User:Mdennis (WMF)/Job description

The nitty-gritty
JOB TITLE

Community Liaison

REPORTS TO

Head of Reader Relations

SUPPORTS

Wikimedia volunteers and staff

Job summary
The Community Liaison must be an experienced editor/contributor on a Wikimedia project. This role is an entry point for volunteer contributors to get answers to questions about the Foundation, or for introductions to Foundation staff, or to better understand a decision-making process or path. The job of the Community Liaison is to be a friendly face who is never "too busy" to talk with contributors who have genuine questions or issues for the Foundation. The liaison steps into difficult discussions to explain details and context to staff and contributors to promote mutual understanding and healthy communication.

The liaison also helps to integrate new Foundation staff into the Wikimedia community by teaching them how to use Mediawiki, social norms of contributing on the projects, and guidelines for working in the community. The Liaison job is not a career track job at the Foundation, but is instead a 3-12 month posting. The term is set in advance generally by the preference of the candidate. Part of the purpose of creating the Community Liaison position is to increase over time the number of staff and non-staff community members who have worked closely with each other, and to build up a roster of former liaisons who can assist the incumbent liaison in a volunteer capacity.

RESPONSIBILITIES


 * Answer questions about the Foundation from community members, or connect them with appropriate staff at the Foundation and shepherd ensuing conversations.
 * Proactively support volunteer contributors and new Foundation staff, encouraging healthy integration into the Wikimedia community.
 * Keep up with the weekly and daily developments in the Wikimedia movement, by following multiple communications channels (IRC, email, mailing lists, chat) and proactively recruiting volunteers to serve as "eyes and ears" on the projects.
 * Help to maintain the database of community contacts.
 * Promote the increased number of actively involved community members.
 * Communicate with key stakeholders in a precise, detail-oriented manner.
 * Help visiting Wikimedians be productive and comfortable in the Foundation office and in San Francisco.
 * Other duties as required.

Some of the things I'm up to

 * Watching multiple channels of community communication and making sure that staff are aware of trends and activities and also alerted when their assistance is needed. For instance, I have invited the Wikimedia Foundation attorneys to weigh in on community noticeboards when matters needed legal input and alerted the Board to questions which they might help resolve.
 * Assisting via e-mail volunteers with complex issues.
 * Putting staff in touch with volunteers to aid with community matters.
 * Working on a system of improving communication from the Wikimedia Foundation to the local levels (see User:Mdennis (WMF)/Wikimedia Foundation announcements)
 * Working on ideas to better assist the volunteer community with addressing staff directly

What I'd like from you
Share with me your ideas. Share with me your thoughts on how "to promote mutual understanding and healthy communication" between the Foundation and the projects...particularly your project. :)