Community Capacity Strategist (COM 4)

Full Job Description

Community Capacity Strategist (COM 4)
At the Department of Commerce, we’re reimagining what’s possible in government. We’re builders, thinkers, and change-makers, working at the intersection of innovation, community, and impact. From unlocking critical funding to fueling inclusive economic growth, we’re turning big ideas into real-world solutions that uplift people and places.

Our agency’s strength lies in the diversity of our workforce and the breadth of the lived experiences and perspectives employees bring to the work.

We believe equity is not just a value but a practice, which is reflected in how we design programs, engage communities, and deliver outcomes.

We foster a workplace culture where curiosity is encouraged, bold thinking is welcomed, and collaboration drives our impact.

Let’s build what’s next, together.

The Community Services Division (CSD), partners with local governments, tribes, community-based organizations, and nonprofits to provide community assistance, promote individual and family self-sufficiency, address the causes and effects of crime and violence, and reduce poverty.

The Community Reinvestment Program (CRP) supports community-driven solutions that build safety, opportunity and economic stability for people in Washington. The program is designed to reach communities most impacted by systemic racism, the war on drugs and long-term economic exclusion.

The Community Capacity Strategist serves as the Community Reinvestment Program’s (CRP) subject matter expert on workforce readiness, economic mobility, and small business resilience. This position strengthens the capacity of by-and-for and community-based organizations to deliver workforce and entrepreneurship strategies that are locally driven, culturally grounded, and rooted in equity.

Working under the strategic direction of the Strategic Partnerships Manager, this role translates statewide partnership and systems-alignment goals into practical, community-level implementation. The Community Capacity Strategist provides technical assistance, facilitates peer learning, and supports Local Advisory Teams (LATs), Workforce Development Councils (WDCs), and regional partners in designing and improving programs that expand access to quality jobs, business ownership, and financial stability.

This position works closely with the Community Relations Strategist. This position is focused on the programmatic and system design side, helping partners develop, align, and scale workforce and small business strategies that advance CRP’s statewide goals, while the Community Relations Strategist is focused on communications and engagement—amplifying community voice, managing public messaging, and strengthening partner relationships.

This position manages complex grants and provider relationships, advises internal and external stakeholders, and ensures that community priorities are reflected in CRP’s workforce and small business investments. Acting as a bridge between community needs, workforce policy, and CRP funding mechanisms, the Community Capacity Strategist ensures that local implementation advances the program’s statewide equity and economic mobility goals.

Requirements

Lead Technical Assistance & Program Design
Tasks include:
• Implement and inform statewide partnership and capacity-building strategies developed by the Strategic Partnerships Manager to strengthen community-led workforce and entrepreneurship efforts.
• Advise Local Advisory Teams (LATs) and Workforce Development Councils (WDCs) on developing scopes of work for workforce, entrepreneurship, and small business grants to ensure alignment with CRP priorities.
• Develop, review and analyze implementation plans, performance metrics, and milestones using data dashboards and reports to confirm consistency with equity and economic mobility goals.
• Provide advanced technical coaching, training, and tools that help organizations apply models such as matched savings, career accelerators, financial coaching, and sector-based training.
• Document technical assistance delivered and report outcomes to the Strategic Partnerships Manager for inclusion in statewide learning and evaluation efforts.
• Advise Strategic Partnerships Manager on partnership and capacity-building strategy updates and best practices.

Community & Regional Capacity Building
Tasks include:
• Serve as a trusted expert advisor to by-and-for and community-based organizations implementing workforce or business development strategies, ensuring culturally responsive practices.
• Facilitate learning clusters, peer exchanges, and convenings (in-person and virtual) to share emerging practices and foster collaboration among regional partners. Advising local partners and managers on findings and outcomes to influence collaborative funding models with by-and-for organizations.
• Collaborate with the Operations Manager to troubleshoot administrative and compliance barriers using shared tracking systems and technical guidance.
• Support local innovation efforts such as participatory planning, community-based incubators, and regional cross-agency initiatives to strengthen local economic ecosystems.

