top of page

Community Engagement + Communications Associate

Posted February 15, 2022. Open until position is filled. 

Position overview

Zan Associates is in search of a full-time Community Engagement and Communications Specialist. This person would help to empower communities to have a voice during the planning, designing and building phases for public infrastructure projects by providing community and engagement activities. Public infrastructure projects include places where people walk, bike, roll, take transit and drive; and places where people gather like parks, community and recreation centers. You would be responsible for coordinating and implementing the community engagement and communications tasks for multiple projects.

About the position

In this Associate-level position, you would be part of a team of planners,

engagement specialists and communications professionals, reporting to the team leader. You would

support one or more project managers by coordinating and implementing community engagement and

communications activities for public infrastructure planning, design, and construction projects. Specific

tasks associated with this role include:

  • Plan, implement, and facilitate community engagement activities, including in-person and virtual events, pop-up tables, public meetings, presentations, and interactive activities

  • Prepare communications materials such as project fact sheets, project/event notifications (mailings, flyers, e-newsletters), event materials, social media posts, and website content

  • Prepare meeting/event notes and engagement summary reports

  • Proactively manage project schedules and work tasks

  • Stay up to date on community engagement, communications, and social media trends and innovations

  • Work evening and weekend hours (Zan is committed to activities that engage people who are historically underserved and meeting people where they gather, which is often during evenings and weekends; frequency of these hours varies by season).

Desired abilities and experience

The ideal person would have the following skills, experiences, and education:

  • Aligns with Zan’s core values:

    • We are passionate about the work

    • We’re resourceful

    • We get the job done

    • We are experts and are professionally opinionated

    • We believe in excellence and innovation

    • We’re fun to work with

    • We care about and support our staff

  • Bachelor’s degree in communications, urban planning, journalism, marketing, public policy, geography, or a related field and two or more years of experience, or equivalent mix of education and work experience

  • Excellent organizational skills and the ability to perform work as part of a team and in a self-directed environment

  • Strong verbal and written communications skills including public speaking and the ability to rewrite/explain complex information so that the public can understand the issue

  • Experience and/or interest in community engagement, public process and infrastructure planning and design

  • Proficiency with the MS Office software suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 

  • Experience supporting diversity, equity and inclusion principles is a plus

  • Proficiency in multiple languages is a plus

  • Experience in visual communications is a plus

  • Experience working for a consulting firm or a job where you need to track and report the hours you work to specific projects or clients is a plus

  • Experience with ERSI GIS is a plus

  • Must have a valid driver’s license

  • Interested in career advancement

Salary

Salary range is $51,500-$74,260 depending on qualifications

Position location

Downtown Minneapolis. We offer a flexible work environment.

About Zan Associates

Zan Associates’ core focus is to build communities by giving people a voice. Our

purpose is to provide creative and authentic engagement, communications and planning primarily for

public infrastructure projects. We hire people who want to influence and shape the communities we live,

play and work in. We value diverse perspectives, and we seek to elevate historically underserved

communities. We provide employees with competitive salaries and benefits including medical, dental and

retirement, and perks like a flexible work schedule and location, a transit pass or bicycle/vehicle parking,

cell phone, and frequent company and team outings. We are located in downtown Minneapolis and work

with a wide range of public agencies in the Twin Cities, throughout Minnesota and in the Pacific

Northwest. More information about our firm can be found at zanassoc.com.

How to apply?

If you are ready to be part of the Zan Associates team, please send a cover letter with an explanation of why your experiences are relevant for this position along with your resume and references to Dan Pfeiffer: dpfeiffer@zanassoc.com

 

Zan Associates is a certified minority- and woman-owned small business, committed to creating a diverse

environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive

consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability

status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

bottom of page