Community Engagement Coordinator
Description
Term: June - Dec 2022 with possibility to extend; part-time 20 - 30 hrs/week with evening and weekends
Compensation: $20 - 25 per hour depending on experience
Location: Remote (must be based in the Boston metro area)
Are you passionate about advocating for environmental justice? Do you enjoy reaching out and connecting with people? Come join Solstice Initiative, an innovative nonprofit working to democratize clean energy! Our mission is to empower traditionally excluded communities towards a just and inclusive clean energy transition through accessible and affordable community solar projects, research and innovation, and state-based policy solutions. We work with local stakeholders and organizers to facilitate conversations around solar energy and plan projects that will bring increased workforce development opportunities, environmental health benefits, and wealth-building opportunities to local low-income residents.
We are looking for a passionate and extroverted Community Engagement Coordinator to join our nonprofit team. In this position, you will work closely with Solstice staff to conduct education and outreach to support participatory community engagement opportunities related to bringing solar energy to the Boston neighborhoods of Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan and Hyde Park. These neighborhoods are disproportionately impacted by climate change, and you will work closely with them to envision a future in which these communities can spur economic growth and a healthy environment through renewable energy.
Position Overview:
This position will advance our community engagement and educational efforts as we work to engage local residents in conversations and programming about the energy system, energy justice, and participatory solar development. This position will work remotely and conduct in-person engagement in the community. Because of the nature of the role, the hours are flexible within the week but will regularly include nights and at least one weekend day. Responsibilities will include:
- Conduct outreach and hold conversations with Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, and Hyde Park residents and organizations on climate change, community development, and renewable energy
- Be a champion for energy justice and excite others about it
- Attend local events and meetings with community partners to promote energy justice and community solar
- Gather feedback from community members on our inclusive community solar project in Boston
- Distribute flyers throughout neighborhoods and at community spaces and events
- Support the development of education materials around energy justice, community solar, and other related topics including videos, social media posts, webinars, flyers, etc.
- Coordinate external events calendar with internal and external stakeholders
- Plan Solstice virtual events such as solar career info sessions, energy justice roundtable discussions, etc.
- Develop and foster relationships with community partners connecting individuals to resources and organizations
- Support creation of surveys and collection of evaluation data from community members
- Keep up to date with energy policy initiatives as a call to action for community members
- Manage program communications with external partners such as emails, social media, and newsletters
- Support community advisory board members and meetings
- Work with the Program team to support overall outreach, education, and community organizing strategy
Required Qualifications:
- Enjoys speaking and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds in order to build lasting relationships
- Demonstrated success in community engagement and outreach
- Passionate about climate change and environmental and/or social justice
- Demonstrated ability to network and make connections with people and organizations
- Ability to disseminate complex information in a relatable way
- Familiarity with the geographies and demographics of Boston’s Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan or Hyde Park neighborhoods
- Experience communicating with the residents of low-income and/or BIPOC communities
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to travel around Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan and Hyde Park
- Availability to work nights and weekends regularly
- Willingness to work within equitable and inclusive frameworks and actively engage in ongoing learning about these frameworks within the mission of Solstice
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience planning outreach events
- Basic understanding of climate change and energy
- Lives or works in the Boston neighborhoods of Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan or Hyde Park
- Multilingual in English and Spanish and/or Vietnamese and/or Hatian or Cape Verdean Creole
- Experience developing materials for social media and/or newsletter campaigns
Required Qualifications:
- Enjoys speaking and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds in order to build lasting relationships
- Demonstrated success in community engagement and outreach
- Passionate about climate change and environmental and/or social justice
- Demonstrated ability to network and make connections with people and organizations
- Ability to disseminate complex information in a relatable way
- Familiarity with the geographies and demographics of Boston’s Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan or Hyde Park neighborhoods
- Experience communicating with the residents of low-income and/or BIPOC communities
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to travel around Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan and Hyde Park
- Availability to work nights and weekends regularly
- Willingness to work within equitable and inclusive frameworks and actively engage in ongoing learning about these frameworks within the mission of Solstice
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience planning outreach events
- Basic understanding of climate change and energy
- Lives or works in the Boston neighborhoods of Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan or Hyde Park
- Multilingual in English and Spanish and/or Vietnamese and/or Haitian or Cape Verdean Creole
- Experience developing materials for social media and/or newsletter campaigns
As a Solstice Staff member you will gain:
- Access to a network of diverse stakeholders including community advocates, industry leaders, and public officials at the forefront of policy and project innovation
- Experience working with local stakeholders to build community power
- An understanding of the rapidly growing community solar and renewable energy space
- A full benefits package including medical, vision, dental, 401k retirement plan, and paid vacation time
For more information and to apply please visit our website: https://solstice.us/careers/#jobs
Application deadline is May 6th, 2022
Solstice was founded to advance equity and inclusion in America. We are committed to living those values, not just in the work we do to promote environmental and energy justice, but in how we grow as an organization. We seek always to expand leadership opportunities for traditionally excluded communities in the global transformation to clean energy. Candidates who do not have formal experience but are willing to learn and have relevant lived experiences similar to the communities served by Solstice are strongly encouraged to apply.
Solstice is an equal opportunity employer. We hire, train, compensate, and promote without regards to race, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, national origin, genetics, veteran status, or any of the other characteristics that give each of us unique perspective and capabilities. We are committed to removing barriers to employment that are faced by equity-seeking groups and encourage (but do not require) members of these groups to self-identify as such in their application.
We’re a team of mission-driven, passionate, and dedicated individuals. Apply today and get to know us!