Community Engagement Specialist – RL 2024-06

SFEI co-develops nature-based strategies with communities, Tribes, and a wide variety of other partners to support healthy ecosystems and communities. SFEI’s strengths lie in contributing objective data and applying rigorous science to problem-solving, and we recognize that science in and of itself is only one part of the equation. Partnerships and engagement with the communities in which we work are fundamental to achieving meaningful impact. We are building trusted partnerships and authentically engaging with communities to clearly uncover, understand, and communicate environmental threats and injustices; support the development of holistic solutions; and facilitate equitable access to key decision-making conversations, opportunities, and resources.

The Resilient Landscapes Program provides science-based guidance for decision-makers on equitable, nature-based approaches to habitat restoration and climate adaptation. The person in this role will lead SFEI’s participation in, and facilitation of, engagement and partnership-building activities—with a focus on underserved communities and Tribes—to center community expertise and needs in our work. The role involves working on a variety of projects across the Resilient Landscapes Program’s core domains, including urban ecology, wetland ecosystems, watershed management, shoreline resilience, and historical ecology. The role requires a combination of communication and facilitation skills, experience leading authentic engagement and community partnerships, experience with environmental justice issues, cultural competency, and interest in environmental science.

In addition to developing partnerships, a key part of the role will be working collaboratively with all entities involved in the engagement process. SFEI’s role in engagement varies from project to project; the Community Engagement Specialist may lead or co-lead engagement events, sometimes in collaboration with community-based organizations, Tribes, and outreach or engagement consultants. These partners often support SFEI in event facilitation, large-scale public outreach and communication, engagement logistics, environmental education, and specialized facilitation for complex or sensitive topics.

Primary position responsibilities will include:

• Fostering effective collaboration and trusted partnerships with Bay Area and Northern California community-based organizations and Tribes.
• Managing and building relationships with a diverse set of community-based organizations and Tribes.
• Crafting and presenting engagement materials in collaboration with SFEI science, communication, and design leads.
• Co-developing products (e.g., reports, maps, infographics) with community-based organizations and Tribes.
• Planning and facilitating engagement events, including collaborative work to support external partners or consultants, when applicable.
• Coordinating and tracking community and Tribal outreach for SFEI’s three program areas: Resilient Landscapes, Clean Water, and Environmental Informatics.
• Building capacity for community and tribal engagement at SFEI.
• Identify community engagement opportunities and needs across the organization, and contribute to proposals and fundraising efforts to enhance community engagement in our work.
• Participating in inclusive internal culture-building activities.
• Perform primary position responsibilities with minimal supervision

We encourage you to apply if you are excited about this role even if your past experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our other roles.

Qualifications

At our core, SFEI is a science organization that delivers visionary science to empower people and communities to revitalize nature. We are interested in adding a person to our team who has experience working with communities and has an interest in building partnerships to co-create environmental science projects that address community and Tribal needs. We seek a highly creative, empathetic, and communicative candidate to lead engagement and partnership building across a suite of scientific projects. The ideal candidate will have expertise in relationship-building and engagement with Bay Area and Northern California communities, particularly underserved communities and Tribes, experience with project management and fundraising, and an interest or knowledge in environmental science.

Position Requirements

• Located in the Bay Area (hybrid workplace)
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends, as needed for in-person engagement events

Required Experience

• Education in natural or social science and work experience with communities and Tribes

o    13 years of relevant experience or

o    Bachelor’s degree with at least 9 years of relevant experience or

o    Master’s degree with at least 7 years of relevant experience

• Demonstrated commitment to environmental justice and equity

Required Skills

• Experience engaging with communities and Tribes, preferably within the Bay Area and California.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong, authentic relationships with community-based organizations, government agencies, and Tribes that empower them to take action.
• Experience co-developing or co-designing projects with community groups and Tribal partners, e.g., planning and facilitating workshops and community events, conducting surveys, developing and presenting maps and infographics.
• Confidence in coordinating teams and managing partner and funder relationships.
• Strong organizational skills, keen attention to detail, and the ability to track and report on the relationship building and engagement outcomes to SFEI staff.
• Experience in project management, including managing multiple projects efficiently, tracking budgets, and coordinating staff.
• Understanding of, or interest in, environmental science.
• Familiarity with and interest in environmental justice issues in the Bay Area and California.
• Participate in an inclusive work culture and learn about DEI principles and tools used within SFEI.

Preferred Skills

• Translating scientific concepts into resources for communities, Tribes, or other partners (e.g., maps, infographics).
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly present scientific information to non-technical audiences and elicit feedback.
• Demonstrated ability to relate to community and Tribal partners.
• Experience with participatory research and processes for engaging communities, including underserved communities or Tribes.