Community Engagement Manager

Job Announcement

Classification and Time Full-time, Non-exempt

Compensation: $36.77 per hour 

Hours 40 hours per week including some Saturdays

Benefits Fully-paid health, dental and vision insurance, life/AD&D insurance, disability insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match, paid holidays, sick, and vacation time

Reports to Deputy Director, Programs

Posted Date June 2026

About Friends of the Urban Forest 

Since 1981, Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF), a premier San Francisco environmental nonprofit, has brought together communities throughout the city to plant more than 60,000 trees -- half of San Francisco’s street tree canopy. FUF has a long history of integrating urban greening with civic engagement as a way to increase community health and resilience, combat the effects of the climate crisis, and promote environmental equity and social justice. FUF recognizes and celebrates San Francisco’s many communities and cultures and the diverse ways in which they connect with nature and each other. 

Position Summary

Friends of the Urban Forest aims to plant over 1,600 trees annually in San Francisco using a community planting model involving neighborhood residents, community organizations, drop-in and trained volunteers, and FUF staff. The Community Engagement Manager serves as a liaison between FUF and communities we work with, with the goal of increasing demand for new trees while building community connections in neighborhoods throughout San Francisco. This position also creates opportunities for community members to engage in our work through volunteering and is responsible for recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers to help plant and maintain San Francisco’s urban forest.  The position currently operates in a hybrid model with approximately 40% time working on tasks that may be performed remotely, and 60% time in-person work in communities throughout San Francisco and/or in the office, which is located in the beautiful Presidio of San Francisco.

This is a public-facing role that takes place across many of San Francisco's diverse neighborhoods. The position involves regular face-to-face interaction with residents, community groups, and members of the public, and requires strong interpersonal skills and cultural awareness. While the vast majority of resident interactions are positive and collaborative, the Community Engagement Manager should be prepared to occasionally navigate challenging or emotionally charged conversations and may need to apply de-escalation techniques when concerns arise in the field.

Driving is an essential aspect of this role. Community Engagement Managers will be expected to safely drive loaded work trucks to different neighborhoods across San Francisco for site evaluation, event preparation, volunteer workdays, and outreach activities. 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Details and Responsibilities

Program Outreach and Community Engagement

• Increases awareness among SF residents about FUF’s urban forestry work, upcoming planting events, StreetTreeSF, and the benefits of urban greening
• Connects with potential tree recipients via door-to-door canvassing, post card notification mailings, hosting virtual or in-person community meetings, and social media posting
• Manages outreach campaigns for neighborhood plantings including resident communication,  community partner engagement, and tracks and maintains detailed resident interaction logs in Salesforce, Google Drive and Asana
• Regularly liaises with and occasionally co-manages special projects in partnership with place-based community groups and other organizational partners
• Researches opportunities, schedules, develops messaging for, and staffs tabling events at community events such as street fairs and community open houses
• Represents FUF at neighborhood association and other community meetings
• Produces and distributes promotional and educational materials such as fliers, postcards, and social media
• Supports contractors in the field by providing on-site outreach assistance, as needed

Volunteer Management

• Recruits, trains, and supervises first-time or occasional volunteers for tree planting, tree care, and other FUF events
• Recruits, trains, and supervises skilled volunteers such as specialized Planting Leaders and Neighborhood Organizers who advocate for trees in their community
• Manages workdays and community events that include pre-event preparation, acquiring city permits, ensuring a safe work environment, conflict resolution, training and supervising volunteers and staff, and event cleanup
• Plans, coordinates, schedules, and supervises FUF staff and interns to deliver volunteer appreciation events
• Maintains relationships with volunteers and tracks data in Salesforce database
• Safely drives company vehicles to transport equipment, materials, FUF staff and volunteers to and from field work sites
• Works closely with social media contractor to give updates on plantings and current events

What Makes a Good Fit

• Maintenance of a growth-mindset attitude and strong ethical practice
• A passion for urban sustainability and commitment to inclusive community engagement
• Ability to think proactively, anticipate problems, analyze situations, develop and implement effective solutions and take initiative
• Demonstrates emotional intelligence, with the capacity to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, build trust across different, and respond thoughtfully in sensitive or high-stakes situations
• Strong relationship-building skills and a proven ability to work effectively with community groups and individuals across diverse backgrounds, cultures, and knowledge bases, with a commitment to equity and inclusion practices

Requirements

While no one person may have all the qualities enumerated below, the successful candidate will bring many of the following qualifications:

• Experience in environmental justice organizing, community outreach, or education in San Francisco
• Experience supervising and mentoring volunteers
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, multitask across multiple simultaneous projects, and coordinate efforts across multiple teams
• Excellent writing, editing, verbal, presentation, and analytical skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and professionally across diverse audiences
• Proficiency in a language other than English, especially Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, and / or Tagalog is beneficial but not required
• Valid CA driver’s license with a clean driving record
• COVID-19 vaccination - Friends of the Urban Forest will consider all requests for reasonable accommodations based on applicants who have a (1) medical contraindication to the specific types of COVID-19 vaccines available, or (2) sincerely held religious belief or practice contrary to immunization

Competitive Compensation and Benefits

The Community Engagement Manager position is full-time, non-exempt with an hourly wage of $36.77 per hour. Friends of the Urban Forest offers a competitive benefits package that includes 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, life, and AD&D insurance for employees and 50% for dependents (up to a certain limit). We offer a 403(b) Retirement Plan with an employer match, a generous paid leave policy that includes 13 holidays each year, vacation starting at 12 days and increasing with additional years of employment, 10 sick days and funds for professional development opportunities.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outdoor weather and working conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Office workspace and cubicle assignments change from time to time and employees should not have any expectation that any assignment is permanent.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, and crawling. The employee must frequently lift and move items over 40 pounds, and may be asked to load tools and planting materials into and out of vehicles. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.  

Equal Employment Opportunity

Friends of the Urban Forest is dedicated to anti-racism, gender inclusivity, and inclusion. As an equal opportunity employer, FUF does not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of any status or characteristic protected by applicable laws or ordinances.

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are strongly encouraged to apply, and so are candidates dedicated to anti-racism, gender inclusivity, and inclusion.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and convictions records.