Nexus is looking for an energetic, innovative and strategic thinker to lead the Institute for Community Engagement both locally and nationally.

Nexus Community Partners seeks a full time Program Director (40 hours a week, includes benefits) to support Nexus Community Partners’ Institute for Community Engagement (Institute). The Institute is a learning, practice, and leadership center designed for individuals, organizations and institutions from across the country to learn about authentic community engagement. The Institute is an evolution from the work of the Building the Field of Community Engagement (www.buildthefield.org) and is a direct response to the growing demand for community engagement tools, knowledge and best practices from individuals, foundations, community-based organizations, government agencies and institutions.

Nexus Community Partners is a community-building intermediary whose mission is to “build more engaged and powerful communities of color by supporting community-building initiatives and foster social and human capital.”

 Position Responsibilities

Program

• Program growth and management responsibilities will include continuing the development of the Institute into its next phase of delivering high quality learning opportunities for local and national audiences; convening of partners; coordinating logistics; and leading program expansion and expenditures in accordance with the program budget.
• Lead in researching and developing an earned revenue component of the Institute working in collaboration with the Director of Finance and HR.
• Facilitate a cross-sector Advisory Committee that will help shape direction, strategy and implementation of the Institute.
• Lead the design and coordination of the Institute’s learning opportunities, including the Engaged Learning Series, workshops, etc.
• Develop and implement a communication’s strategy for the Institute including promotional materials, outreach materials, monthly blogs, website updates, and coordinate additional communication support, such as with consultants.
• Develop and implement an evaluation system to ensure the Institute is reaching its goals and achieving its outcomes.
• Supervise support staff, interns, and/or fellows

External Relations

• Actively build connections, locally and nationally on behalf of the institute that will enhance the work and continue to build the field of community engagement
• Identify and develop relationships with content experts to help develop and deliver content for the Institute.
• Lead in the development and delivery of presentations at forums, conferences, workshops, etc.

Organizational

• Participate in fundraising by co-writing and editing funder reports and/or proposals for the Institute.
• Develop community awareness of Nexus and be a positive, dynamic presence for Nexus.
• Function effectively as a leader and problem solver in order to ensure that the goals and objectives of Nexus are met.
• Provide support as needed for other projects, such as the broader evaluation and communication for Nexus.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred and/or 5-7 years relevant experience in nonprofit and/or community work.
• 5+ years’ experience in leadership positions, either in community, a volunteer position, or past employment.
• 3+ years’ experience working in partnerships and collaborations cross-sectors and with multiple partners.
• Understands and embraces efforts that promote racial, social and economic equity and asset-based community change.
• Proven ability to facilitate dynamic groups that have different levels of knowledge and/or understanding.
• Demonstrated experience taking ideas from conceptualization to implementation.
• Demonstrated understanding of and experience with authentic community engagement.
• Experience designing and/or delivering high quality, interactive learning opportunities.
• Ability to think strategic and long-term while managing multiple projects and deadlines.
• Capacity to work cross-culturally to achieve understanding and results. Ability to establish and maintain trust readily with a diverse set of partners.
• Demonstrated understanding of the role culture and history has as a foundation for building strategies in cultural communities.
• Knowledge of research methods and practices.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills
• Proficient computer skills including Microsoft Office programs (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint). Design skills a plus.
• Must have personal transportation available for use, ability and willingness to travel on occasion.

The ideal candidate would be able to start November 2016.

Nexus offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

Salary range: $70,000 – $80,000 (plus benefits)

The Program Director will report to the Director of Strategic Development.

Qualified candidates should send a resume and cover letter via email by October 7th, 2016 to:

Felicia Ring

Nexus Community Partners

2314 University Ave W, Suite 18

St. Paul, MN 55114

Email: fring@nexuscp.org

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NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE

NEXUS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Metro Transit wants to hear from you!

In the Twin Cities region, Metro Transit riders took 85.8 million trips on buses and trains in 2015! Bus ridership accounts for the majority of these transit trips —about four out of every five trips.

Metro Transit is currently investing $4M in bus stop improvements to enhance access to employment and educational opportunities for communities of color and low-wealth communities in a program called Better Bus Stops. The Better Bus Stops program is improving the experience for thousands of Metro Transit customers who use transit on a daily basis and fulfilling Metro Transit’s commitment to regional transit equity.

