Director of Community Engagement

Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) seeks a passionate and innovative leader to oversee the organization’s community engagement programming, signature events, and volunteer initiatives. This position is a key driver in our strategy to educate the Los Angeles community and to foster their active engagement in advocating for and restoring the Los Angeles River. As a member of organizational leadership, the Director of Community Engagement will create and manage programs that connect diverse communities to the Los Angeles River through education, advocacy, and environmental stewardship.

Reporting to the CDO for signature events, mid-size events, volunteer corp, and other community engagement and education activities, this role is both strategic and hands-on. The Director will lead the planning, budgeting, and execution of major events (e.g, RiverFest, Earth Day, and the Great LA River Cleanup), monthly educational programs (e.g., Bats & Brews, Queer Ecology Walk, ad hoc River Makers), and the volunteer corps. This position will also play a supportive role in the planning and delivery of smaller program and department-led events by providing volunteers, thought partnership, technical support and managing direct reports effectively.

The ideal candidate will bring a balance of creativity, strategic thinking, and operational excellence to the role, including a high-degree of competence and experience in project planning & management and experience working with and for diverse communities and volunteers. It is important that they have a deep commitment to equity and environmental justice.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement strategies to grow and strengthen FoLAR’s community engagement programs, signature events, and volunteer initiatives.
• Collaborate with leadership to align programming with FoLAR’s mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
• Ensure that all programs reflect FoLAR’s commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI).
• Serve as a key organizational leader, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and innovation.
• Delegate effectively by communicating and distributing tasks when appropriate to manage workloads efficiently.
• Contribute to creating and maintaining a team-first culture.

Signature Events Management

The 3 signature events are annual larger scale events designed to raise awareness, celebrate, and activate the community around River related issues and needs.

• Oversee and produce the planning and execution of three signature events (RiverFest, Earth Day, and the Great LA River Cleanup) including all logistics, budgets, and stakeholder relationships.
• Lead efforts to secure right-fit sponsorships, relevant revenue streams, and partnerships to enhance event reach, impact and financial health in partnership with the Development team.
• Collaborate with the Development and Communications teams to ensure effective promotion and storytelling around events.
• Monitor and evaluate event outcomes and implement improvements for future iterations.
• Collaborate with the Development team to identify and secure funding sources that align with event goals.
• Facilitate in-kind donations to offset event costs and enhance program offerings.
• Activate the Volunteer Program base for effective community participation and efficient event execution.
• Efficiently and proactively work with multiple government municipalities to secure the required permits, licences, and location requirements in a timely manner.

Volunteer Program Oversight

A solid corps of volunteers recruited from diverse communities is required to deliver on effective programming and event production as the highest tier of activation for our community engagement strategy.

• Grow and manage FoLAR’s volunteer program, including recruitment, training, and retention.
• Develop leadership opportunities for volunteers to support long-term engagement and sustainability.
• Ensure volunteers are equipped and supported to contribute to signature events, community events, Habitat Restoration Days, and other educational activities.
• Recognize volunteer contributions through celebrations, awards, and regular communication.
• Monitor and evaluate the success of the volunteer corp, using data and feedback to guide continuous improvement.

Community Engagement Programming

Monthly community events are designed to educate the Los Angeles community and to foster their active engagement in advocating for and restoring the Los Angeles River. These regularly recurring programs represent a medium level of activation for our community engagement strategy and many have become major favorites.

• Plan and execute monthly community events, such as Habitat Restoration Days, nature walks, and educational workshops with the support of the Education team.
• Lead the growth of monthly events to other areas of the LA River, reaching new audiences.
• Oversee and produce non-member RiverMaker programs (approx 10 ad hoc paid restoration and cleanup events that are not k-12 schools) with the support of volunteers.
• Build partnerships with community organizations, and other stakeholders to expand FoLAR’s reach and impact.
• Monitor and evaluate the success of program activities, using data and feedback to guide continuous improvement.
• Identify potential funding opportunities to support community engagement activities and collaborate with the Development team to secure resources.
• In guidance from Development, Cultivate relationships with donors and sponsors, ensuring alignment with FoLAR’s mission and program goals.
• General oversight of the River Rover Mobile Museum relating to securing maintenance, driver, and use as a community engagement tool.
• Efficiently and proactively work with multiple government municipalities to secure the required permits, licences, right of entries, and location requirements in a timely manner.

Operational Excellence

• Develop and manage program budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and resource constraints.
• Track and report on key metrics, including participation, impact, and volunteer hours.
• Maintain detailed documentation to support grant reporting and organizational learning.
• Partner with the Director of Strategic Communications as a joint member of organizational leadership and mutual collaborators.
• Lead with integrity, inclusivity, a strong internal locus of control, and emotional intelligence.

Qualifications

Required

• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in community engagement, event management, or a related field, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience in developing and leading volunteers.
• Proven ability to lead cross-departmental projects and manage diverse teams.
• Strong project management skills, with experience overseeing complex initiatives from planning to execution.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion in programming and decision-making.
• Experience creating and managing budgets and tracking program performance metrics.
• Familiarity with environmental education, advocacy, or nonprofit management.
• Ability to build capacity in others to lead and contribute to FoLAR’s success.
• Proficiency with management tools, specifically Airtable, Google Suite, and CRM platforms.

Highly Valued & Preferred

• Fluent / business level Spanish speaking.

Key Attributes

• Visionary Leadership: Ability to inspire teams and stakeholders toward a shared mission.
• Strategic Thinker: Capable of aligning day-to-day activities with long-term goals.
• Collaborative Spirit: Skilled in working across teams and fostering inclusive partnerships.
• Results-Oriented: Focused on achieving measurable outcomes through innovative solutions.

What We Offer (benefits)

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Health, dental, vision, and AD&D insurance
• 401k retirement plan
• FSA Plans and other perks
• Two weeks paid vacation in addition to 12 paid holidays, 1 floating holiday, and additional paid time off between Christmas and New Years
• Generous family leave and sabbatical leave opportunities
• Flexible work schedule and remote work options based on individual and team needs
• Close, passionate, fun, and creative team environment
• Opportunities to grow with the organization
• Beautiful office location

Application Process

If you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications, don’t let that stop you! If you think you offer what it takes to excel in this role and a passion for the environment and climate action - please apply!

To apply for this position, please email your cover letter, resume, list of professional references, AND one writing and one event planning sample to contact@folar.org with “ [NAME] - Director of Community Engagement Application” in the subject line.

Format is important; please send the cover letter in the body of the email as text and any documents (resume, etc.) as easily accessible attachments. No calls or walk-ins.

Equity at FoLAR

The LA River traverses through diverse communities of people, plants, and geographies. It provides an opportunity to reshape our environment in a way that is more inclusive, equitable, and just. We are committed to building a team, leadership, and a River Movement that is as diverse as the communities the River touches. We believe in working with nature and alongside communities to achieve climate resilience, park equity, and environmental health for all.

Friends of the Los Angeles River is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or national origin. Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply.