Community Engagement Manager

Desired Start Date: Immediately
Reports to: Executive Director
Position Type: Full-time, Exempt
Base Salary: $80,000

Organizational Summary

Richmond LAND’s mission is to build grassroots power for resident-driven and community-controlled land-use through community organizing, land acquisition, development, and stewardship of land and affordable housing for long-term community benefit. Incorporated in the Fall of 2019, Richmond LAND has grown from an idea into a transformative development organization that centers resident self-determination, local capacity-building, and cultural strategy in our place-keeping efforts.

As an emerging Community Land Trust (CLT), we seed development projects and stewardship activities through resident leadership and direct organizing. We envision a world where homegrown residents can mobilize to create, finance, control, and sustain affordable housing and community development projects that fulfill long-standing community needs and aspirations.

The Community Engagement Manager (CEM) will join a dynamic team of leaders who are passionate about transforming affordable housing and real estate development to align with restorative economics and the Just Transition framework.

Position Overview

This Community Engagement Manager represents Richmond LAND’s mission, vision, and values to the broader public, and builds relationships across Richmond and West Contra Costa County. This position will engage directly with residents, partners, intermediaries, and government officials, ensuring that our members’ voices and community priorities are uplifted in decision-making about land, housing, and development. The role is responsible for designing and implementing strategies that expand Richmond LAND’s membership base, deepen resident participation, and cultivate leadership. The CEM will also advance the organization’s advocacy, storytelling, and public education efforts, helping reshape housing justice and community-controlled land use in Richmond.

Key Responsibilities

Community Outreach & Communications

• Develop and lead canvassing efforts, listening sessions, and other forms of community outreach, inquiry, and education to align programming, advocacy, and organizational activity to the needs of local residents.
• Create curriculum and execute workshops that inform and educate the public on relevant issues, and host events, workshops, and training that highlight what’s possible through the community land trust model, community-controlled land and housing efforts, equitable development, radical land initiatives, and real estate endeavors.
• Develop project marketing plans to market affordable housing opportunities to low-income households.
• Create communication materials to build awareness and support for Richmond LAND campaigns and initiatives.
• Generate compelling and accessible content that increases shared knowledge and translates complex issues through mixed media and cultural strategies.
• Represent Richmond LAND in public comments, coalitions, and alliances.
• Support direct actions and rapid response mobilizations as needed.

Membership Development & Facilitation

• Grow and sustain Richmond LAND’s membership program, building pathways for meaningful resident participation.
• Implement and refine processes for membership recruitment, retention, and leadership development.
• Plan and co-lead leadership training series to increase shared knowledge of the history, conditions, and constraints in the current affordable housing industry and dominant real estate development systems.
• Facilitate regular membership meetings to provide opportunities for relationship building, shared learning and political education, planning and campaign prioritization, discussions on current events impacting the community, and identify upcoming advocacy and organizing opportunities.
  • Facilitate Community, Resident, & Board Membership
  • Support the planning and hosting of Richmond LAND’s elections
  • Create and maintain processes to track, evaluate, and strengthen relationship building, campaign efforts, and membership structure.
  • Actively participate in organizational planning to link membership needs with organizational direction.
  • Network with other resident-led groups that are organizing land and housing campaigns on a regional, state, and national level, and connect members to those campaigns.
• Integrate storytelling in Richmond LAND membership activities, acquisition efforts, organizing practices, and advocacy campaigns through the creation of creative processes, written works, and visual or digital arts.

Administrative & Organizational Support

• Develop and maintain a work plan and timelines for programming activity to ensure proper management and resource allocation.
• Provide program reports, including updates, outcomes, and data tracking.
• Maintain accessible outreach, membership, and organizing activities.
• Collaborate with staff on strategic planning, annual work plans, and organizational initiatives.
• Complete and Submit: Bi/annual reporting of all deliverables.
• Participate actively in internal staff meetings, retreats, and cross-team projects.
• Support the development of organizational reports and deliverables for funders and partners.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience: At least two years of community organizing with low-income communities of color, preferably in Richmond/West Contra Costa County.
• Commitment: Deep belief in Richmond LAND’s mission and a commitment to community self-determination. Two or more years of experience with increasing responsibility working as a community organizer with low-income communities of color.
• Deep commitment to empowering Richmond/West County residents to lead the transformation for community-controlled land-use, housing, and real estate development.
• Evening and weekend availability.
• Imaginative problem solver and strategic thinker comfortable with creating new processes and identifying alternatives.
• Effective communicator with a strong ability to guide, lead, and work with teams of people with varying levels of experience.
• Ability to plan, schedule, and prioritize multiple projects while maintaining effective communication and quality of work.
• Experience/leadership in community-based efforts, local projects, or grassroots organizing and movement work is highly desired.
• Effective communicator; experience with popular education is a plus.
• Familiarity with community land trusts or cooperatives is a plus.
• Spanish language ability is a plus.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete this form to apply for the open position: tinyurl.com/RLANDCEM2025

If you have any questions or concerns about our process, please email [email protected].

Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis and interviews will begin mid-November 2025.

Equal Opportunity Statement
Richmond LAND is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages Black, Indigenous, and all people of color, women, queer and gender-fluid applicants to apply. We also consider applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.