Chestertown, MD

Position Title: Associate Director for Civic Engagement

Organization: Center for Environment and Society at Washington College

Location: Chestertown, MD

Organization Overview: The Center for Environment & Society (CES) serves as a bridge between Washington College and the rich natural and human resources of the region. Lecture series, workshops, films and seminars provide new perspectives and professional development opportunities for the campus and the larger community. Competitively awarded student fellowships put students to work on real-world problems, allowing them to build a resume and establish connections in the professional world. In the innovative Chesapeake Semester, students range throughout the watershed, exploring the people, places and issues of the Chesapeake Bay in all of their complexity. The Center supports faculty teaching and research through collaboration and by providing access to a variety of resources. It also has led the College in meeting its obligations under the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, while acting as a catalyst in campus recycling, energy savings and the search for alternative energy. The knowledge gained in this effort has been transferred into surrounding municipalities and counties, allowing them to achieve significant cost-savings, while lowering their carbon footprints.

Position Overview: The Associate Director for Civic Engagement will develop, implement, and lead Center activities and programs to engage external partners of Washington College in mutually beneficial collaborations that address current environmental challenges. These programs will focus on providing experiential learning opportunities for Washington College students, so that our students become responsible, ethical and civically minded members of their present and future communities. The Associate Director will work with colleagues at CES and across Washington College towards these goals and build productive and respectful relationships with partners in sectors such as grassroots nonprofits, government entities, K-12 education, cultural institutions, national or international non-governmental organizations, industry or others. The Associate Director will oversee and improve existing leadership programs ripe for civic engagement, such as the CES Fellows, as well as build new programs and opportunities for Washington College students. The Associate Director will mentor and prepare students for these professional experiences, to assist in their reflection and growth as students and citizens while ensuring that partner organizations also benefit and grow as a result of our programs. The Associate Director will report to the Deputy Director and oversee student interns.

Duties:

• Further develop and manage the CES Fellows, a recruitment and retention program for Washington College students, to provide them with co-curricular programming, internship and leadership opportunities.
• Further develop student internships and other opportunities both at CES and with external partners, with a focus on professional development and civic engagement, while coordinating with our partners to ensure positive the outcomes for their organizations.
• Work with CES staff and Washington College’s Office of Enrollment and Admissions on recruitment and outreach to prospective students, including the summer Young Environmental Stewards Conference for high school students.
• Coordinate civic engagement activities with Washington College faculty and staff for retention and academic success of our students.
• Develop ways to extend the benefits of research and scholarship to audiences outside of academia through civic engagement, including identifying community engaged research problems relevant to external partners and means of communicating complex topics to diverse audiences.
• Create programming to support CES sponsored civic engagement opportunities, such as a rotating artist exhibition, fellows in residence, workshops for faculty, and/or student programming.
• Work with other Washington College staff in community and civic engagement to develop a professional practice that is based in scholarship and evidentiary standards to elevate and support this approach in academia.
• In coordination with the Director and other CES staff, Advancement staff, and College leadership, identify funding sources, write grant proposals, and cultivate potential supporters.
• Work to ensure our programs reach a broad and diverse set of students and partners, regardless of their financial need.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with internal and external partners.
• Work with the CES Assistant Director of Communications and Events to host on and offsite public programs and with the Office of Marketing and Communications to ensure public visibility for our programs in digital and print formats.
• Assist with special projects, reports, events, CES staff recruitment and hiring as needed.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree is required, preferably in a field that includes environmental study within the natural sciences, social sciences or humanities.
• At least three to five years of professional experience leading civically engaged programs in education, non-profit or other public service sectors is also required.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Able to work independently and collaboratively, and to take direction.
• Enthusiasm for participating actively in the success of a liberal-arts college and its surrounding community.
• Demonstrated supervisory skills and mentorship, preferably with college students.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal skills.
• Track record of creativity and personal initiative in the workplace.
• Excellent public relations capabilities.

Application Deadline: Open until filled

How to Apply: View the full job description for more information and how to apply.