Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Community Resource Manager

💰 $ - $

CommunitySocial ServicesNonprofitProgram ManagementOutreach

🎯 Role Definition

The Community Resource Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining curated, accessible resource networks that connect residents, clients, and partner organizations to services and supports. This role combines program coordination, partnership development, outreach and engagement, data tracking, and frontline client navigation to improve access to housing, health, food, employment, and social services. The Community Resource Manager acts as an organizational ambassador, community navigator, and data steward to ensure equitable access and continuous program improvement.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Community Outreach Specialist / Outreach Coordinator
  • Case Manager / Client Services Representative
  • Volunteer Coordinator / Program Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Senior Community Resource Manager / Program Manager
  • Director of Community Engagement / Director of Partnerships
  • Manager of Social Services Programs / Community Impact Lead

Lateral Moves:

  • Grant/Fundraising Specialist
  • Communications & Outreach Manager
  • Policy & Advocacy Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, maintain, and continuously update a comprehensive resource directory of community-based organizations, social services, public benefits, healthcare providers, housing supports, employment programs, and emergency services — ensuring information is accurate, accessible, and searchable for internal staff, partners, and the public.
  • Act as the primary liaison to community partners and service providers, cultivating collaborative relationships, negotiating service agreements, coordinating referrals, and resolving cross-organizational barriers to client access.
  • Intake and triage client and community resource requests using trauma-informed, culturally responsive techniques; conduct assessments to identify immediate needs and create individualized navigation plans.
  • Coordinate and facilitate case management and warm handoffs between clients and external agencies; track referral outcomes and follow up to ensure timely service delivery and client satisfaction.
  • Design and deliver community outreach campaigns, workshops, and informational sessions (virtual and in-person) to raise awareness of available resources, drive service utilization, and strengthen community partnerships.
  • Manage a caseload of resource navigation clients — documenting contacts, goals, referrals, and outcomes in the CRM or case management system to ensure continuity of care and data integrity.
  • Oversee volunteer and peer navigator programs that expand outreach capacity: recruit, train, schedule, supervise, and evaluate volunteers to ensure high-quality client support and adherence to confidentiality standards.
  • Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), referral workflows, and resource triage protocols to streamline internal processes and improve response times.
  • Lead or support grant-funded projects and contracts related to resource navigation, ensuring deliverables, budgets, and program metrics are met and reported accurately.
  • Prepare regular program reports and dashboards (quantitative and qualitative) that synthesize referral volumes, service gaps, client demographics, outcomes, and impact metrics for funders, leadership, and partners.
  • Use data to identify service deserts and unmet needs; design targeted outreach or pilot programs to close gaps and measure program effectiveness over time.
  • Serve as an organizational subject matter expert on local networks, eligibility criteria, benefits enrollment processes, and policy changes that impact access to services.
  • Coordinate emergency response and crisis referrals during spikes in demand (e.g., natural disaster, public health emergency), including rapid outreach, partner coordination, and temporary resource deployment.
  • Manage budgets and procurements tied to community resource efforts (stipends, supplies, translation services, vendor contracts), ensuring compliance with procurement policies.
  • Oversee communications and marketing of resources using social media, multilingual materials, web pages, and partner channels—optimizing content for searchability and equitable reach.
  • Train internal staff and community partners on referral systems, cultural competency, data security, confidentiality (HIPAA/FERPA where applicable), and best practices for resource navigation.
  • Coordinate multilingual and culturally specific engagement strategies; arrange interpretation and translation services to reduce language barriers and increase access.
  • Evaluate vendor and partner performance through service-level agreements, client feedback, and outcome measures; renegotiate or sunset partnerships that do not meet quality standards.
  • Advocate for systemic improvements by compiling client stories, aggregated barriers, and recommendation briefs to inform policy, funding priorities, and service design.
  • Facilitate stakeholder convenings, coalition meetings, and cross-sector workgroups to align strategies, share resources, and build regional systems of care.
  • Implement quality assurance processes including audits, client satisfaction surveys, and case reviews to ensure compliance with organizational policies and continuous improvement.
  • Maintain confidentiality, ethical standards, and documentation practices in compliance with organizational guidelines, legal requirements, and funder conditions.
  • Support technology adoption and optimization for referral platforms and CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, Apricot, 211 platforms), providing user support and requirements to IT partners.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Provide administrative support for partnership contracts, MOU renewals, and insurance documentation.
  • Assist development/fundraising teams with program descriptions, outcomes narratives, and impact data for grant proposals and reports.
  • Conduct outreach to underserved populations through pop-up events or mobile resource tables in partnership with local agencies.
  • Assist in onboarding new staff to resource navigation processes and tools, including shadowing and co-casework.
  • Help maintain multilingual resource materials and ensure digital accessibility (ADA compliance) of resource listings.
  • Pilot technology solutions (referral apps, chatbots, online intake forms) and collect user feedback to inform product decisions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Resource mapping and referrals: demonstrated experience creating and maintaining community resource directories and referral networks for social services.
  • Case management software & CRM proficiency: experience with systems such as Salesforce, ETO, Apricot, HHS systems, or 211 platforms to document client interactions and referral outcomes.
  • Data collection & reporting: proficiency with Excel (advanced functions), Google Sheets, and basic data visualization tools (Tableau, Power BI, or Google Data Studio) to build dashboards and monthly reports.
  • Grant and contract compliance: familiarity with funder reporting requirements, budget tracking, and performance metrics.
  • Outreach tools & digital communications: experience using social media platforms, email marketing (Mailchimp/Constant Contact), and content management systems to promote resources.
  • Intake & assessment tools: ability to administer screening tools, needs assessments, and eligibility checks for benefits and programs.
  • Privacy & confidentiality: working knowledge of HIPAA/FERPA principles or equivalent confidentiality standards where applicable.
  • Multilingual service coordination: experience coordinating interpretation/translation services and producing bilingual materials is highly desirable.
  • Quality improvement methodologies: familiarity with continuous improvement tools such as PDSA cycles, root cause analysis, or basic program evaluation techniques.
  • Basic project management: competency with project tracking tools (Asana, Trello, Microsoft Planner) to manage timelines, deliverables, and cross-functional workstreams.

