Director, Community Partnerships & Capacity Building – Healthy Communities Delaware

Healthy Communities Delaware (HCD) is a network of community and investment partners working to improve health, well-being and equity across Delaware. The HCD initiative is managed as a collaboration among the University of Delaware Partnership for Healthy Communities, the Delaware Division of Public Health, and the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF). HCD works in partnership with community-based organizations and coalitions to create healthy, safe, and vibrant communities by addressing resident-driven priorities related to the vital conditions for well-being (housing, environment, education, transportation, meaningful work & wealth, basic needs for health & safety, belonging and civic muscle). This position will be an employee of the DCF, focused on the HCD initiative.

Each employee of the DCF is expected to embody and pursue the core values of the DCF, including serving with joy, engaging inclusively, pursuing excellence, and leading with integrity.

HCD seeks an equity-focused, collaborative, self-driven, and flexible leader to join our team. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director, Community Partnerships & Capacity Building will have several key goals:

(1) Build and manage partnerships with community-based organizations/coalitions working on place-based community development initiatives in underserved communities;

(2) Provide community partners with support and technical assistance and/or connect with HCD technical assistance resources as appropriate;

(3) Facilitate connections, explore and coordinate alignment and collaboration opportunities within and across communities, and between communities and investors

(4) Plan and manage ongoing capacity-building opportunities for community partners

Responsibilities

• Create and manage relationships with community partners that share power and engage as partners in community transformation efforts.
• Manage community partner relationships including grants/community investments, reporting, and connections to resources.
• Manage project-related documentation and monitor and maintain order on a shared drive and in a relationship management system.
• Manage the application, grantmaking, and reporting processes for Healthy Communities DE
• Research, coordinate, collaborate, and build upon existing efforts in communities and with other funders
• Forecast, measure, and report the results of various projects with partners, including co-created and/or co-branded content
• Facilitate connections, explore and coordinate alignment and collaboration opportunities within and across communities, and between communities and funders
• Work closely with colleagues and community partners to coordinate developing and managing project plans, action plans, timelines, budgets, grants, and contracts.
• Deliver an exceptional experience to our partners when working with our organization - maintain and nurture collaborative, trusting, long-term relationships with community partners
• Research capacity-building opportunities based on input from community partners, plan and facilitate those capacity-building opportunities, including contractual agreements with vendors, scheduling, etc.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS OF SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES

Required:

• 4-year college degree required. Master's degree in a related field preferred (MPH, MPA, MPP, etc.)
• 8+ years of professional experience in community planning, community development, or public health
• Experience with community needs assessments and community plans
• Experience with project planning, implementation, and evaluation
• Highly self-motivated, able to work independently, able to figure out how to do things you may not have done before
• Passion for equity, social justice, and/or social determinants of health/vital conditions
• Experience working to improve one or more of the social determinants of health/vital conditions (housing, environment, education, transportation, meaningful work & wealth, basic needs for health & safety, belonging and civic muscle)
• Strong knowledge of Delaware’s community development and non-profit sectors
• Experience working with nonprofits, particularly community development-related organizations
• Highly collaborative and humble; comfortable working in partnership with communities rather than directing
• Ability to work on an evolving initiative in a learning organization; must be comfortable with complexity and able to adapt to a changing environment
• Ability to assist community partners in exploring and selecting evidence-informed community improvement strategies
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Comfort with outreach, networking, and relationship-building
• Ability to develop rapport and build collaborative relationships with diverse, cross-sector partners.

This is a full-time, salaried position with benefits. Its continuation is dependent upon annual funding for the Healthy Communities Delaware initiative. Annual salary: $80,000-90,000

This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement at either the Delaware Community Foundation office in Wilmington, DE or Lewes, DE.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, work sample (see below) and compensation expectations to search@delcf.org. Applications that do not include a work sample will not be considered. For the full position description please visit www.delcf.org/career-opportunities. Deadline to apply: April 25, 2025.

Work Sample: We’ve found it helpful to review samples of candidates’ actual work, to get a sense of how people think and operate. Please share a work product that will help give us a sense of what we’d see if we could watch you at work. It should be related to the responsibilities and qualifications outlined in this job description. We’ll keep anything that you share with us confidential. Please feel free to remove names or other details you’re not comfortable sharing.

Don't check off every box? Apply anyway!

DCF is dedicated to hiring the best candidates we can find, and building a workplace that fosters a sense of belonging. If you're excited about this role and passionate about our mission, but your experience does not align perfectly with every requirement below, we encourage you to still consider applying. Your lived experience is valued and recognized, and we look forward to considering you for this or a future role!

The Delaware Community Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, religion, ethnicity, sex, marital status, age, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability.