INTERNSHIP: Local Governments for Sustainability - Chicago

Sustainability Intern, Chicago

ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability USA is currently seeking a sustainability intern
from March 2011 to March 2012. This is a paid position.

Based out of ICLEI’s Midwest Regional Office in the Chicago Loop, this position will help launch
and administer the Northeastern Illinois Climate & Sustainability Action Network (NEILCSAN)—a
network of local governments in the 7-county Chicago region committed to sustainability in both
local government operations and the community as a whole. The position will involve working with
influential regional partners and leveraging the vision and framework of the region’s first-ever
comprehensive regional plan, GOTO 2040, to grow the number of municipalities in northeastern
Illinois that use ICLEI’s innovative climate, energy, and sustainability tools to build and strengthen
municipal planning efforts.

This is an exciting opportunity to acquire a deep understanding of local planning within a regional
context, develop knowledge about cutting-edge sustainability resources for local governments, and
help build a network of municipalities that share local best practices for replication throughout the
region and nationally. This largely administrative position may perform other research and data
management tasks as necessary.

Qualifications
 One-year commitment from a graduate student in urban and regional planning, public
policy, environmental science, environmental studies, or related discipline
 General familiarity with sustainability, city planning, climate, transportation, and energy
policy, and a solid understanding of one or more specialized areas
 Exceptional organization skills; able to manage multiple assignments simultaneously
 Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; candidates should be outgoing and upbeat
with a service-oriented personality
 Good at investigative research via phone and/or online
 Skilled at writing memos, agendas, summaries, and/or instructions
 Experience in designing compelling visual presentations
 The best candidates will be strategic thinkers; adept at critical thinking; creative; and have a
demonstrated ability to identify and resolve issues with minimal supervision

Internship details
The tasks required in this internship include, but are not limited to:
 Coordinate and organize communications between ICLEI’s Midwest regional staff and
NEILCSAN stakeholders, including local government staff and elected officials, the Chicago
Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and local and regional nonprofits
 Develop networking platform for local governments to share best practices
 Write agendas, memos, blog posts, and other communications
 Design presentations with content from ICLEI, GOTO 2040, Illinois local governments, and
other regionally specific sources
 Organize technical workshops, webinars, and networking events
 Develop a conceptual understanding of ICLEI tools and resources
 Become proficient in the GOTO 2040 framework
 Work with Midwest regional staff to continually refine NEILCSAN workplan
This paid position is located in Chicago and requires a commitment of 20 hours per week.

More About ICLEI USA
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a worldwide membership association of local
governments working to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and tangible
improvements in local sustainability. ICLEI USA supports its more than 600 member local
governments by providing networking opportunities, tools, resources, and programmatic support
focused on helping members achieve their climate protection and sustainability goals. Visit the
ICLEI USA website.

To Apply
Interested applicants should e-mail a resume with a one-page statement of qualifications, earliest start
date, and work week availability. Please include a writing sample (no more than two pages) with your
materials.
Email your materials to:
Brita Pagels, Midwest Regional Officer
brita.pagels@iclei.org
Subject field: Midwest Regional Office Sustainability Internship
This position is open until filled. No phone calls please. All materials submitted become the property
of ICLEI USA and will not be returned.
Equal Opportunity Employment. ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability USA is committed
to a diverse workplace.