Community Outreach Specialist Seasonal Support

Job Description

Position Overview:

The Community Outreach Specialist, Seasonal Support is a part-time, seasonal position supporting student recruitment and enrollment efforts across KIPP NYC schools. This role plays an important part in connecting prospective families with KIPP NYC's joyful, academically excellent schools by building relationships within local communities, sharing information about our schools, and supporting families through the application process.

Reporting to the Director, Student Recruitment & Community Engagement, and transitioning to the Field Recruitment Manager once that position is filled, the Community Outreach Specialist serves as a trusted representative of KIPP NYC, engaging prospective families through neighborhood canvassing, door-to-door outreach, tabling at community locations, and participation in recruitment events. The Specialist is responsible for generating prospective family leads, encouraging families to apply, and accurately documenting outreach activities to support student enrollment goals.

This role requires an outgoing, relationship-driven individual who enjoys connecting with people, takes initiative, and is motivated by achieving measurable results. The ideal candidate is passionate about KIPP NYC's mission, understands the importance of building trust with families, and believes every child deserves access to a joyful, academically excellent education.

This is a part-time, seasonal, field-based position requiring approximately 15–20 hours per week. The role involves regular travel within assigned neighborhoods across the Bronx, Brooklyn, and/or Manhattan to conduct community outreach and support student recruitment activities.

Candidates must have flexibility to work weekday afternoons after 3:00 PM, evenings, and weekends based on recruitment events, community engagement opportunities, and organizational needs.

This position is seasonal and is expected to conclude each June, with the possibility of renewal in the fall based on organizational needs.

Duties and Responsibilities:

General responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

Community Outreach & Family Engagement

• Represent KIPP NYC in the communities we serve by conducting neighborhood canvassing, door-to-door outreach, tabling at high-traffic locations, and participating in community and recruitment events.
• Clearly and confidently communicate KIPP NYC's mission, educational approach, and school offerings through engaging, personalized conversations with prospective families.
• Highlight school programs and resources that align with families' interests and priorities, including academics, enrichment, after school programming, and other school offerings.
• Build authentic, trusting relationships with prospective families by serving as a welcoming, knowledgeable, and credible representative of KIPP NYC.
• Respond thoughtfully to family questions and concerns, follow up with interested families, and demonstrate persistence and professionalism when navigating challenging outreach conversations.

Student Recruitment & Enrollment Support

• Work toward established weekly lead generation and application goals, taking ownership of outreach results and contributing to KIPP NYC's student recruitment and enrollment priorities.
• Encourage interested families to take the next step in the enrollment process and provide hands-on assistance with starting applications whenever possible.
• Accurately collect and document prospective family information, including family names, contact details, and grade eligibility, using KIPP NYC's designated recruitment systems.
• Ensure prospective family leads are properly attributed, recorded, and shared with the appropriate Student Recruitment and Enrollment team members.
• Develop a strong understanding of KIPP NYC schools within assigned neighborhoods, including grade levels served, school offerings, enrollment eligibility, and application procedures.
• Support prospective families in navigating the application process and connect them with appropriate team members when additional assistance is needed.

Team Collaboration & Outreach Coordination

• Collaborate with an assigned outreach team, including a team lead and fellow Community Outreach Specialists, to implement recruitment strategies within designated neighborhood zones.
• Maintain clear and timely communication with Student Recruitment and Enrollment team members to ensure prospective family leads and applications are appropriately transferred, followed up on, and supported throughout the enrollment process.
• Participate in regular team check-ins and recruitment meetings to review progress toward goals, share community insights, and strengthen outreach strategies.
• Share feedback and observations from community interactions to help the Student Recruitment and Enrollment team better understand family needs and identify opportunities to improve recruitment efforts.
• Support additional student recruitment initiatives, community engagement activities, and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• At least one year of experience in a goal-oriented, customer-facing role preferred, such as community outreach, canvassing, retail sales, hospitality, fundraising, field organizing, or customer service.
• Spanish fluency highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work toward measurable goals, take initiative, and remain accountable for results.
• Outgoing, approachable, and comfortable initiating conversations with new people while demonstrating resilience, confidence, and professionalism.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills with the ability to build positive relationships with families from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to navigate sensitive or challenging conversations with families while demonstrating empathy, professionalism, and discretion when handling personal information.
• Comfortable using technology, including smartphones, digital forms, and recruitment tracking systems, with the ability to quickly learn new tools and platforms.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to maintaining accurate, complete, and timely prospective family records.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team while independently managing assigned outreach activities and responsibilities.
• Ability to stand or walk for two to three hours at a time and carry recruitment materials weighing approximately 10–20 pounds as needed.
• Ability to work within assigned neighborhoods across the Bronx, Brooklyn, and/or Manhattan.
• Flexibility to work weekday afternoons after 3:00 PM, evenings, and weekends based on recruitment and community engagement needs.
• KIPP NYC parents, alumni, and individuals with strong connections to the communities we serve are especially encouraged to apply.
• Deep commitment to KIPP NYC's mission and belief that all students deserve access to joyful, academically excellent schools and strong partnerships between schools, families, and communities.
• Demonstrates KIPP NYC's core values of zest, grit, hope, social intelligence, gratitude, and a sense of humor.

Additional Information

Compensation & Benefits:

KIPP NYC offers a competitive hourly rate of $23-$25 per hour for this role. This rate is standardized based on the position's level and responsibilities to ensure equitable compensation across employees in similar roles.

This description is intended to describe the type of work being performed by a person assigned to this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required by the employee.

This is a full-time, in-person role based in New York City and will require travel to our schools. If you are not in a school-based position, the cadence and frequency of travel to schools is determined by your leadership team. If you relocate outside of a commutable distance or out of the state of NY, your employment will be subject to review, which may include separation from KIPP NYC. It is important that you notify HR if you move or have plans to relocate.

KIPP NYC LLC does not offer visa sponsorship or work authorization. 

KIPP NYC LLC is committed to creating a welcoming environment that includes employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We believe that enables us to better meet our mission and values while serving students and families throughout New York City. 

KIPP NYC LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KIPP NYC LLC is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment.

Company Description

About KIPP NYC:
Founded in 1995, KIPP NYC Public Schools is a non-profit network of 18 free, public charter schools located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. We partner with families and communities to create joyful, academically excellent schools where every child grows up free to create the future they want for themselves and their communities.

From our first middle school, KIPP Academy in the Bronx, to today’s network of eight elementary schools, nine middle schools, and one high school, KIPP NYC provides students with engaging academics, arts, athletics, and social–emotional learning that prepare them for college, career, and beyond.

Our commitment doesn’t end at graduation. Through KIPP Forward, we continue to support our alumni as they navigate college, career, and life, helping them define success on their own terms and pursue the paths that align with their goals and sense of purpose.

Together, we serve more than 9,400 students, supported over 4,700 alumni, and employ more than 1,100 dedicated team members who bring passion, expertise, and commitment to our mission every day.