Up to 200 new customer waiting shelters in are currently being added to Metro Transit’s service area, with a priority investment to communities of color and low-wealth communities. Half of the shelters are at new locations and the rest replace existing shelters, according to Metro Transit’s equity plan.

In 2015, the Community Engagement Team (a partnership between Nexus Community Partners, the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, and the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs) awarded contracts to 11 community-based organizations in Minneapolis and St. Paul to engage transit riders in their communities to provide valuable feedback on their bus stop experience. Ultimately their feedback will guide the future policies of Metro Transit.

In addition Metro Transit wants to hear from you! Your voice will impact Metro Transit’s shelter placement, bus stop improvement guidelines and how Metro Transit can enhance regional equity and access to education and employment opportunities.

Metro Transit’s survey

To learn more about Better Bus Stops go to http://www.metrotransit.org/better-bus-stops

In 2015, the Community Engagement Team (a partnership between Nexus Community Partners, the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, and the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs) awarded contracts to 11 community-based organizations to engage transit riders in their communities as part of Metro Transit’s Better Bus Stops program. The program is investing $4M in bus stop improvements to enhance access to employment and educational opportunities for communities of color and low-wealth communities in the Twin Cities. To learn more about the great engagement work that the Harrison Neighborhood Association is doing for the Better Bus Stops program to advance transit equity, read this exciting article:

http://streets.mn/2016/08/10/rider-requests-for-better-bus-stops/

In 2015, the Community Engagement Team (a partnership between Nexus Community Partners, the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, and the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs) awarded contracts to 11 community-based organizations to engage transit riders in their communities as part of Metro Transit’s Better Bus Stops program. The program is investing $4M in bus stop improvements to enhance access to employment and educational opportunities for communities of color and low-wealth communities in the Twin Cities. To learn more about the great engagement work that the Harrison Neighborhood Association is doing for the Better Bus Stops program to advance transit equity, read this exciting article:

http://streets.mn/2016/08/10/rider-requests-for-better-bus-stops/

Thank you for all who considered, applied, and helped suggest or nominate others to apply for our 2016-2017 BCLI cohort. The application is now closed as of July 2, 2016.

We encourage you to attend our Issue Series which begin later this fall.

Please check back at the link below for topics and locations (tbd) for the upcoming Issue Series.

See list of Issue Series dates here: https://www.nexuscp.org/our-work/boards-and-commissions-leadership-institute/issue-series/

Until then, if you are interested in applying for a future round of BCLI, please check back next May (2017) when we release the next year’s application (nomination packet). Thank You

Please view our Power Point about the BCLI here. A friendly reminder that applications are due Friday, July 1, at Midnight.

BCLI 2016 Info Session PPT

Nexus is now accepting BCLI applications!

We are now targeting seats in Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Saint Paul, the Metropolitan Council and the State of Minnesota.

 

Just as soon as the BCLI wrapped up year three cohort with a graduation on April 14, we are already recruiting for the next class! How exciting!

The deadline for submissions is Friday, July 1st by 12 midnight CST

The BCLI fellowship runs from October 2016 – April 2017.

“We need to be running our own folks for seats by building power that pursues true democracy…We need to be developing leaders to be bold at those decision-making tables and to never leave their community behind. This is how we tell our own story. This is a story that tells everybody they can belong, and this is how we build our movement.”
Kandace Montgomery, BCLI ‘14

Why Apply?

• Join a network of racial equity and social justice advocates influencing policy decisions on local and regional commissions.

• Gain integrated perspectives on key local and regional racial equity and social justice issues: economic development, health equity, affordable housing, transit, and workforce development.

• Participate in a facilitated learning community of trainers, advocate commissioners and elected officials who share best practices, lessons learned, and key concepts.

• Learn commission skills like Parliamentary Procedure, media messaging, and municipal budgeting.

Download the application HERE

Come to an upcoming Information Session!
Please RSVP to Chai Lee at clee@nexuscp.org and please indicate which information session you plan to attend. Light refreshments will be provided.

• Wednesday, May 11^th, 5:30 pm -7 pm at Rondo Library, 461 N. Dale St, St. Paul, 55104
• Thursday, May 26^th, 9 am -10:30 am at Hope Community Inc., 3^rd Floor Loft: 611 E. Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, 55404
• Wednesday, June 8^th, 5:30 pm -7:00 pm at Cookie Cart, 1119 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, 55411
• Thursday, June 16^th, 5:30 pm -7:00 pm at Brookdale Library, 6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center, 55430

Questions? Contact us:
Mr. Chai Lee
Program Coordinator
clee@nexuscp.org
651-289-7029

Ms. Terri Thao
Program Director
tthao@nexuscp.org
651-379-0505

About the BCLI
Nexus’ Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) is a 7-month leadership program that supports, trains and places people of color and other underrepresented community members on publicly appointed boards and commissions that influence and impact equity in the Twin Cities Metro Area.

