Community Outreach Manager

Marketing Services | Chicago, IL | Full-Time | Local Travel Required Pay Range: $65,000 – $80,000 annually, commensurate with experience Join us — and do work that matters. We're a passionate team of change-makers, diverse thinkers, and problem-solvers. Our purpose: ensuring full access to quality living and championing the power of inclusivity.

We proudly serve over 7,000 individuals with disabilities and behavioral health challenges, including those who are Deaf, Deaf. Blind, and Hard of Hearing. If you're not looking for just any job — if you're ready to build a career where your work directly supports that mission — Anixter Center is the place for you.

About the Role

As our Community Outreach Manager, you'll be the face of Anixter Center to the schools and agencies that support young people and adults with IDD and mental health needs. You'll build and sustain a robust referral network that connects individuals and families to our transition and community-based services, and you'll make sure every referral ends in a successful connection.

You'll be the primary point of contact for Special Education Teachers, Transition Schools, Integrated Community Supports agencies (ISCs), Community Service Organizations (CSOs), and Community Alternative Unlimited units (CAUs) across Chicagoland, and you'll partner closely with Intake, Case Management, program staff, and Marketing/Communications.

This is a full-time, exempt role based in Chicago, with regular local travel throughout the Chicagoland area. A flexible schedule is required, which may include evenings and weekends as necessary.

What You'll Do

Build and grow a referral pipeline by developing strong, lasting relationships with Special Education Teachers, Transition Schools, ISCs, CSOs, and CAUs. Conduct regular outreach through site visits, presentations, and one-on-one meetings with school staff, coordinators, and case managers. Represent Anixter Center at IEP/transition planning meetings, school fairs, community events, and networking functions to raise awareness of our programs.

Serve as a go-to resource on our transition, IDD, mental health, and Deaf/Deaf. Blind/Hard of Hearing services, helping partners understand eligibility, intake, and program fit. Set up and maintain clear referral pathways with partners, documenting how to refer, who to contact, and what to expect at each step. Track every referral from first contact to enrollment in our CRM, and follow up with partners and families to close the loop.

Work with Intake, Case Management, and program staff to make each handoff smooth. Develop outreach materials with Marketing/Communications, monitor referral trends and outcomes, and share what you learn about gaps, underserved communities, and new partnership opportunities with leadership.

What You'll Bring

Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Education, Human Services, Public Health, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience (preferred). 2+ years of experience in community outreach, community development, referral or care coordination, case management, special education, or transition services (preferred). Working knowledge of the IDD and/or mental health service systems in Illinois, including ISCs, CSOs, and CAUs, and familiarity with PUNS (Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services) and the IEP/transition planning process.

Excellent relationship-building, networking, and communication skills, with the confidence to engage school administrators, educators, and agency partners, and strong organizational skills with a CRM or referral-tracking database. A valid driver's license, willingness to travel locally throughout Chicagoland, and flexibility to work evenings and weekends as necessary.

An existing network in Chicagoland special education, transition schools, or DHS/DRS-affiliated service coordination agencies; experience working with individuals who are Deaf, Deaf. Blind, or Hard of Hearing (ASL a plus); and nonprofit, healthcare, or education-adjacent partnerships experience are all a plus. A genuine commitment to nonprofit, mission-driven work.

Benefits

Anixter Center offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, and generous paid time off and holidays. Why Anixter Center You'll join a collaborative, mission-driven team committed to inclusion and accessibility, where relationships and follow-through translate directly into people getting the right supports at the right time.

We offer a mission you can feel good about and the chance to be the connection between families and the services they need. Anixter Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to recruiting, developing, and advancing people with disabilities. Ready to make an impact?

Apply today with your resume and a cover letter describing your experience building partnerships or referral networks and your interest in our mission.