors the progress of tasks and communicates clearly with team members about ways to fulfill the organization’s needs
• Anticipates operational obstacles and demonstrates expertise in and innate desire to tackle operational challenges and more productively enact Room to Grow’s mission and vision
• Structures tasks in a systematic way by establishing priorities in support of achieving the team’s goals, and accomplishing them in a timely manner

Project Management - Allows a candidate to advance work by establishing clear and actionable plans and managing up, down, and sideways in order to deliver outcomes. A successful candidate:

• Multitasks in a rapidly changing work environment effectively balancing and prioritizing projects
• Excels at time management and sets ambitious, yet realistic goals
• Thoughtfully and energetically contributes to multiple high-stakes projects 
• Approaches work with a high degree of detail orientation, ensuring that all deadlines are met and that the smallest task is not forgotten

People Management - Enables a candidate to lead, motivate, and manage a cross-functional team to results while managing organizational priorities and operations. A successful candidate:

• Is committed to acknowledging and leveraging the strengths of team members to accomplish goals in addition to applying a growth mindset when identifying, communicating, and supporting team members’ areas in need of improvement.
• Motivates team members to pursue the utmost degree of accuracy, integrity, and efficiency in their work
• Demonstrates the ability to build, develop, and inspire high-performing, diverse teams, with an eye towards meeting / exceeding goals, professional development, and clear delegation.
• Clearly communicates and delegates responsibilities, ensuring no gaps or misunderstandings amongst team members
• Contributes to the overall performance of the team, filling in gaps when necessary

Compensation and Benefits

Room to Grow offers a collaborative work environment, competitive compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package including:

• 8 weeks of paid time off per year
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance, Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA
• 403(b) retirement savings with matching program
• Quarterly wellness reimbursement up to $150 per quarter
• So much more! 

Salary and benefits will be competitive for our field and commensurate with experience. Room to Grow is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Reasonable Accommodations

We are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. We encourage you to share any required accommodations with april.beakley@roomtogrow.org and elise.spector@roomtogrow.org, who will treat your requests as confidentially as possible.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We view differences between individuals (e.g., race, gender, age, cultural heritage, physical ability, education, beliefs, and lifestyle) as an asset. We celebrate what makes us unique and strive to create an inclusive environment for all. We are focused on fostering a culture of empowerment in an effort to better understand and serve the multifaceted cultures and identities of all of those within the Room to Grow community.

At Room to Grow, our DEI efforts focus on uplifting the experiences and perspectives of underrepresented groups and doing the work that draws out the best in all of us.

To Apply

Submit your application via Room to Grow’s career portal.