Job Description

Program Coordinator, Direct Support

About USDN

The Urban Sustainability Directors Network’s (USDN) mission is to create equitable, resilient and sustainable communities by supporting local government sustainability practitioners as they pursue transformative change. We do this by building the capacity of local government sustainability practitioners to take action, scale innovative practices and solutions, influence systemic change, and harness data and insights to advance and influence the field.

The heart of USDN’s work is a network of local government sustainability professionals from over 250 cities and counties across the United States and Canada dedicated to creating a healthy environment, advancing racial equity, and building thriving and resilient communities. USDN brings local government sustainability practitioners together to learn, innovate, collaborate, and accelerate the work of local sustainability.

USDN is powered by a distributed team of 20 people that work together across the United States, and a robust network of trusted partners and collaborators.

USDN believes that a diverse, inclusive, and equity-centered climate movement is essential to achieving our mission. For meaningful, long-term change local governments must work from the ground up through a collaborative approach with the communities they serve.

Position Overview

As a member of the Direct Support and Innovation team, the Program Coordinator will co-design and support member adoption of transformative and innovative practices. This position requires the ability to co-design and co-develop new projects and methods that help local government practitioners become more proactive, anticipatory and effective change agents who transform practice and generate impactful outcomes in the movement toward a just, resilient, and sustainable world. This position reports to USDN’s Direct Support and Innovation Director.

The Direct Support and Innovation (DSI) Team develops, designs and supports innovative processes and projects with USDN members and partners. The DSI team then supports members in testing these new concepts and adjusting approaches to support the network and its partners. The team creates and provides opportunities for members to push beyond the norm and to ideate and apply innovative approaches that create more just, sustainable and climate prepared communities. As a member of the DSI Team, the Program Coordinator will support members through program conceptualization, design, training, coaching and guidance in several areas:

1. Transformational Practices: Deep and impactful transformation of local government structures, policies and practice. This includes centering racial equity and shifting of power in planning and project work; integrating whole human approaches and design; development of metrics for success; and exploring new ideas with partners.
2. Innovative Approaches: Experiment with and evaluate new and innovative approaches to equity-centered climate and sustainability initiatives, policies and projects and support members in taking action.
3. Anticipatory Development and Design: Anticipate near and long term challenges and opportunities facing members and their stakeholders and design proactive solutions to pilot.
4. Special Topic Cohorts: Support member cohorts and innovation projects interested in diving deep into specific solutions or approaches.

Examples of recent USDN Direct Support and Innovation include:

• The USDN Nexus Guidance and training series
• USDN Climate Field Evolution workshops and framework
• USDN New and Improved Hazard Mitigation Plan
• USDN Equitable Transportation workshops and cohort
• Courageous and transformative leadership

Under the management of the Direct Support and Innovation Director, the Program Coordinator plays a lead role in process and project co-design and direct support including coaching, cohort support, partner coordination, fundraising for implementation and connectivity with other initiatives.
Responsibilities

Team

• Foster engagement, camaraderie, collaboration, and clarity within a remote environment.
• Co-develop a clear work plan that aligns with an integrated team plan.
• Participate as an effective team member.
• Pre-event coordination, event support, post-event documentation and maintenance.

Communications and Relationship Building

• Support cross-team and cross-staff collaboration within USDN.
• Share learnings and ideas within the DSI team and with other internal teams and seek to learn from their experiences and perspectives.
• Establish positive working relationships and cooperative arrangements with key programmatic partner organizations.

Supporting Projects and Programs

• Contribute to usdn.org website and materials that USDN may develop to broadly share to influence the field of practice.
• Manage communication with members and use internal databases to track direct support and innovation program offerings and opportunities.
• Support USDN DSI team projects and programs including tracking deadlines, helping complete products and supporting delivery of programs

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Focus

• Cultivate and maintain professional competency in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). EDI is a central goal, fundamental value, and required competency for the practice of sustainability and climate change. USDN staff cultivate EDI skills and competencies through personal practice and training.
• Emphasize USDN’s adopted EDI principles in the design and delivery of support and throughout the performance of job responsibilities. The position will advance EDI principles as a characteristic of responsible governance, where all levels of government have a fiscal and moral responsibility to address the long-term implications that inequity has on prosperity, health, and safety of residents.
• Identify and respond to EDI challenges that members are experiencing.
• Commitment to social justice and anti-racist prinicples.

Qualifications

While no single candidate may embody all the qualifications below, an ideal candidate would possess many of the below experiences and skill sets.

Required Experience:

• Experience developing, delivering and evaluating climate and sustainability programs and desire to shift away from traditional approaches to more innovative solutions and models.
• Experience with centering equity in climate and sustainability practices and policies relevant to local governments.
• Experience working with or within local government
• Experience designing, convening and supporting productive workshops and trainings, and/or experiencing coaching.

Desired Knowledge and Skills:

• Ability to manage multiple complex programs and projects and multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently and with team members in a collaborative and dynamic environment.
• Ability to design and facilitate productive workshops, brainstorming sessions, and trainings (virtually and in-person).
• Ability to work in uncertainty and ambiguity while assisting in sense-making.
• Strong relationship-development and facilitation skills.
• Design skills- ideally in adobe programs and basic website design
• Ability to think outside of the box and seek new equitable methods for supporting local government sustainability practices and policies.
• Ability to develop relationships and work across a diverse array of teammates, partners, and communities.
• Ability to work productively in an unstructured environment.
• Proficient in digital and collaborative office tools including: Google Suite, Zoom, Slack, Microsoft Office Suite, and Monday.com (or other Work Operating Systems)
• Ability to generate and implement support structures that take into account members’ diverse perspectives and changing conditions.
• Active listening, verbal and written communications.

Position Details

• Full-time position for 12 months, with possibility of extension
• Reports to USDN Direct Support and Innovation Director
• Compensation: Expected range $57,000-$65,000 annually, commensurate with qualifications. Robust benefits package, including health, dental, disability and life insurance, flexible leave policy, coaching and 401(k) program.
• Location: This is a fully remote, work-from-home position. USDN has no central office but staff collaborate extensively via video call meetings. Candidates must furnish their own quiet office space for conference calls. USDN provides a computer, smartphone, and IT stipend to cover internet and phone, software, and other home office supplies.
• Work hours: 9am-5pm Eastern, Central, Mountain, or Pacific Standard Times (flexible); 40 hours/week

The Urban Sustainability Directors Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equal treatment of all employees without regard to race, national origin, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, physical or mental disability or other basis protected by law.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

How to Apply

Please click here to submit an application online.

Job Categories: Sustainability. Job Types: Full-Time. Salaries: 40,000 - 60,000.

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