About Nexus Community Partners
Nexus Community Partners (Nexus) is a community building intermediary whose mission is to build more engaged and powerful communities of color by supporting community building initiatives that expand community assets and foster social and human capital. Click here to learn more about our work.

Minnesota’s Women in Transportation Seminar (WTS) presented the 2016 Rosa Parks Diversity Leadership Award to the Health Equity & Engagement Cohort, Hennepin County and Nexus Community Partners. The award was for shared work to incorporate health equity and community engagement into the Station Area Plans for the METRO Blue Line Extension which will run from Brooklyn Park to the City of Minneapolis.

The Health Equity & Engagement Cohort members included: ACER Inc, African American Leadership Forum (AALF), CAPI USA, CLUES, Harrison Neighborhood Association, Heritage Park Neighborhood Association, Lao Assistance Center, Masjid An-Nur, MN African Women’s Association, Northside Resdients Redevelopment Council, La Asamblea de Derechos Civiles, Redeemer Center for Life, Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council, and with technical support from the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability and MN Center for Neighborhood Organizing.

Some project highlights include:

• Health Equity & Engagement Cohort informed over 1,600 hundred people, gathered input from over 900 people and supported community leaders participate in local station area planning. Over 80% of the participants were people of color.
• Station Area Plans that explicitly speak to Health Equity, recommendations linked to community engagement results, and recommendations to utilize a Racial Equity Toolkit and other equitable development tools to inform decision-making and project development to improve community health outcomes
• Over 200 public employees from various departments within Hennepin County and Cities along the METRO Blue Line Extension (Bottineau LRT) were provided training by the Governance Alliance for Racial Equity (GARE).       The training introduced participants to the concepts of Structural Racism, Institutional Racism, Individual Racism and a Racial Equity Tool to inform government decision-making.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

On Thursday, April 14, the Twin Cities Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) graduated 15 fellows in our third cohort. We lucked out with beautiful weather and a beautiful location in Norway House on Franklin Avenue in South Minneapolis. About 60 people attended, some of which included family, friends, nominators and funders.

This year’s fellows selected BCLI trainer Pakou Hang, executive director of the Hmong American Farmers Association to deliver the keynote address. Pakou reminded the fellows in her comments to reach inside for their strength and moral compass to always fight for justice. She also encouraged them to have the determination of a rock which can bend the direction of a stream. Her speech was followed by equally powerful personal reflections of four of the fellows: Tiphanie “PH” Copeland, Jeanette Jones, Luis Rangel, and Harrison Bullard, all of whom were nominated by their peers to speak. On a final program note, we are proud to share that four of the 15 fellows are currently serving on a board or commission and our goal is to get the majority of folks placed within a year of graduation.

We are grateful to all that made the graduation possible and to everyone who has been a part of the program the past year. And as this year ends we already look forward to the next year’s cohort!

The Community Engagement Team (CET), a partnership between Nexus Community Partners, the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, and the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, recently awarded $229,000 in contracts to 11 community organizations to engage their communities around transit equity issues and inform Metro Transit’s Better Bus Stops Program (BBS) (www.metrotransit.org/better-bus-stops).

As part of the Metropolitan Council’s commitment to advancing equity in the region, the BBS program invests in bus stop improvements that enhance access to employment and educational opportunities. The program improves bus stops located in neighborhoods with areas of concentrated poverty where the majority of residents are people of color.

The 11 community organizations are Corcoran Neighborhood Organization, Dayton’s Bluff Community Council, Harrison Neighborhood Association, Hope Community, Jordan Area Community Council, Minneapolis Highrise Representative Council, Nokomis East Neighborhood Association, Smart Trips, West Bank Community Coalition, West Broadway Business and Area Coalitions, and West Side Community Organization.

Nexus is excited to welcome Rebeka Ndosi, our new Program Director leading the Building the Field of Community Engagement Institute! Rebeka comes to us from Twin Cities Public Television having recently completed TPT’s Believe in Black Youth campaign. She is a graduate of Swarthmore College and Northwestern Health Sciences University and holds a master’s degree in Chinese Medicine.