OPT Community Outreach Coordinator Jobs
Community Outreach Coordinator roles are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with backgrounds in public health, social work, communications, or nonprofit management. Most positions qualify as STEM-adjacent under organizational behavior or applied social science, giving you up to 12 months of standard OPT authorization to build direct community impact experience.
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Get Access To All JobsPosition Summary:
Established in 2008, the College of Behavioral & Community Sciences is breaking new ground by combining knowledge gained through the behavioral sciences with knowledge gained from the community. The College serves approximately 3,100 students with seven undergraduate, 14 master's, and seven doctoral programs housed in six academic departments/schools.
As the state and the nation's systems of health care, social service, civil and criminal justice continue to change, the Department of Behavioral Health Science and Practice is uniquely positioned to address the parallel changes in research and training needs. Our faculty conduct research on critical and emerging issues surrounding the funding, delivery, and outcomes of public behavioral health services as well as issues arising in public health and civil and criminal justice systems.
Since 2007, the Florida Legislature has authorized and funded the Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant Program and designated the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), as the site for the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Technical Assistance Center (CJMHSA TAC) (s. 394.657, F.S.). The goals of the Reinvestment Grant Program are to:
- divert individuals with mental health and/or substance issues from the criminal and juvenile justice systems,
- improve the accessibility and effectiveness of treatment services for adults and juveniles who have a mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or co-occurring disorder and who are in or at risk of entering the criminal justice systems,
- provide funds to plan, implement, or expand initiatives that increase public safety and avert increased spending on criminal and juvenile justice systems.
The CJMHSA Technical Assistance Center provides high-quality technical assistance, training, and systems consultation to communities seeking to enhance their systems for populations with behavioral health and criminal justice histories through Florida's Reinvestment Grant Program. Reporting to the Program Director of the CJMHSA TAC, the Community Outreach Coordinator represents and promotes the services of the CJMHSA TAC throughout the state of Florida and nationwide.
Primary Job Duties:
- Leads proactive outreach to communities that have not previously applied for CJMHSA grants
- Coordinates and conducts presentations at local meetings, community events, statewide conferences, and regional forums to promote the reinvestment grant program
- Distributes TAC/Reinvestment Grant informational, marketing, and outreach materials and collects community feedback to identify local needs and barriers
- Tracks state legislative activity to identify emerging opportunities for TAC expansion or new technical assistance priorities
- Build and sustains relationships with local and regional stakeholders to strengthen the statewide network of behavioral health and justice partnerships
- Supports TAC's visibility through social media, newsletters, and other outreach platforms
- Collaborates with TAC team to build out and pilot new web page infrastructure
- Maintains regular communication with DCF regional offices to align outreach strategies and leverage regional relationships to reach new areas
- Leads the maintenance of a continuously updated internal repository of slide decks, talking points, and other outreach material to support outreach, positioning of the Center, strategic initiatives, and community engagement
- Requires travel - ability to travel across State of Florida and/or other locations as requested
Qualifications
Minimum:
Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum of three-five years related experience in the behavioral health, public health, or criminal/juvenile justice fields.
Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
- Senate Bill 1310 - The Florida Senate is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
- SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
- A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
- (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
- (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
- (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
- (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
- (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
- Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
- Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.
Preferred:
Master’s degree in public health, criminal justice, behavioral health, or related fields.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Strong skills and experience in oral and written communications. This position may be called upon to plan and make presentations to external and internal audiences. This position also involves writing, editing and/or overseeing development of outreach and promotional materials such as brochures, flyers, online, and multimedia content.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Word, Excel, Teams)
- Proficient with Qualtrics, Zoom, Canva, USF Content Management System (web content management system)
- Familiarity or willingness to learn about national and state contracts and grants
- Creative and engaging updates of social media pages
Soft Skills:
- Excellent presentation, oral, and written communication skills
- Demonstrate professionalism in all settings
- Establishes contact with and serves on committees of agencies/providers
- Strong communication skills for educating policymakers and legislative bodies
- Strong problem-solving skills; ability to think quickly on your feet.
Industry Knowledge
- Knowledge of the field's concepts and principles (behavioral health, criminal justice, juvenile justice, child welfare system, and co-occurring behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities best practice models)
- Familiarity or willingness to learn about the Reinvestment grant program history and requirements for grantees
- Familiarity/knowledge with the Statutory language that creates and sustains the project
- Substantive knowledge of Florida's behavioral health and criminal justice systems
- Familiarity with Florida Department of Children and Families infrastructure (e.g. managing entities, DCF regions and circuits)
- Identification of communities/providers who would benefit well from Reinvestment Grant funding, answers questions regarding grant program
Working at USF
With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
About USF
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference.
Compliance and Federal Notices
This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.
Position Summary:
Established in 2008, the College of Behavioral & Community Sciences is breaking new ground by combining knowledge gained through the behavioral sciences with knowledge gained from the community. The College serves approximately 3,100 students with seven undergraduate, 14 master's, and seven doctoral programs housed in six academic departments/schools.
As the state and the nation's systems of health care, social service, civil and criminal justice continue to change, the Department of Behavioral Health Science and Practice is uniquely positioned to address the parallel changes in research and training needs. Our faculty conduct research on critical and emerging issues surrounding the funding, delivery, and outcomes of public behavioral health services as well as issues arising in public health and civil and criminal justice systems.
Since 2007, the Florida Legislature has authorized and funded the Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant Program and designated the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), as the site for the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Technical Assistance Center (CJMHSA TAC) (s. 394.657, F.S.). The goals of the Reinvestment Grant Program are to:
- divert individuals with mental health and/or substance issues from the criminal and juvenile justice systems,
- improve the accessibility and effectiveness of treatment services for adults and juveniles who have a mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or co-occurring disorder and who are in or at risk of entering the criminal justice systems,
- provide funds to plan, implement, or expand initiatives that increase public safety and avert increased spending on criminal and juvenile justice systems.
The CJMHSA Technical Assistance Center provides high-quality technical assistance, training, and systems consultation to communities seeking to enhance their systems for populations with behavioral health and criminal justice histories through Florida's Reinvestment Grant Program. Reporting to the Program Director of the CJMHSA TAC, the Community Outreach Coordinator represents and promotes the services of the CJMHSA TAC throughout the state of Florida and nationwide.
Primary Job Duties:
- Leads proactive outreach to communities that have not previously applied for CJMHSA grants
- Coordinates and conducts presentations at local meetings, community events, statewide conferences, and regional forums to promote the reinvestment grant program
- Distributes TAC/Reinvestment Grant informational, marketing, and outreach materials and collects community feedback to identify local needs and barriers
- Tracks state legislative activity to identify emerging opportunities for TAC expansion or new technical assistance priorities
- Build and sustains relationships with local and regional stakeholders to strengthen the statewide network of behavioral health and justice partnerships
- Supports TAC's visibility through social media, newsletters, and other outreach platforms
- Collaborates with TAC team to build out and pilot new web page infrastructure
- Maintains regular communication with DCF regional offices to align outreach strategies and leverage regional relationships to reach new areas
- Leads the maintenance of a continuously updated internal repository of slide decks, talking points, and other outreach material to support outreach, positioning of the Center, strategic initiatives, and community engagement
- Requires travel - ability to travel across State of Florida and/or other locations as requested
Qualifications
Minimum:
Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum of three-five years related experience in the behavioral health, public health, or criminal/juvenile justice fields.
Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
- Senate Bill 1310 - The Florida Senate is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
- SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
- A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
- (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
- (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
- (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
- (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
- (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
- Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
- Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.
Preferred:
Master’s degree in public health, criminal justice, behavioral health, or related fields.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Strong skills and experience in oral and written communications. This position may be called upon to plan and make presentations to external and internal audiences. This position also involves writing, editing and/or overseeing development of outreach and promotional materials such as brochures, flyers, online, and multimedia content.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Word, Excel, Teams)
- Proficient with Qualtrics, Zoom, Canva, USF Content Management System (web content management system)
- Familiarity or willingness to learn about national and state contracts and grants
- Creative and engaging updates of social media pages
Soft Skills:
- Excellent presentation, oral, and written communication skills
- Demonstrate professionalism in all settings
- Establishes contact with and serves on committees of agencies/providers
- Strong communication skills for educating policymakers and legislative bodies
- Strong problem-solving skills; ability to think quickly on your feet.
