Community Relations Specialist

Compensation Range

$45,631.04 - $58,466.72

Please note: This job opening may close earlier than the stated date, due to high candidate volume. If interested, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Who We Are:

At the City of High Point, we celebrate the creator in everyone. Building on our rich cultural history steeped in industrialism and innovation, our employees seek not only to transform themselves, but the world around us. We are collaborators, we are makers, we are visionaries.

We invite you to explore the many opportunities to serve our community, by sharing your talents, skills, and expertise. You'll join a diverse team of over 1300 individuals dedicated not just to making a career, but a difference; because what we create in High Point, changes the world!

Our Core Values:

• Integrity: Saying what we mean and consistently doing what we say with no desire other than the good of the citizens we serve. It means standing up for beliefs.

• Responsibility: A continual process that emphasizes a high level of personal accountability by each member of the organization.

• Partnership: Adding competitive value and quality to the services provided to our residents, businesses, and visitors through responsible fiscal stewardship, increased innovation, greater use of technology, and expanded civic, neighborhood and regional partnerships.

What We Offer:

The City of High Point offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. We also offer generous benefit package for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service

• 401K and 457B Retirement Plans

• PTO earned within first year

• 12 Paid Holidays per year

• Tuition Reimbursement Plan

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans effective day one

What You'll Do:

The City of High Point is currently seeking a Community Relations Specialist. The Community Relations Specialist engages with community members about issues related to housing security, including the intake and initial evaluation of landlord-tenant disputes and fair housing complaints. This person provides administrative support for the Communications and Public Engagement (CPE) Department, which includes accounting, budget, and HR functions. This person also organizes and attends community engagement events and trainings, supports project management activities, and resolves walk-in customer service concerns. The Community Relations Specialist reports to the Human Relations Division manager and additionally supports Human Relations efforts and projects.

Essential Tasks & Responsibilities:

• Completes intake for walk-in inquiries about discrimination against people in protected classes in the areas of employment, housing and public services, as well as other customer concerns related to housing security, landlord/tenant disputes, houselessness and related human rights areas.
• Develops and shares resources that help customers experiencing housing-related concerns, and refers customers in need of assistance services to other city, county, state and non-government agencies.
• Manages financial responsibilities for the Department, including reconciling payments, creating requisitions, assisting with budget allocations and using enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.
• Serves as Department liaison to HR, including processing timecards, maintaining employee records and coordinating paperwork for new hires and transitions.
• Supports daily functions of the office, including compiling data, preparing reports, updating the division website, routine scheduling and all incoming/outgoing correspondence.
• Provides administrative support to the Human Relations Commission and its subcommittees.
• Plans and coordinates division programs such as panels, forums, festivals, information sessions about civil rights, multicultural training and outreach events.
• Attends community events to share information about the Human Relations division.
• Operates standard office equipment including computers, word processor, calculator and copier.
• Travels occasionally to professional development trainings.
• Assumes special projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

• A two-year degree in criminal justice, social work, community relations, social sciences or related field;
• OR a High School Diploma/GED and two years of experience in customer service, case management, community engagement, public services, financial services or human services.
• A valid state-issued Driver's License, or the ability to obtain one.
• A focus on delivering excellent customer service and consistent engagement with culturally diverse people of all abilities.
• Basic accounts payable and accounting skills, including basic proficiency in Excel and ERP systems.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to analyze, evaluate and present evidence and facts.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience managing multiple overlapping deadlines.
• Ability to be responsible with sensitive and confidential information.
• Ability to keep records and maintain files and documents.
• Ability to remain neutral in a political environment.

The work location of this job will be 211 S Hamilton St High Point, North Carolina.

Our Commitments

The City of High Point is dedicated to fostering a work environment that values individuals from all backgrounds and seeks to attract and retain the most qualified partners in service to the citizens of High Point. As an at-will employer, the City allows employees to terminate their employment, or be terminated at any time, with or without cause, as long as it is not prohibited by law.

The City of High Point is committed to classifying and compensating its employees fairly for the work they do, weighing both the internal capabilities and the external market. While the job description is not intended to and does not create a contract of employment, we are excited to use this "living document" as a guide for managing performance and positions to ensure job descriptions are reflective of the current work required by the incumbent or expected by any candidate to whom an offer of employment is extended.

The City of High Point is committed to providing a safe, comfortable working environment for all employees. To that end, we are proud to comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, as well as make reasonable accommodations to candidates and employees as we are able in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Candidates selected for employment must undergo (a.) a drug screening, in accordance with the City's drug and alcohol policy and (b.) a background screening to determine whether there is any current, pending, or previous charge, conviction or other infraction deemed incompatible with service in the capacity for which the candidate is being hired. In lieu of or in addition to background screening, candidates selected for employment in a position that requires working with children in any capacity must be fingerprinted and undergo a criminal history record check conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Certain positions are considered so critical to the health and safety of others that a candidate cannot be placed in any such position without passing a pre-placement physical exam. The City offers employment to successful candidates conditioned upon the City's receipt of satisfactory results from all required screenings, checks, and exams, as applicable.