Manager, Civic Engagement Programs | Advocacy Team

Company: Good Reason Houston
Location: Houston
Posted on: February 19, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Manager, Civic Engagement Programs | Advocacy Team About Good Reason Houston & Houston GPS Good Reason Houston exists to ensure that every child, in every neighborhood of Houston, has access to a world-class public education and the opportunity to thrive in the Houston of tomorrow. From a child’s first day of Pre-K to their first day on the job, we work to make sure every student is prepared for success in school, career, and life. Anchored in a cradle-to-career vision, Good Reason Houston is driven by a bold North Star Goal: to double the rate of public school graduates earning a living wage by 2040, positioning economic mobility as the ultimate measure of student success. Achieving this goal requires collaboration across sectors, and Good Reason Houston serves as Houston’s regional education backbone, uniting public school systems, higher education institutions, employers, and civic leaders around a shared vision for student success. Good Reason Houston builds awareness of, advocates for, and advises school systems on measures aimed to improve the quality of education available to all. Today the organization partners with 25 public school systems that collectively serve 700,000 students across 900 public schools in the Houston region. We seek to cultivate a shared regional vision for educational quality, to build the capacity for change required within districts and the greater Houston community, and to foster collective ownership to support student-level results for kids across our city. Houstonians for Great Public Schools is committed to transforming public education by ensuring students are the central focus of every decision. Houston GPS mobilizes voters, parents, and community leaders to drive exceptional outcomes in Houston public schools by supporting and electing leaders who champion student-first policies. Through transparency, accountability, and clear data, we unite diverse voices around a shared commitment for meaningful and constant improvement in local school districts. About the Role The Manager, Civic Engagement Programs designs, leads, and implements the civic engagement experiences that deepen participation and move community members further along Good Reason Houston’s ladder of engagement. This role is responsible for developing and executing a quarterly rhythm of convenings, webinars, listening sessions, and leadership-building opportunities that strengthen understanding of our advocacy priorities tied to economic mobility and living wage attainment. The Manager facilitates high-quality learning environments, drives engagement strategy through programmatic execution, and ensures participants have meaningful opportunities to build skills, contribute insights, and take informed action. The Manager ensures that all engagement programming advances organizational mobilization goals by moving participants toward sustained civic action. This role is accountable for advancing participants from early involvement into sustained engagement by creating clear pathways, designing accessible program structures, and applying consistent follow-through practices. The Manager leads inclusive facilitation, coaches emerging leaders, and strengthens retention by delivering well-organized, high-impact civic engagement programs aligned with the organization’s advocacy priorities and campaign strategies. Success in this role is demonstrated through strong participation patterns, visible growth in leadership readiness, and seamless coordination with the Director of Civic Leadership Engagement’s policy and coalition work. All programs should reinforce the organization’s North Star Goal of doubling the number of public school graduates earning a living wage by 2040. The role also supports coordinated engagement efforts with our affiliate organization, Houstonians for Great Public Schools, ensuring alignment across shared participation pathways and priorities. Primary ResponsibilitiesProgram Design & Delivery (45%) Design and implement a quarterly calendar of civic engagement offerings—including webinars, listening sessions, and convenings—that deepen understanding of our advocacy priorities and strengthen participant commitment. Lead the planning and execution of high-quality programs by developing agendas, producing materials, coordinating logistics, and ensuring accessibility for diverse communities. Facilitate inclusive, well-structured sessions that elevate participant voice, build knowledge, and reinforce pathways for advancing economic mobility and living wage outcomes. Evaluate program effectiveness by analyzing attendance, participation trends, and feedback to refine cadence, content, and engagement strategies. Collaborate cross-functionally with the Advocacy and Communications teams to ensure consistency in messaging, timing, and participant experience. Ensure all engagement offerings reinforce the advocacy team’s campaign priorities and support community readiness to participate in civic actions aligned to economic mobility and living wage outcomes Leadership Development & Training (25%) Identify and develop emerging leaders from within the engagement base, advancing them into structured leadership pathways that support civic participation and advocacy priorities. Design and facilitate skill-building training focused on facilitation, public voice, meeting preparation, and other leadership competencies needed for effective community and civic engagement. Provide coaching