Posted on August 24th, 2017

The J. Marion Sims Foundation and the Orton Family Foundation are seeking an experienced professional to fill the PART TIME position of Community Heart & Soul® Coach (see attached job description).

Interested candidates for the Community Heart & Soul Coach position should submit a letter of application indicating why they are applying for the position, including how their skills, experience, and desire to enhance the towns and cities in the Foundation’s footprint make them a fit for the position. The candidate’s letter should include answers to the following questions:

1) Resident participation in decision-making is a bedrock principle of democracy. Describe your philosophy, experience, and personal approach to facilitating the participation of all members of a community.

2) Please describe a recent facilitation experience that has prepared you to work with Heart & Soul communities.

3) What excites you most about the Community Heart & Soul model?

Letter of application (no more than 4 pages) should be submitted, along with the candidate’s current resume, salary requirements, and three references familiar with the candidate’s facilitation and mentoring work to the Foundation by September 15, 2017 at 5pm.

Deliver or mail complete application to:

J. Marion Sims Foundation
800 N. White Street
Lancaster, SC 29720

By email:
jobs@jmsims.org

The J. Marion Sims Foundation (JMS) and the Orton Family Foundation (Orton) are partnering to bring Community Heart & Soul ® to small cities and towns in the J. Marion Sims service area (Lancaster County, Fort Lawn, and Great Falls, SC). JMS is bringing the Community Heart &Soul model to the area as part of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to community engagement.

Coaches will be certified in Orton’s model and will be responsible for facilitation, support and implementation of the model within participating communities. JMS and Orton are seeking qualified candidates interested in fulfilling this coaching role as part-time consulting partners.

Community Heart & Soul Coaches will be certified to teach the model to a growing coalition of interested communities in our region. As a community-focused position, the Coach should have a deep commitment to and passion for the life, culture, history and future of small cities and towns in South and North Carolina.

What is Community Heart & Soul?

Community Heart & Soul is a catalyst for positive change in small cities and towns. By actively seeking the collective wisdom of all residents, including those whose voices are often
missing, Community Heart & Soul brings people together to build stronger, healthier, and more economically vibrant communities.

This resident-driven model helps build trust while taking into account the unique character of a town and the deep emotional connections of the people who live there—a town’s Heart & Soul. These collective insights into what matters most guide a community in making the best decisions for its future.

Community Heart & Soul Coach Training Program

During the first two years, the Coaches will work closely alongside JMS and Orton. Orton will train, mentor, and evaluate the
delivery of trainings to ensure fidelity to the model. At the end of training, Orton will certify the successful candidate as a Community Heart & Soul Coach, endorsed by Orton to contract directly with other partners or communities interested in bringing Community Heart & Soul to their area. Coaches will meet with Orton staff for 6 – 8 days of classroom training across the two-year timeframe.

Coaches will deliver workshops and trainings based on the model, with guidance, utilizing a prescribed training curriculum. In addition to facilitating community workshops, coaches will learn to mentor and guide the Heart & Soul team through the process, focusing on the particular needs of the community. Coaches will also learn to support a Heart & Soul Project Coordinator within each community throughout the Heart & Soul process, and to foster leadership and project management skills.

Coaches will be trained and supported by Orton staff with the following:

1. Training packages for the four phases of the Community Heart & Soul model;
2. Tips and strategies for facilitating community development processes;
3. Assessment of the Coach’s facilitation of Community Heart & Soul workshops in a community;
4. Ongoing mentorship during a community’s two-year Community Heart & Soul process.

Community Heart & Soul Coaches

Coaches help guide towns by training Heart & Soul teams in the four phases of the model, troubleshooting challenges, and helping team members use the tools and resources provided by Orton. Within the scope of the Orton and JMS partnership, Coaches will help JMS implement Community Heart & Soul in 1 – 3 communities in the Foundation’s service area in the first two years of the project.

Desired Qualifications
1. At least 5 years of experience as a facilitator, trainer or teacher, and demonstrated knowledge and understanding of experiential learning strategies and adult learning;
2. At least 5 years of experience working directly in communities with its members on a community development program, project or initiative;
3. Experience in working with a team of community volunteers to manage community-level projects;
4. Mentoring experience, either in an organized program, non-profit or in a professional setting;
5. Experience in creating and managing budgets for community development projects;
6. Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and web-based applications;
7. Experience in or demonstration of a basic understanding in qualitative data management.

Deliverables
Following certification, Coaches will:
1. Provide all workshops and trainings in Community Heart & Soul needed for the community, including, but not limited to, in-person training on all four phases of the model;
2. Act as a mentor to the Heart & Soul team during the process;
3. Submit monthly written and verbal updates on the status of the JMS Community Heart & Soul towns;
4. Participate in bi-weekly or monthly calls with an Orton Programs staff person and the JMS Community Engagement Director;
5. After the completion of each phase, or upon the request of JMS or Orton staff, the Coach will submit a Heart & Soul Phase Review.

Expected Hours of Work
A Coach in training will spend approximately 300-360 hours per community during the two-year Heart & Soul process. This includes Heart & Soul training (with Orton staff) as well as time training and working with community(ies).

Travel
This position requires travel to the Heart & Soul community(ies).

Compensation
During the first two years of the process, Coaches will be compensated by JMS. Travel expenses to and from the Heart & Soul communities and any expenses related to accommodations will be the responsibility of the Coaches.

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