Community Engagement Manager

Job description | Community Engagement Manager

Stride Autism Centers

Remote (Strong preference for candidates based in IA, IL, or NE)

Full-Time- Reports to Stride’s Head of Marketing

About Stride Autism Centers

Stride Autism Centers is a leading provider of center-based ABA therapy in the midwest for preschool-aged children diagnosed with autism. We specialize in early intervention for children ages 2–6, delivering individualized care in a warm, play-based environment. 

Stride operates 22 centers across Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota — with more on the way. By focusing on underserved communities, we make high-quality autism services accessible to families who have historically had limited options. 

Our team culture has been nationally recognized. In 2024, Stride was honored with Top Workplaces USA awards for Employee Well-Being and Professional Development, based on employee feedback about purpose, growth, and support. In 2025, Stride was recognized at a national level with a Top Workplaces USA award.  

About the Role

The Field Marketing Manager will help drive enrollment growth by boosting local brand awareness and community engagement around Stride’s centers. With support from the head of marketing, you’ll own go-to-market (GTM) planning and execution for new centers and competitive markets — using a mix of partnerships, press, events, and digital outreach. This is a full-time role with typical hours of 9am–6pm Central Time but there are events that occasionally occur over the weekend and/or earlier or later in the day.  This is a remote role, but we strongly prefer candidates based in Iowa, Illinois, or Nebraska. Travel is expected 2-4 times per month for events and local activations (some months may require no travel). You will report to Stride’s Head of Marketing.

Responsibilities

Lead go-to-market plans for new and priority centers: Build, execute, and track success of local GTM plans across five core channels.

-Community partnerships

-Practitioner partnerships

-Direct-to-consumer outreach

-Local press/media

-Social and digital

Community partnerships: Develop brand visibility and trust through local businesses, nonprofits, and family-facing organizations.

-Create brochures, signage, and print/digital collateral for partner distribution. This includes light copywriting, creative brief preparation, and some direct design work ideally using Canva. 

-Identify and coordinate presence at family-friendly events (e.g. farmers markets, museum nights)

-Partner with local attractions (e.g. libraries, play centers, children’s museums)

Practitioner partnerships: Help increase referrals by building awareness with local healthcare providers.

-Create provider-ready collateral for pediatricians, dentists, and therapists

-Help produce webinars and online events that local practitioners can invite their patients’ families to join

-Work with clinical leaders to compile and maintain outreach lists

Direct-to-consumer outreach: Reach families directly to educate them about Stride’s services and support.

-Organize open house events at new or select centers

-Develop a turn-key “event kit” centers can use to host their own open houses

-Produce parenting workshops (in-person or Zoom)

-Manage direct mail campaigns, including vendor coordination and targeting

Press and media engagement: Support local media efforts through coordination and logistics.

-Support Head of Marketing with local press pitches by coordinating responses, schedules of those to be interviewed, and requests for more information

-Build relationships with parent influencers and bloggers

Localized social and digital marketing: Make sure what’s happening on the ground shows up online, drives brand engagement, and boosts web traffic.

-Share updates on Stride’s social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)

-Help test content formats and messaging on TikTok

-Engage with local parenting and autism-focused Facebook groups

-Collaborate with our digital agency to keep location-specific website pages current

Internal collaboration: Maintain thoughtful and effective communication between internal stakeholders (e.g. local clinics and operations teams) to align priorities and convey progress, needs, blockers, etc.

Qualifications

-4+ years of professional experience in marketing, events, or outreach roles

-Highly organized and able to manage multiple timelines and stakeholders

-Clear and professional communicator — in person, in writing, and online

-Comfortable working independently and proactively

-Confident representing Stride in external meetings or at live events

-Proficient in Google Workspace and Canva; good design sensibility 

-Proficiency in project management software a big plus (Monday.com,Airtable, etc)

-Bonus: Experience with HubSpot or WordPress

Additional Details

-Strong preference for candidates based in Iowa, Illinois, or Nebraska

-Travel: 2-4 overnight trips per month (varies by season)

-Full-time schedule: 9am–6pm Central Time

-Bachelor’s degree not required but preferred

-Professional references will be requested in final stages

-Physical demands may include carrying items up to 25 lbs. to help set up event booths or distributing marketing collateral (swag, flyers, etc.)

Benefits

-Competitive compensation

-Health, Dental and Vision Insurance

-Short Term Disability insurance

-Generous PTO + Paid Holidays

-Maternal/Paternal Leave

-401(k) program with generous employer matching

Compensation

$70,000-$90,000 annual salary

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal-opportunity employer. At Stride Autism Centers, we are committed to creating a diverse environment and are proud to promote inclusiveness in everything we do. We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation), civil union or marital status, national origin or ancestry, military or veteran status, disability or genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws. Stride is also committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide the best possible support to children with autism and their families by attracting, developing and retaining world-class clinicians and therapists. Stride has an unwavering commitment to meaningful outcomes.