and actionable feedback that strengthens leader readiness and confidence, ensuring participants feel supported as they step into more visible roles. Coordinate with Fellows and partners to develop and implement leadership-focused programming, including community forums and civic discussions. Engagement Retention & Experience Management (20%) Design and manage dependable participant communication workflows by implementing clear sign-up, confirmation, and reminder processes that reinforce consistent engagement. Ensure timing, messaging, and copy are aligned with Communications to deliver a cohesive participant experience across email, text, and CRM-supported tools. Deliver high-quality engagement experiences by applying strong facilitation and time-management practices, upholding design standards for clarity and accessibility, and ensuring every session provides participants with a defined and actionable next step. Drive participant progression through structured 30/60/90-day touchpoints by monitoring engagement patterns and coordinating with captains to deliver timely personal check-ins, acknowledgments, and invitations that support sustained involvement and reinforce alignment to advocacy priorities. Data, Reporting & Learning (5%) Oversee accurate, timely data documentation to support decision-making across the Advocacy function. Produce concise weekly snapshots (what we did, who came, what advanced) and surface emerging patterns cross-functionally to refine cadence, format, or messaging. Conduct brief after-action reflections to capture learnings and test small improvements, documenting effective practices in the shared playbook to strengthen consistency over time. Internal Coordination & Alignment (5%) Identify and elevate meaningful participant stories and artifacts, partnering with Communications to translate them into clear, authentic narratives that strengthen organizational storytelling and reflect community experiences in ways that support broader advocacy and engagement goals. Coordinate weekly with the Advocacy team to align on timing, capacity, and participant handoffs, ensuring smooth transitions for newly onboarded participants and predictable advancement for emerging leaders. Maintain accurate dates, details, and documentation in shared calendars and folders to promote alignment, transparency, and effective cross-team execution. Partner with the Director of Civic Leadership Engagement to translate campaign strategy into effective civic engagement programming and leadership pathways. Maintain strong cross-team visibility into program plans and participant progression to support coordinated execution across the Advocacy, Communications, and GPS teams. Support coordinated engagement efforts with our affiliate organization, Houstonians for Great Public Schools, ensuring alignment across shared participation pathways and reinforcing consistent engagement experiences across the broader civic ecosystem. Perform other duties as assigned by D, Civic Leadership Engagement. Our Team Our core values reflect the principles that ground and guide our work. They serve as the foundation for how we show up, internally with our colleagues and externally with our partners and communities. These values shape how we make decisions, collaborate across teams, and navigate challenges. They are the throughline that connects our culture to our impact. CURIOUS We are curious— we ask, listen, and learn with humility to grow our understanding and improve how we work in service of students. CONNECTORS We are connectors—we build meaningful, authentic relationships that create momentum for lasting change with and for Houston students, families, and communities. ROOTED We are rooted— we show up with purpose and persistence, grounded in our mission and in deep commitment to Houston. FORWARD-THINKING We are forward-thinkers–we champion an optimistic vision for Houston’s future and tackle complex challenges with boldness, creativity, and strategic action. STUDENT-CENTERED We are students-centered—removing barriers, expanding opportunity, and shaping systems to improve outcomes for students with the greatest needs. Qualifications & Skills Experience / Background Bachelor’s degree required. Experience in civic engagement, public participation, adult learning, community leadership development, or related programmatic role Demonstrated ability to design and lead engagement programs aligned to advocacy or public-interest goals Proficiency with outreach tools or CRM platforms and spreadsheets. Strong facilitation and public speaking; ability to host engaging, inclusive events. Ability to work some evenings and weekends; valid driver’s license and reliable transportation. Bilingual Spanish preferred. Skills Program strategy & execution Facilitation excellence Change leadership & influence Developing others (aligned to leadership pathways) Decision-making & judgment Results management Working at Good Reason Houston Good Reason Houston offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience in a similar position. The starting salary for this position is $80,000 annually. New hires are offered a salary depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. Good Reason Houston also has a 401(k) (automatic 3% employer contribution), life, medical, dental and vision insurance packages. Each employee accrues 35 paid time off days per calendar year in addition to the 19 paid holidays per year. Good Reason Houston is an office-based organization, but allows for virtual work on Mondays and Fridays. Powered by JazzHR MpkmtpmiEb

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