Job Description
Our Work
We are an architecture and real estate development social enterprise creating spaces that embody justice, healing, and self-determination. By designing with communities most impacted by incarceration and disinvestment, we build infrastructure that supports community ownership, redistributes power, and lays the foundation for a world rooted in care, not punishment.
To achieve this mission our team is composed of architects, designers, real estate developers and community members working together to create solutionary spaces and places that bring dignity, well-being and care to the communities we serve.
How You Fit In
Title: Community Engagement Manager
Location : Bay Area, CA — Hybrid role with 2–3 trips per quarter across the U.S.
Salary Range : $90K–110K
We are seeking a dynamic Community Engagement Manager to lead and evolve our engagement strategies across DJDS projects. This role is central to ensuring that community voice, vision, and imagination are embedded into every stage of our design and development work.
You will collaborate across design, real estate, research, and communications teams, while also representing DJDS in public forums and building lasting relationships with community stakeholders. The ideal candidate has 7+ years of experience in community-engaged design, is skilled at facilitation and training, and thrives in public, front-facing roles.
What You'll Lead - Design and implement creative, community-centered engagement strategies across architecture and real estate development projects.
- Develop, deliver, and improve internal facilitation and cultural competency trainings.
- Build and maintain dynamic engagement tools, toolkits, and methods tailored to different audiences.
- Collect, code, and analyze community input, and translate insights into design guidance.
- Represent DJDS at public events, conferences, and convenings.
- Strategize around engagement in project proposals and scopes of work.
- Develop event calendars, data summaries, and reports to track and communicate engagement
Where You'll Collaborate - Partner with the Communications team on public storytelling and engagement-related content.
- Collaborate with design, real estate, and research teams to integrate community insights into project development.
- Support fundraising and advancement efforts, including conferences and thought leadership opportunities.
- Work with new employees to integrate facilitation and engagement practices into their onboarding.
Who You Are - Currently based in the California Bay Area
- Eligible to work in the U.S.
- 7+ years of experience in community-engaged design, public art, participatory planning, or related field.
- Strong facilitation and interpersonal skills, with comfort in public speaking and navigating conflict.
- Proven ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams.
- Experience developing training and engagement tools.
- Skilled in qualitative data collection, coding, analysis, and storytelling.
- Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, Miro, and Microsoft Office.
- Deep cultural competency and commitment to equity, justice, and restorative practices.
- Strong writing and presentation skills for diverse audiences.
- Appreciation for aesthetic design and creative processes.
Experience That Is Helpful But Not Required - Academic background in a design-related field (architecture, urban studies, communications, or related disciplines)
- Certifications or training in community-engaged or justice-oriented practices (e.g., Public Participation Professional, Public Interest Design, Human-Centered Strategy, Restorative Justice Facilitation)
- Studies or degrees connected to social systems and equity (e.g., Social Work, Public Administration, Social Justice, Human Rights)
- Creative skills such as graphic design, sketching, or illustration
- Spanish fluency
- Familiarity with architectural processes
What You'll Accomplish in Your First Year - Within 1 Month: Develop familiarity with DJDS's concept development process, engagement tools, and project proposal structure.
- Within 3 Months: Facilitate engagements confidently and propose new engagement tools.
- Within 6 Months: Lead engagement strategy design, streamline data coding/analysis, and integrate AI into engagement processes.
- Within 12 Months: Establish yourself as a public representative and thought leader for DJDS engagement work, embedding yourself in the Bay Area community and building local trust.
Benefits and Compensation This full-time, salaried position includes:
- Compensation for this role will not exceed $80,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications
- This is a full-time, salaried position with a hybrid work structure. While in-person collaboration is essential to our process, we also support flexibility and work-life balance.
- DJDS covers 100% of medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their children under age 26, with optional coverage for domestic partners, long-term disability, and life insurance
- Paid time off includes vacation (tiered by tenure), sick leave, bereavement, jury duty, and 16 total holidays (12 standard plus 4 flexible/personal days)
- Up to 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave supported by state and DJDS supplemental pay
- Sabbatical eligibility after 7 years of service, including 12 weeks paid leave and reduced-load continuation
How to Apply To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter. All applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S.
Ready to Apply?
If this role resonates with you, we encourage you to apply—even if your experience doesn't match every requirement. We value curiosity, lived experience, and a deep commitment to community.
We're building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, and we're excited to learn more about what you bring to the work.
Job Tags
Full time, Work at office, Local area, Flexible hours,