Job Description

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals’ (ITEP) mission is to strengthen tribal capacity and sovereignty in environmental and natural resource management through culturally relevant education, research, partnerships and policy-based services. This mission is achieved through a number of programs that are supported by cooperative agreements and grants from federal agencies and other partners.

This position will work with the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Tribes & Climate Change Program (TCCP) team and other ITEP programs to support ITEP’s role as part of two U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy-supported Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs). Along with multiple non-profit and academic partners, ITEP, is a part of a US EPA Region 9 center (led by San Diego State University) and a national center (led by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) that is assisting with serving US EPA Region 8 as well as communities nationwide. This position will work 50% for the Region 9 center and 50% for the national center. These centers will provide accessible and inclusive technical assistance and capacity building in energy and environmental justice to underserved communities.

This position will be responsible for overseeing and completing related tasks including collaborating with partners to provide technical assistance and training as discussed below with an emphasis on supporting Tribal & Indigenous communities. Potential technical assistance and training topics include:

• Assessing environmental and/or energy Justice needs and potential solutions
  • Understanding community concerns
  • Understanding relevant policies and laws
  • Understanding environmental and energy justice-related data
  • Developing and sharing solutions
  • Developing multi-year roadmaps (plans) to achieve energy and environmental justice goals
• Community engagement
  • Understanding and addressing community concerns
  • Facilitating challenging conversations
  • Engaging community members in developing solutions
  • Understanding decision-making processes and engaging community members in those processes
• Grant proposals and management
  • Identifying relevant grants
  • Developing proposal concepts and scoping
  • Reviewing grant applications as requested

This position may entail working with consultants as needed including helping to recruit and onboard consultants. In addition, this position will be working with another intermediate staff person who will work full-time for the national EJ TCTAC. This position will involve considerable travel, possibly 25%-30% time, and it is preferred that the position be located in Flagstaff, Arizona. There will be an option for hybrid (in-person and virtual) work.

Technical Assistance & Trainings – 70%

In collaboration with partner organizations:

• Manage technical assistance intake forms specific to Tribes.
• Deliver one-on-one technical assistance related to the topics outlined above and other topics that may arise for USEPA Region 9 and nationwide Tribal communities and organizations.
• Develop and deliver relevant workshops and trainings in collaboration with Tribes and Tribal organizations and organizational partners to build the capacity of Tribes and Tribal organizations to address environmental and energy justice issues. The topics of such trainings will be developed with input from Tribes.
• Other technical assistance tasks as related to the project.

Outreach, Communication, & Capacity Building – 25%

• Establish and maintain regional and national working relationships with Tribes and the partner organizations.
• Conduct outreach to individual Tribes and Tribal organizations about EJ TCTAC offerings.
• Create outreach materials about support provided by the EJ TCTACs.
• Design and coordinate EJ TCTAC sessions for and travel to ITEP’s National Tribal Forum on Air Quality, Tribal Lands and Environment Forum, and National Tribal and Indigenous Climate Change Conference.
• Attend periodic virtual EJ TCTAC meetings.
• Travel to EJ TCTAC meetings, other Tribal events, and possibly individual Tribes to conduct outreach about EJ TCTAC offerings.
• Other technical assistance tasks as related to the project.

Other Duties & Responsibilities – 5%

• Attend meetings and provide updates, as needed, for TCCP managers and staff. Attend and participate in the annual ITEP staff retreat.
• Represent NAU by promoting ITEP’s purpose and mission with a diversity of audiences including Tribal, federal, state, public, non-profit, and private sectors.
• May direct the work of and/or mentor students and interns.
• Assist in the development and contributing to quarterly or annual reports.
• Tracking metrics for use in reports, marketing and strategic planning for the project.
• Perform other duties to support the TCC program and ITEP as assigned.

Anticipated starting salary range is $47,634 – $59,542.  Annual salary commensurate with candidate’s qualifications and related experience.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply at nau.edu/careers. A cover letter and resume must be included with the application to be considered. Application deadline: March 25, 2024.

The ideal candidate would work hybrid from Flagstaff, Arizona. However, remote applicants will be considered.

Job Categories: Clean Energy. Job Types: Full-Time. Job Tags: climate change, Technical Assistance, and Tribal and Indigenous Communities. Salaries: 40,000 - 60,000.

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