Community Outreach and Relations Specialist - Mayor's Office on Returning Citizen's Affairs (MORCA)

OPEN:  January 12, 2024

CLOSE:  Open until filled

SALARY RANGE/GRADE:    Excepted Service ES5, ($65,285)

This is an Excepted Service position.  Selected candidate must be a District resident or establish residency within 180 days of hire.  

The Mayor's Office on Returning Citizen Affairs (MORCA) provides useful information for the empowerment of previously incarcerated persons in order to create a productive and supportive environment where persons may thrive, prosper and contribute to the social, political and economic development of self, family, and community.  MORCA's mission is to provide zealous advocacy, high-quality services and products, up-to-date, useful information for the empowerment of previously incarcerated persons in order to create a productive and supportive environment where persons may thrive, prosper and contribute to the social, political and economic development of self, family, and community.   To learn more about MORCA, please visit here: https://orca.dc.gov/

MAJOR DUTIES

• Strengthen partnerships between the District’s returning citizen community, the Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen's Affairs (MORCA), and organizations serving the returning citizen community.
• Organize and participate in speaking engagements, panels, lectures to support MORCA's mission and goals.
• Identify areas of need in the District's returning citizen community and work with the Director to establish and maintain strategic relationships with community organizations.
• Organize and facilitate returning citizen stakeholder meetings with members of the community,  Service Organizations, District agencies, and Federal agencies.
• Analyzes data to identify and recommend priorities to develop, direct, and organize work-plans.
• Coordinates services among District agencies to ensure timely responses to community concerns.
• Works together with other Community Affairs Agencies in the development of community engagement strategies. 
• Perform other duties as assigned

COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Highly organized and methodical.
• Innovative with strong critical thinking abilities.
• Able to work well under pressure and meet tough deadlines in a fast paced, demanding environment.
• Constituent focused; positive outlook; strong people skills.
• Ability to critically review reports and data.
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing, and to utilize tact and persuasion in gaining acceptance of policies and programs.
• Strong writing and editing capabilities.
• Experience with social media platforms.
• Experience with core issues facing the returning citizen community.
• Knowledge of the program services provided through MORCA and other partnering agencies.
• Knowledge of and skill in the application of analytical and evaluative theories, concepts, procedures, methods, standards and practices to the interpretation of policy, and to meet existing and future service requirements. 
• Ability to organize and manage projects; to review, analyze, and evaluate data; and to prepare analytical reports.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of two years working in public policy, community engagement, government affairs, or returning citizens agencies.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with the returning citizen community with a focus of connecting people to available services and benefits.

---

DOMICILE REQUIREMENT

There is a legal requirement that each new appointee to the Excepted Service either: (1) be domiciled in the District of Columbia at the time of appointment; or (2) establish District domicile within one hundred eighty (180) days of appointment.  The law also requires that Excepted Service employees maintain District domicile during the period of the appointment.  Failure to maintain District domicile during the period of the appointment will result in forfeiture of employment.

If you are a resident of the District of Columbia and interested in this role, please upload your resume and answer the questionnaire.  Only the candidates deemed most suited for the position based on resume will receive a call to schedule further discussion.

APPLICATION

To be considered for the position, please answer the required question and attach required credentials, including resume.