Community Engagement Manager

* This position is onsite at our San Jose campus located at 701 Vine St, San Jose, CA.

The Community Engagement Manager is responsible for strengthening CET’s visibility and relationships within the communities we serve. This role leads engagement strategies with employers, local nonprofits, civic partners and prospective sponsors, while also managing the planning and execution of major organizational events. The position plays a key role in cultivating partnerships, securing sponsorships, and supporting CET’s workforce development mission through community-centered outreach.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (may include but is not limited to the following):

Community Engagement and Partnerships

• Build and maintain strong relationships with employers, nonprofits, civic organizations and educational partners to enhance CET’s presence and impact.
• Identify, engage, and steward relationships with potential sponsors, funders and collaborators.
• Represent CET at community events, networking functions, advisory groups and partner meetings.
• Act as a liaison for CET centers to support their local outreach and partnership efforts.
• Coordinate collaborative initiatives that connect CET students and graduates to employment and training opportunities.

Event Planning and Execution

• Lead planning and execution of CET’s major events, including career fairs, open houses, fundraising galas, student showcases, and partner recognition events.
• Develop event concepts, manage vendor relationships, oversee logistics, and create promotional materials in partnership with Public Affairs.
• Recruit and coordinate speakers, volunteers and internal staff to ensure successful event delivery.
• Track sponsorship opportunities and manage outreach, communications and benefits delivery for corporate and community sponsors.

Communications and Outreach

• Develop and manage outreach content for social media, newsletters, event promotion and community updates in partnership with Public Affairs.
• Support the Public Affairs team in amplifying CET’s impact stories and community achievements through digital and print media.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to external audiences to promote CET’s mission, programs, and partnerships.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Strong experience in relationship management, public relations or stakeholder engagement.
• Proven ability to plan and execute successful events from concept to completion.
• Knowledge of nonprofit, workforce development and community-based programming.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with public speaking confidence.
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple projects, deadlines and stakeholder groups simultaneously.
• Skilled in using digital tools for outreach and communications (e.g., social media, email marketing, CRM).
• Ability to work independently and as part of a cross-functional team.
• Culturally competent and comfortable working in diverse communities.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Communications, Public Administration, Business Development or a related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in community engagement, event coordination or nonprofit partnership management.
• Experience working with or within nonprofit, workforce development or education sectors strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Spanish or another language is a plus.
• Experience working with persons of diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CET will consider and hire qualified applicants without discrimination. CET maintains as its staffing goal to recruit and maintain a workforce that reflects the diversity of the CET community.