Interagency & Internal Coordination
Tasks include:
• Collaborate with internal Commerce teams (e.g., Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness, WorkSource, and Entrepreneurship Programs) to align resources and avoid duplication of services.
• Identify and document opportunities to braid CRP funding with other state, federal, and philanthropic sources to expand community capacity and sustainability.
• Work with the Data & Outcomes Analyst to collect and interpret performance data, ensuring disaggregated reporting by race, geography, and income level.
• Coordinate with the Community Relations Strategist to feature community success stories and highlight economic outcomes in public communications.

Learning, Documentation, and Process Improvement
Tasks include:
• Capture lessons learned, promising practices, and implementation challenges from technical assistance delivery and integrate them into guidance documents and RFP development.
• Participate in CRP retrospectives, cross-team reviews, and planning sessions led by the Strategic Partnerships Manager to strengthen statewide alignment and learning systems.
• Provide recommendations to agency management that inform future strategies for equitable workforce access, business resilience, and community capacity building.

Other Duties as Assigned
Tasks include:
• Contribute to CRP reports, briefings, and legislative materials that summarize regional capacity outcomes and equity impacts.
• Support staff onboarding, cross-training, and community learning sessions to enhance team knowledge of workforce and small business investments.

Qualifications

Required Position Qualifications:
Eight (8) years of combined experience and/or education as described below:
Experience must include:
• 4+ years of experience in workforce development, small business support, economic mobility, or related fields
• Demonstrated success supporting community-based organizations or implementing public workforce programs
• Familiarity with equity frameworks in employment, training, and entrepreneurship
• Strong facilitation, coaching, and relationship-building skills across diverse partners
• Knowledge of career navigation, coaching models, financial empowerment, or small business ecosystems

Two years of experience in policy analysis, legislative coordination, and/or government relations.

Lived experience with serving communities impacted by the war on drugs or economic exclusion may substitute for two years of professional experience.

• What is lived experience? Lived experiences is relevant expertise derived from the accumulated personal life and professional experiences of an individual.

Experience can be gained through life events, volunteer role/capacity, any experience gained outside of professional paid and unpaid experience, academic or a combination of experiences.

The above-listed experience will demonstrate that a candidate possesses the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies to successfully qualify for and perform the duties of the position.

Education involves public relations, public affairs, community relations, public health, public policy, communications, marketing, or closely related field. Qualifying education post High School or equivalent may be substituted year for year for experience.

Examples of how to qualify:
• 8 years of experience
• 7 years of experience and one year of education
• 6 years of experience and two years of education
• 5 years of experience and three years of education
• 4 years of experience and four years of education
• 3 years of experience and five years of education
• 2 years of experience and six years of education

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:
• Experience with participatory planning, microenterprise development, or cooperative business models
• Knowledge of Washington State workforce systems (WDCs, TAP Plan, WorkSource)
• Experience supporting capacity-building for grassroots or emerging grantees

Required Position Competencies:
Ability to:
• Embed racial equity and cultural responsiveness into all areas of program design and TA
• Actively support power-sharing, transparency, and leadership development among impacted communities
• Promote equitable funding access and reduce administrative burden on small and under-resourced organizations
• Ensure economic development strategies are inclusive, generational, and community-driven

To be considered for this position, the following are needed:

• A complete and detailed online application.
• A cover letter (enter online).
• At least three professional references (enter online).

For questions about this recruitment, please contact our recruitment team via email: comrecruitment@commerce.wa.gov - please reference the job number in your message.

Additional Information

Work from Anywhere in Washington State
This position may be located anywhere within Washington State though occasional travel to a Commerce office building or in-state travel to attend events or meetings may be required. If selected, you will need to travel to pick up equipment and receive instruction. Many Commerce employees work remotely or have a hybrid schedule.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies over the next 60 days.

Technical support is provided by NEOGOV, 855-524-5627 (can't log in, password or email issues, error messages). DES job seeker support may answer general questions regarding the recruiting system at careershelp@des.wa.gov.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity
The Washington State Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process or this job announcement in an alternative format may email Human Resources at Human.Resources@commerce.wa.gov. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Department of Commerce also offers a competitive benefits package including: medical and dental insurance benefits, retirement and deferred compensation plans, 11 paid holidays each year, 14-25 vacation days per year (depending on length of employment), 8 hours of sick leave per month (if full time employed), bereavement leave, an employee assistance program, as well as other benefits. Please see the Benefits Tab for more details.