Outreach Manager

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Title: Outreach Manager

Reports To: Development Director

Supervises: Seasonal or event staff, interns, and volunteers as assigned

Location: Hybrid schedule, with regular in-person work at Rooted sites and community events

Position Type: Regular, Full-Time, Non-Exempt

Salary: $48,000 - $52,000

Benefits: 30 days paid time off plus 10 paid holidays annually; flexible, family-friendly schedule; medical, dental, and vision insurance with Rooted covering 75% of the costs of the insurance package; 401k retirement plan; professional development opportunities; cell phone reimbursement; 4.5 day work week

Start Date: January 2026

About Rooted

Rooted, formed in 2020, grows a community-led, sustainable food system through urban agriculture education, food production, and land access so that people can grow and thrive in healthy, equitable, and sustainable neighborhoods. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Rooted connects communities across the north and south sides through its three core sites—Troy Farm, the Madison School Farm, and the Badger Rock Neighborhood Center & Urban Farm—as well as a network of community and school gardens.

Position Overview

The Outreach Manager leads Rooted’s day-to-day volunteer engagement, community outreach, and agency-wide event coordination. This position creates welcoming and well-organized ways for community members to participate in Rooted’s work, strengthens relationships with volunteers and community partners, and manages events from initial planning through post-event follow-up.

The Outreach Manager works across Rooted’s programs and sites and partners with a designated director lead for each event. This position implements volunteer systems through direct communication, scheduling, relationship-building, and coordination.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Volunteer Engagement - 45%

• Serve as the primary point of contact for prospective and current volunteers and provide timely, welcoming, and clear communication.
• Recruit individual and group volunteers through relationships with businesses, schools, service organizations, neighborhood groups, and community partners.
• Manage volunteer inquiries, applications, registration, scheduling, confirmations, cancellations, required documentation, and general orientation.
• Coordinate and lead individual and group volunteer experiences across Rooted’s sites and programs
• Maintain accurate volunteer records and track participation, hours, partnerships, and other information needed for grants, evaluation, and organizational planning.

Community Outreach - 10%

• Implement an annual outreach plan that increases awareness of Rooted and connects community members with volunteer, event, program, and engagement opportunities.
• Coordinate Rooted’s participation in community fairs, tabling opportunities, tours, presentations, workplace engagement activities, and other outreach events.
• Build and maintain relationships with community organizations, schools, businesses, neighborhood groups, service clubs, and other prospective volunteer or event partners.
• Coordinate outreach calendars, staff participation, supplies, displays, sign-up tools, and follow-up communication.

Event Management - 45%

• Manage Rooted’s agency-wide events from initial planning through evaluation and follow-up.
• Develop and manage event workplans, timelines, budgets, task assignments, run-of-show documents, site layouts, staffing plans, and contingency plans.
• Coordinate event logistics, including venues, permits, vendors, food and beverage, equipment, supplies, rentals, accessibility, parking, waste management, and weather plans.
• Lead event setup, day-of execution, troubleshooting, and cleanup, ensuring events are safe, welcoming, organized, and aligned with Rooted’s values.
• Track event expenses and revenue, maintain documentation, support reconciliation, facilitate post-event debriefs, and recommend improvements.
• Maintain event calendars, planning templates, vendor information, inventories, and supplies for future use.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience managing volunteer engagement, community outreach, events, community programs, or a related portfolio of work.
• Strong project-management and organizational skills, including the ability to plan ahead, manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and follow through on details.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills and ability to create welcoming experiences for people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to remain calm, flexible, and solutions-oriented during events and when plans change.
• Experience developing and monitoring budgets, tracking expenses, maintaining records, and using data to improve programs or systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly with volunteers, staff, vendors, partners, and community members.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, shared calendars and files, registration or database systems, and other technology, with the ability to learn new platforms.
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple programs and sites while maintaining clear roles, priorities, and boundaries.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial equity, inclusion, community leadership, and Rooted’s mission and values.

Additional Information/Requirements

• Must have access to reliable transportation for travel among Rooted sites, community locations, partner meetings, and events.
• Must be available to work scheduled evening and weekend hours required for volunteer activities, outreach, and events; advance notice will be provided whenever possible.
• Ability to move event and outreach supplies and equipment weighing approximately 20 to 30 pounds, with reasonable accommodation as needed.
• An ability to speak multiple languages is considered a plus.
• A criminal history background check will be conducted on the final candidate. A criminal background will not automatically eliminate a candidate from consideration.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Rooted is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

We strongly encourage applications from diverse applicants of all ages. Rooted is committed to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment.