Partnerships What we do Press Blog Our Team Get started
Join ROOST: Open Source Community Manager

Join ROOST: Open Source Community Manager

Published

About ROOST

ROOST is a community effort to build scalable and resilient safety infrastructure for the AI era. Many organizations – big and small – still lack access to basic safety resources, hindering innovation and putting users at risk.

ROOST develops, maintains, and distributes open source building blocks to safeguard global users and communities. Backed by dedicated technical teams and leading experts, ROOST meets organizations where they are and provides hands-on support at every stage of their safety journey.

You can learn more about the ROOST launch and our partners’ support at roost.tools.

Position Overview

We're looking for an experienced and mission-driven Open Source Community Manager to lead the growth and engagement of the ROOST contributor community, and assist the ROOST Head of Product by managing project timelines and deliverables.

ROOST is a new nonprofit, so this is a unique opportunity to apply your skills while defining what open source community management means at the organization. The ideal candidate will thrive in a distributed, collaborative environment and be comfortable navigating the intersection of technical partnerships, community building, and open source development.

Key Responsibilities

  • Contributor Engagement & Growth

    • Develop and execute plans to attract, onboard, and inspire contributors to ROOST open source projects

    • Track and report on community growth, engagement, and contributor activity

    • Act as an “open source guide” to ROOST users who may be new to open source software and OSS ways of working

    • Manage and moderate community communication channels such as Discord, while being an active participant in the community

    • Foster a positive, inclusive, and welcoming environment across all community channels

  • OSS Project Management

    • Working with the Head of Product and CTO, help ROOST project communities stay organized and make progress on project roadmaps

    • Identify and address the needed pieces for ROOST’s OSS projects, such as contribution documentation, Issue management practices, and code review

    • Identify and implement the right cadence and format of community development meetings for ROOST projects (can include building up community leaders and ultimately delegating)

    • Liaise between community members and staff to help unblock roadmap progress and address issues

  • Strategic Development of ROOST’s Community Practices

    • Create and deliver programs that scale your knowledge and expertise beyond yourself

Qualifications

Must-Have

  • Proven experience (4+ years) managing open source projects, preferably ones with a diversity of contributor affiliations

  • Deep understanding of open source principles, development process, and best practices

  • Proven ability to learn new technical domains and become a trusted partner to engineering teams

  • Strong interpersonal skills and a genuine passion for serving communities

  • Ability to work independently and as part of a distributed team

  • Capable of using git workflows

  • Familiarity with common OSS project platforms such as GitHub

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Nice-to-Have

  • Prior experience with the Trust and Safety field

    • Note: If you don’t have prior T&S experience, please take a moment to learn about T&S and consider your comfort level working on online safety issues

  • Prior experience managing community communication channels like Discord

  • Experience with community analytics and reporting tools

  • Experience organizing virtual or in-person events

Compensation and structure

  • This role is a 6 month contract with the possibility to extend or convert to a full-time employee.

  • This position will report directly to ROOST’s Head of Product Juliet Shen and collaborate closely with ROOST’s COO and CTO, offering clear visibility into strategic decisions and the broader organizational roadmap

  • ROOST is a remote organization with global hiring flexibility; this role will be expected to work a majority of hours overlapping with North American timezones.

  • ROOST aims to offer competitive compensation based on candidates’ experience and their regional market. For US candidates this range is $45USD/hr - $85USD/hr

What You'll Experience at ROOST

  • As part of our early-stage team of 3 people and close to 30 community partners, you’ll have a pivotal role shaping how ROOST evolves during its initial growth phase.

  • A community that genuinely values different perspectives and approaches

  • The chance to work across organizational boundaries with partners who share our mission

  • The opportunity to build technology that makes a meaningful difference in online safety and helps protect vulnerable communities online

  • The chance to define best practices in an emerging field and contribute to safer digital spaces globally

  • Regular opportunities to engage with industry and civic leaders and working on Trust & Safety challenges

  • Flexible work arrangements that prioritize results and impact over traditional office structures

How to Join Us

Please share your resume and a brief note about why ROOST's mission resonates with you and how your experience could help us advance it. If you are not coming from Trust & Safety, please share how you will get up to speed on a new technical domain. Send these materials to hiring@roost.tools with "OSS Community Manager - [Your Name]" in the subject line.

ROOST is committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of communities we aim to serve. We especially encourage applications from people whose perspectives are traditionally underrepresented in technology.