Community Outreach and Relations Specialist / Business Community Liaison - MOCRS

Washington, DC

Full Time

Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS)

Experienced

POSITION: Associate Director / Business Community Liaison
OFFICE:       Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS)
OPEN:           October 6, 2025
CLOSED:      October 17, 2025
GRADE:        Excepted Service, Grade 5 (ES-5)
SALARY:      $85,500

This is an Excepted Service position. Selected candidate must be a District resident or establish residency within 180 days of hire.

Current District of Columbia residents will receive priority and advanced preference for screening and interviews.

background

Led by the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS), this division will continue its ward-by-ward and block-by-block approach to strengthening communities, with the addition of liaisons with the business community, clean city volunteers and the religious community. The Community Relations team will remain the front line for resident concerns, facilitating direct engagement between District leadership and neighborhoods to address issues, provide resources, and foster stronger civic participation. The Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS) serves as the Mayor's primary constituent services agency by providing rapid and complete responses to constituent requests, complaints, and questions. This office is a key resource for the community as it supplies a direct link between District residents, their Mayor, and the Government of the District of Columbia. For more information on MOCRS, please visit https://mocrs.dc.gov/

The Community Outreach and Relations Specialist / Business Community Liaison reports to the Director of MOCRS and is responsible for establishing and coordinating effective collaborations between District government agencies, businesses, and community groups to manage the after-hours economy, and work with the Commission of Nightlife and Culture to advise the Mayor, Council, and District government agencies on common issues and trends relating to the after-hours economy. The work supports MOCRS in advancing the Mayor’s strategic plan and resolving issues facing DC residents by building collaborative partnerships with District government agencies.

Major duties

Establishes, monitors, and maintains a coordination of services from the partnering city agencies.
Develops a coordinated work plan and ensures execution of the work plan to address persistent problems and then monitor the conditions at those locations.
Responds to critical issues and incidents in assigned Ward, including during non traditional work hours.
Identifies steps to improve the coordination of current service delivery system that will be implemented by individual members of various entities, within their existing authority.
Analyzes data to identify and recommend priorities to develop, direct, and organize work-plans. Resolves organizational and operational problems.
Monitors performance indicators and conducts process improvement assessments to determine work plan revisions as needed.
Coordinates services among District agencies to ensure timely responses to neighborhood concerns. Informs other District and Federal government agencies of cases requiring their involvement, and directs the multi-agency initiatives.
Works together with other Outreach and Services Specialists in the development of community engagement strategies targeted to businesess, the nightlife community and other stakeholders.
Develops partnerships with other entities businesses, community-based organizations and citizens to support service initiatives and community problem solving.
As liaison, provides project progress information to neighborhood stakeholders, including the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, civic groups, tenant associations, faith based organizations, schools, businesses, other organizations, and residents.
Prepares weekly progress reports to the Director; and participates in related conferences, meetings and training seminars.
Serves as advisor and technical resource assistant to the various committees for planning, scheduling and conducting joint work efforts.
Performs other duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of the mission, goals, and objectives of MOCRS.
Knowledge of District Government agencies, nightlife and hospitality establishments, regulations and neighborhoods.
Superior interpersonal and relationship building skills.
Ability to work well under pressure, with simultaneous attention to multiple tasks, to meet tough deadlines in a fast-paced, demanding environment.
Ability to communicate both orally and in writing, and to utilize a high degree of tact, diplomacy, and persuasion in accomplishing the goals of the office.
Ability to organize and manage projects, including reviewing, analyzing, and evaluating data and preparing analytical reports.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and integrity, maintaining strict adherence to information security policies and protocols.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and social media platforms.

Work environment

The work is performed primarily in-person. Time in the field is frequently required.

SPECIAL NOTE - SECURITY SENSITIVE

This position is deemed security sensitive. The incumbent of this position will be subject to enhanced suitability screening pursuant to Chapter 4 of DC Personnel Regulations, Suitability – Security Sensitive.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

There is a legal requirement that each new appointee to the Excepted Service either:

be a District of Columbia resident at the time of appointment; or
become a District resident within one hundred eighty (180) days of appointment.

The law also requires that Excepted Service employees remain District residents during the duration of the individual’s appointment. Failure to remain a District resident for the duration of the appointment will result in forfeiture of employment.

If you are interested in this role, please upload your resume and answer the questionnaire. Only the candidates deemed most suited for the position based on resume will receive a call to schedule further discussion.