Soft Skills

  • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills with a proven ability to engage diverse stakeholders, community leaders, and partner agencies.
  • Empathy and trauma-informed approach to client interactions; culturally responsive service delivery.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication, able to translate complex eligibility and benefits information into clear, client-friendly language.
  • Problem-solving and critical thinking: ability to prioritize needs, escalate appropriately, and find creative solutions to barriers.
  • Organizational skills and attention to detail to manage caseloads, documentation, and multiple concurrent initiatives.
  • Resilience and adaptability to work in fast-paced, high-demand environments and respond to changing community needs.
  • Facilitation and public speaking skills for workshops, trainings, and community presentations.
  • Negotiation and conflict-resolution skills to manage partner expectations and resolve coordination challenges.
  • Time management and task prioritization, including ability to meet deadlines for reporting and program delivery.
  • Collaborative team player who can work across departments and disciplines to achieve shared impact goals.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree or equivalent experience in social services, human services, public administration, or a related field; or commensurate work experience (case management, outreach, community organizing).

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSW), Human Services, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, Public Administration, or related field.
  • Advanced certifications in case management, community health worker training, or nonprofit management are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Social Work
  • Public Health
  • Human Services
  • Sociology
  • Public Administration
  • Community Development

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–5+ years of progressively responsible experience in community outreach, case management, resource navigation, or partnership development. (Mid-level roles often require 3+ years; senior positions 5+ years.)

Preferred:

  • Demonstrated experience managing community partnerships, coordinating multi-agency referral systems, supervising volunteers or peer navigators, and producing program reports for funders. Experience with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud), data dashboards, and grant reporting strongly preferred.
Explore More Careers