Resilience Coordinator, The Alliance for the Great Lakes - Chicago, IL

The Resilience Coordinator, a new position with the Alliance, will be a vital member of the Building Resilience team. The coordinator will be able to look across municipal boundaries to develop and implement on the ground plans and projects that restore ailing coastal habitat -- the lakes' first line of defense against pollution and a safe harbor for fish and wildlife. He or she must have an extensive knowledge of tools and tactics needed to implement climate-informed community plans and policies and will build partnerships that conserve important tributaries and coastal habitats that feed and nourish the Great Lakes.
The Alliance for the Great Lakes sets the protection agenda for the Great Lakes, a resource of global significance and the world’s largest source of surface freshwater. The Alliance seeks to protect the Great Lakes from their greatest threats, build a resilient future for communities and instill the value of clean water throughout the region. The Alliance is also a four-star Charity Navigator organization. Learn more about the Alliance at www.greatlakes.org.

Responsibilities

•  Strengthen and motivate our network of local partners in the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor to address stormwater impacts to ravines and Lake Michigan. This includes engaging individuals and networks of public and private landowners, identifying appropriate project locations and breaking down barriers to project implementation. In Michigan City, Indiana and the Trail Creek watershed, the coordinator will work with our local partners to develop investment and implementation for green infrastructure priorities, and to create powerful and compelling narratives of local change.
  
•  Combine policy-making and scientific know-how to engage local agency and non-profit stakeholders in developing community conservation goals and projects.
  
•  Research and develop climate-informed and conservation-focused land use policies that have the greatest impact on water resources.

•  Use spatial analysis to create compelling maps that identify and communicate critical information about impact areas.
  
•  Create and communicate information to decision makers about the benefits of climate- informed practices in their community.
  
•  Coordinate meetings and conferences for diverse groups of stakeholders that put partners on a path to action.
  
•  Collaborate with leading researchers to design facilitation strategies and evaluate success using social network analysis.
  
•  Join forces with internal colleagues to develop compelling content for external audiences.
  
•  Obtain grants and funding streams for projects that achieve climate-informed conservation
  goals. _________________________________________________________________
  Knowledge/Skills
  

• Bachelor’s degree required plus 1-3 years of experience in planning, environmental policy, environmental science, environmental economics, public administration or related field.
  
• Highly organized, with demonstrated success at project coordination across a multidisciplinary team.
  
• Technical understanding of land-use planning, urban conservation, and stormwater management.
  
• Technical understanding and experience using spatial analysis, and application of GIS tools.
  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, combined with group facilitation experience.
  
• Ability to translate technical information to lay audiences and engage communities and individuals on the environmental and economic benefits of community conservation.
  
• Self-driven to meet deadlines without prompting, committed to team work structure and adept at use of online collaboration tools.
  
• Impeccable attention to detail, ability to manage multiple projects and self-establish workload priorities.
  
• Attraction to mission-drive public interest work, often with resource limitation that require resourcefulness in leveraging assistance from and managing pro bono experts and volunteers.
  

Job Parameters

• This position is full-time subject to future funding and consistent with Alliance employment policy. Salary to be commensurate with experience.
  
• Excellent benefits, including health, vacation and retirement plan, are included.
  
• This position is located in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Occasional travel around metropolitan
  Chicago and within the Great Lakes region is possible.
  Application Process
  Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, references, writing sample and mapping sample to: hr@greatlakes.org.
  Applications will be accepted until February 15, 2015 or until the position is filled. Materials should be compatible with Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat. Applicants will receive confirmation of receipt of their materials and further guidance and updates about the hiring process by e-mail, with interviews provided for finalists. No phone inquiries please.
  About the Alliance for the Great Lakes
  The Alliance for the Great Lakes is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Its mission is to conserve and restore the world's largest freshwater resource using policy, education and local efforts, ensuring a healthy Great Lakes and clean water for generations of people and wildlife. For more information about the Alliance’s programs and work, please visit us online at www.greatlakes.org.