Montana

Position Title: Community Resource and Engagement Specialist

Organization: Montana State University

Location: Montana

Organization Overview: Mountains and Plains Thriving Communities Collaborative (MaPTCC) at Montana State University is one of 17 US EPA-funded Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (TCTACs). MaPTCC’s primary objective is to deliver effective, locally informed technical assistance to increase the capacity of entities committed to energy and environmental justice in Region 8 to successfully identify, apply for, win and manage grants; secure private funding; and build coalitions to amplify their collective power. To accomplish this objective, the program involves collaborations among multiple universities and non-profit organizations organized in a hub-and-spoke model in which MSU acts as the administrative lead and main point of contact with the project sponsor (US EPA).

Position Overview: The primary focus of this position is planning, delivering, coordinating and evaluating technical assistance programs which build the capacity of individuals and organizations across Montana to address environment and energy justice priorities. The Community Resource and Engagement Specialist is one of a team of five full-time, community-facing staff central to the mission of the Mountains and Plains Thriving Communities Collaborative (MaPTCC). This full-time, year-round professional position is funded by a 5-year cooperative agreement between the US EPA and MSU.

Duties: 

• Work effectively on an ongoing basis to establish relationships and build program awareness among a range of clientele in geography.
• Deliver programming for the range of program participants that builds their grantsmanship, project management, financial planning and sustainability as well as social, civic, economic and leadership capacities.
• Help MaPTCC training leaders and program staff assess environmental justice, energy justice and related needs, determine program priorities.
• Track work in project databases, collect data and feedback to help monitor and evaluate outcome-based programs.
• Connect frontline communities, non-profits, and under-resourced government agencies (including tribes) tribal governments with volunteers for community-driven projects, including problem-solving meetings, research and reporting, and comprehensive actionable emails.
• Connect communities with additional technical, grant, legal, and scientific resources such as decision-makers within government, advocacy, and academia; federal and foundation grants; and pro bono legal support.
• Schedule meetings for communities and potential experts and organizations.
• Produce webinars, trainings, templates (including grant templates), and other capacity-building tools so that additional communities can benefit from the work.
• Broadly share findings formally and informally.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Master’s degree in applied community development, community economics, business, public policy, planning and/or administration, social or environmental justice, or a closely related field OR an equivalent amount of education and/or professional experience.
2. Experience with technical writing, grantsmanship and project management, preferably including those involving federal agencies.
3. Skills for group facilitation or teaching with adult learners.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Demonstrated ability to develop, deliver, and evaluate educational programs.
2. Experience working with directly rural and underserved communities, governments, and community-based or non-profit organizations.

• Demonstrate knowledge of and commitment to the environmental justice and/or energy justice priorities of [geography]’s rural, remote, Tribal, and other underserved communities and will welcome regular and going travel to these geographies.
• Have a familiarity with multi-cultural and different socioeconomic and underserved audiences, an interest in working with people from diverse backgrounds, and have a commitment to the principles of diversity and to excellence in all aspects of their role.
• Demonstrate excellent professional, interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Work collaboratively with constituencies at the neighborhood, community, county, Tribal government, state, and University, and national levels.
• Be technologically- and media-savvy in ways that ensure their ability to connect with program participants and complete required job duties.

Start Date: Upon completion of a successful search, with a preference for the ability to begin on or near June 17, 2024.

Salary/Pay: Starting $75,000 to $80,000 annually, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

Application Deadline: Screening of applications will begin on April 30, 2024; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

How to Apply: Please use the online application to view the full job description as well as how to apply.