The Public Engagement Specialist, as part of a new team focused on coordinating long-range planning across state government, will lead proactive public engagement and outreach on statewide long-range strategic planning efforts on high-priority issues impacting the future of Minnesota, in order to ensure these efforts are informed by and responsive to the needs, perspectives, and voices of Minnesota’s diverse communities and the public.  Issue areas could include but are not limited to climate resiliency, rural economic development, economic mobility, workforce development, housing, and artificial intelligence. 

The Public Engagement Specialist, reporting up to the Director of Planning, is responsible for developing and directing the strategy for public and community engagement throughout multiple phases of the long-range planning team’s work (including issue selection, plan development, plan communication, and feedback on plans) as well as coordinating and carrying out public engagement. Responsibilities include:

• Develop and direct a sound, ethical, inclusive, and effective public engagement strategy and practice for the long-range planning team, including consulting on each long-range planning project to develop a public engagement practice for that initiative (designing engagement plans, objectives, target audiences, engagement methodology, timelines, and key activities) as well as developing and maintaining a working library of public engagement tools and promising practices for the team to draw on.
• Establish partnerships with other state agencies, jurisdictions or community-based organizations that are using effective public engagement related to long-range plans. Partnerships could include sharing data or coordinating events.    
• Oversee public engagement efforts including but not limited to listening sessions, workshops, meetings, interviews, focus groups, and informational sessions. Conduct or support public engagement that is sound, ethical, inclusive, effective, and aligned with best practices that emphasize respect, empathy, and inclusivity (including but not limited to trauma-informed practices, accessible practices, and resident-centered practices). 
• Center resident voice in the long-range planning team’s public engagement strategy, with a particular focus on elevating the perspectives of historically excluded and marginalized communities in Minnesota. This could include working with the communications team to create a people-centered communications strategy and using creative techniques to share plans with Minnesotans.
• Build and oversee relationships with research entities, such as academic centers and community-based organizations, that conduct research with key communities. Manage engagement activities with contractors while leading the team’s understanding on best practices related to community-based participatory research and empowering historically excluded groups via research and consultation.
• Support the development of agency-level policy and strategy related to public engagement. Train staff and other individuals involved with long-range planning or others in the agency on effective, ethical, and inclusive public engagement.