Environmental Education Community of Interest Coordinator

(1 year contract position)

The Puyallup Watershed Initiative is a 10-year commitment funded by The Russell Family Foundation to work with people in the Puyallup River Watershed to support the capacity and leadership development of individuals and groups who envision a healthier watershed. The initiative supports people and organizations to work together in Communities of Interest to identify environmental and social challenges affecting their community, decide how best to tackle them, and then do so.

The Environmental Education Community of Interest (EECOI) is a broad, inclusive partnership of organizations and individuals focused on addressing issues around environmental education with a desire to work to provide access for community members of all ages to discover, connect, and contribute to their ‘place in the Watershed’. It is expected that the candidate for Coordinator will agree to a commitment to the vision and goals the Puyallup Watershed Initiative and EECOI.

In Year 2 our project focus is:

Strategy 1: Build Capacity of the EECOI

• Hire an EECOI Coordinator for general EECOI management, coordination of Steering Committee, work with funded activity leads across all strategies, organize quarterly EECOI check-in meetings with EECOI working partners, and distribute allocated funds (i.e, bus funds) as allocated. Coordinator will report to the Steering Committee.
• Monthly meetings with an 11 member steering committee

Strategy 2: Developing Collaborative Funding Mechanisms and Sources

• Continue work started in Year 1 exploring, drafting and submitting appropriate collaborative STEAM grants and environmental education grant for EECOI and working partners, as well as developing relationships with regional and national foundations and other funders.

Strategy 3:  Communications

• Work to develop EECOI communications within the COI and externally

Strategy 4: Coordinating and Linking Existing and Future Resources

• Collect information about educational opportunities that already exist in the Puyallup River Watershed (PRW), facilitate connections and collaborations between resources/entities, and conduct outreach to new and traditional audiences to grow EECOI coverage geographically and demographically as well as maintain current connections.

Strategy 5: Engaging Diverse Communities

• Reach out to communities underrepresented within environmental education currently, and work to increase cultural competency of environmental educators, formal and informal, in the PRW through workshops and structured discussions.

The EECOI Year 2 work plan is available through the following link: Year 2 Work Plan: http://www.pwi.org/collaboratives/environmental-education/

Primary Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Work closely with Puyallup Watershed Initiative (PWI) backbone and The Russell Family Foundation (TRFF)

• Serve as a contact person and channel of knowledge to PWI, TRFF, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation (GTCF) and other COI’s
• Send announcements from PWI staff about the Initiative to EECOI working partners
• Attend monthly COI coordinator meetings, retreat, and events hosted by TRFF & PWI and serve as a liaison for the EECOI
• Other duties as assigned and communicated by PWI/TRFF.

2. Manage External Communications

• Orient and integrate new working partners
• Interface with the public and potential new working partners
• Oversee communications and marketing such as photos, videos, etc. as documentation
• Coordinate and contribute website content for EECOI as part of the PWI website
• Work with TRFF to access communications services as well as other services as they are contracted by TRFF and the PWI
• Learn where there are gaps of education in other COIs and work with the EECOI working partners to develop partnerships where appropriate.

3. Attend and help coordinate all Strategy Group Meetings to provide a consistent voice across strategies

• Take meeting notes

4. Manage communications among steering committee, sub-strategy groups and the EECOI working partners

• Maintain current contact information for working partners
• Track attendance and participation at the quarterly whole EECOI meetings
• Send meeting reminders and communicate information about meeting times, locations, agendas and notes
• Centralize and organize all EECOI documents through accessible online platform such as Google Docs
• Help establish best practices for team protocols such structure of notes, facilitation, and decision making
• Communicate protocols for using online platforms
• Field requests and direct to appropriate activity leads or sub-strategy groups

5. Organize meeting logistics such as reservation of meeting venues, maintenance of sign-in sheets, arrangement of supplies and food, work with steering committee to develop agenda for quarterly meetings
6. Submission of proposals through TRFF COI Report & Renewal process

• Manage all documents related to the development of plans and proposals

7. Budget management

• Keep track of budget and unallocated funds
• Administer distribution of unallocated funds and stipends to individuals
• Process reimbursements for bus funds, refreshments for meetings, and any other unallocated funds

8. Grants and Funding

• Develop relationships with regional and national foundations and other funders.
• Use Year 2 proposal as basis for grant applications.
• Apply for 5 collaborative grants by the end of 2016, with a target of at least 2 grants that involve collaboration with another COI.
• Continue exploration of other potential revenue sources, such as sponsorships, etc.

9. Other duties as assigned

This is a contract position with a 12-month term with the possibility of extension pending funding. This position is funded through The Russell Family Foundation Puyallup Watershed Initiative

Qualifications/Experience

• Experience working with diverse communities.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize job assignments, and independently meet required deadlines.
• Experience working with limited supervision
• Capacity to work in fast-paced, flexible work environment
• Demonstrated skill working in collaborative environments
• Service oriented with a positive attitude
• Strong communication skills both orally (including active listening) and in writing
• Advanced organizational skills
• Constructive problem solving skills
• Grant Writing and Research
• Ability to provide own transportation
• Ability to work flexible hours
• Excellent note taking, editing, and proofreading skills
• Experience with consistent formatting of materials based on effective design models and use of the following Microsoft software: Word, Excel, Publisher, Power Point and/or other publishing software
• Experience working with Google Docs or other online sharing platforms
• Ability to lift 30 pounds
• Ability to sit for long periods of time

Preferred Skills

• Facilitation and conflict resolution skills
• Knowledge of the Puyallup River Watershed, organizations active in community issues in the watershed, knowledge of emerging concerns in the watershed

Work Conditions

• Most of the work is conducted in an office environment, but interactions in other workplaces are periodically necessary, including local and regional travel

Physical Requirements

• Ability to travel and access various types of buildings
• Speech, visual, and hearing abilities that are sufficient to read and view written materials and effectively communicate and interact with COI member and the public – both in person, over the telephone and on the computer

Reporting Relationship

The Coordinator will report to the EECOI Steering Committee

Compensation and Schedule:

$60,000 annually; expected time 40 hours per week

Benefits: to be handled by the contractor

To Apply:  Please send your cover letter, resume, and three references to pwi.eecoi@gmail.com

Please Include:

• Cover letter including your interest in the position
• Resume highlighting relevant education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities (maximum 2 pages)
• Three job related or academic references with contact information

Applications accepted until priority date of November 15, 2015. Applications will be considered until filled.

The EECOI is an equal opportunity employer committed to affirmative action and accessibility. We are an inclusive organization. People of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ candidates are encouraged to apply. If you need any accommodations to participate in the application process please let us know

This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. The statements contained herein should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. The EECOI has the exclusive right to alter this job description without notice.