Industry Knowledge
- Knowledge of the field's concepts and principles (behavioral health, criminal justice, juvenile justice, child welfare system, and co-occurring behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disabilities best practice models)
- Familiarity or willingness to learn about the Reinvestment grant program history and requirements for grantees
- Familiarity/knowledge with the Statutory language that creates and sustains the project
- Substantive knowledge of Florida's behavioral health and criminal justice systems
- Familiarity with Florida Department of Children and Families infrastructure (e.g. managing entities, DCF regions and circuits)
- Identification of communities/providers who would benefit well from Reinvestment Grant funding, answers questions regarding grant program
Working at USF
With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
About USF
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference.
Compliance and Federal Notices
This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.
See all OPT Community Outreach Coordinator Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Community Outreach Coordinator Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Community Outreach Coordinator
Target mission-driven nonprofits and public agencies
Nonprofits, public health departments, and government agencies hire Outreach Coordinators regularly and are often more open to OPT candidates than private firms. Search for organizations with established HR processes, which signals familiarity with work authorization requirements.
Frame your degree as directly relevant
USCIS requires OPT work to be directly related to your major. A degree in public health, sociology, communications, or social work maps cleanly to outreach roles. Make that connection explicit in your resume and cover letter before the employer raises it.
Lead with impact metrics from previous experience
Outreach employers respond to numbers: volunteer hours coordinated, community members reached, event attendance grown. Quantified results signal real-world experience and make your application stand out regardless of your visa situation.
Address your OPT timeline early in conversations
You have up to 12 months of OPT work authorization. Proactively telling hiring managers your start date and authorization end date removes uncertainty and builds trust. Most community-sector employers appreciate candidates who communicate clearly about logistics.
Identify employers already sponsoring similar roles
Some organizations have sponsored H-1B visa or other visas for program coordinator roles before, which signals long-term hiring intent. Researching employer visa history helps you prioritize applications toward organizations most likely to support you beyond OPT.
Build relationships through volunteer and fellowship networks
Community outreach hiring often happens through referrals and networks. Volunteering with a target organization before applying, or completing a relevant fellowship, puts your name in front of decision-makers and demonstrates commitment to the sector beyond the job itself.
Community Outreach Coordinator OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Community Outreach Coordinator jobs qualify for OPT work authorization?
Yes, if the role is directly related to your field of study. Outreach coordination positions typically qualify for students with degrees in public health, social work, communications, nonprofit management, or related fields. You'll need to document how the job connects to your major when reporting employment to your Designated School Official.
Can F-1 OPT students work for nonprofits or government agencies as Outreach Coordinators?
Yes. Nonprofits, city agencies, public health departments, and community-based organizations are all eligible OPT employers. The organization type doesn't affect your OPT eligibility, provided the role is related to your degree. Government agencies can hire OPT students, though some federal positions may require U.S. citizenship, so confirm with each employer directly.
Where can I find Community Outreach Coordinator jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters roles by visa sponsorship openness, saving you from applying to positions that won't consider your work authorization status. Browsing Migrate Mate's job listings for Outreach Coordinator roles gives you a curated view of employers already aware of and receptive to OPT candidates.
Does a Community Outreach Coordinator role qualify for STEM OPT extension?
Most Community Outreach Coordinator positions do not qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension because the role itself is not classified under a STEM-designated CIP code. However, if you hold a STEM degree and your outreach role involves significant data analysis, public health research, or program evaluation, discuss the specifics with your DSO to assess eligibility.
What happens if my OPT expires before a Community Outreach Coordinator employer can sponsor an H-1B?
If your OPT expires before an H-1B takes effect, you'd need to leave the U.S. or find another status to bridge the gap. Some employers use cap-exempt H-1B filings through nonprofit or government partners to avoid the lottery entirely. Others may support an O-1 visa petition for candidates with strong advocacy records. Planning your OPT end date against the H-1B cap schedule is essential.