Project Coordinator, Public Affairs

Organization Overview

Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive. The Children’s Defense Fund builds community so young people grow up with dignity, hope, and joy. We serve and advocate for the largest, most diverse generation in America: the 74 million children and youth under the age of 18 and 30 million young adults under the age of 25, with particular attention to those living in poverty and communities of color. CDF partners with policymakers, aligned organizations and funders in this service. The Children’s Defense Fund is the only national, multi-issue advocacy organization working at the intersection of child well-being and racial justice by wielding the moral authority of programmatic proximity and community organizing to inform public policy. For more information visit www.childrensdefense.org

Position Summary

The Project Coordinator provides essential administrative, logistical, and project support for CDF’s Public Affairs work and co-anchor responsibilities within the ECOSYS Southern States Fund. Working closely with the Senior Project Manager and National Director, the Coordinator helps ensure smooth execution of project flow, regranting processes, partner engagement, convening logistics, communication flow, and documentation. This role supports internal coordination across CDF teams and external alignment with partners, advisors, and collaborators. The Coordinator helps maintain tracking systems, prepare materials, manage communications, and organize convenings and technical assistance activities that enable high-quality implementation.

Project & Operations Support

• Manage scheduling, calendars, agendas, and preparation of materials for internal and partner meetings.
• Maintain project tracking tools, documentation, and shared files to ensure accurate and accessible records of related activities.
• Support regranting processes (documentation, timelines, follow-up, and deliverable tracking) in alignment with CDF’s internal grant management procedures.
• Assist with the flow of information among CDF teams to maintain alignment across Leadership Development & Organizing, Grants/Finance, Public Affairs, and State Offices.

Partner Engagement & Communications

• Coordinate communications with partners, including scheduling, follow-ups, reminders, and distributing relevant resources.
• Support onboarding processes by preparing partner materials, updating information packets, and maintaining accurate contact records.
• Help manage communication flow with Advisors, technical assistant providers, and collaborators to ensure timely updates and clear expectations.
• Draft initial talking points, executive summaries, briefing notes, and relevant first drafts of external communications, including project status reports, vendor correspondence, newsletter contributions, and formal project announcements.
• Collaborate closely with the project manager and communications team to ensure all drafted external materials align with the organization’s voice, brand standards, and project goals.

Convening & Event Logistics

• Coordinate logistics for virtual and in-person convenings, including multiday gatherings at Alex Haley Farm and state partner visits.
• Manage travel support, participant communication, materials preparation, and technological setup for convenings and workshops.
• Support synthesis of convening notes, summaries, and follow-up actions for internal use.

Technical Assistance & Learning Support

• Track TA requests, assignments, and pacing in collaboration with the Senior Project Manager and partners.
• Coordinate scheduling, materials, and communication related to TA deployments.
• Support data collection processes for learning activities, surveys, assessments, and internal reporting.

Administrative & Systems Coordination

• Assist with contract processes for trainers, vendors, and consultants (task assignments, processing invoices, tracking deliverables).
• Maintain documentation in the shared hubs, including meeting records, TA resources, and regranting artifacts.
• Provide administrative support for internal reporting, internal summaries, and light drafting as needed.

Other Duties as Assigned.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in project or program coordination, preferably in nonprofits or multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Experience supporting logistics, convenings, and partner engagement strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial equity, child well-being, and community-centered

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience coordinating multi-site or multi-partner efforts.
• Familiarity with grant-funded projects, reporting cycles, or regranting processes.
• Experience using project management tools and shared workspaces.
• Background in organizing, youth/student leadership development, or faith-based work is a plus.

Competencies

• Excellent organizational, time management, and follow‑through skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative orientation.
• High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.

Personal Characteristics

• Commitment to servant leadership and equity-centered practice.
• Passion for CDF’s mission, values, and child well-being.
• Proactive, adaptable, and reliable with strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to engage diverse teams and partners with humility and care.

Work Environment

Office environment with some travel required to Southern states and Alex Haley Farm. Occasional evenings or weekends may be required to support convenings and partner engagement activities.

Additional Information

CDF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This job description may be updated as needed. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. To apply, submit a cover letter and resume at www.childrensdefense.org/jobs.