Climate Program Associate (Hybrid Opportunity)

The Climate Program Associate at UMass Extension supports climate change initiatives, collaborates with various stakeholders, and implements educational programs. Responsibilities include developing projects, organizing online and in-person events, assessing stakeholder needs, and conducting outreach. The position is grant-funded for 12 months with a possibility of renewal and offers a hybrid work schedule, allowing for remote work part of the week.
About the position

The Climate Program Associate serves as an integral part of UMass Extension's Climate Team, supporting climate change initiatives to address the needs of diverse stakeholders, including state and federal agency staff, regional or local government officials, natural resource managers, environmental consultants, community groups, organizations, researchers, and Extension staff. This position will work closely with the Climate Adaptation Coordinator to implement programs and establish collaborations to foster adaptation to climate change. The role involves developing and implementing new and existing collaborative projects and programs that involve campus-wide, local, regional, and national partners in addressing critical issues related to climate adaptation. The associate will organize and present online and in-person educational programs, including creating curriculum independently or with the Climate Adaptation Coordinator, co-hosting field trips and conferences. They will connect and expand networks and collaboratives for climate adaptation, facilitating peer-to-peer learning among climate practitioners, fostering ambassadors who share best practices in adaptation, promoting watershed-scale climate collaboration, and supporting expert work groups. The associate will assess climate adaptation-related needs of stakeholders and respond through initiatives, creating assessments (such as survey instruments), evaluating programmatic success, and reporting results to partners and funders, independently or with the Climate Adaptation Coordinator. Additionally, the associate will collaborate in planning and conducting applied research as appropriate, providing basic research-based climate adaptation recommendations to stakeholders and staff based on known best practices. They will work collaboratively to design and disseminate outreach materials and publications, communicate best practices in the field, and support Climate Program activities, including developing program objectives, preparing reports, and identifying grants to support activities. The associate will represent Extension at the campus, regional, state, and national levels in routine matters of organization and procedure relating to the Climate Program, and co-supervise two student workers each semester, assisting in their training. This position is grant-funded for 12 months with a strong possibility of renewal pending additional funds. The work schedule is Monday to Friday, with flexibility in hours, and the position offers a hybrid work schedule, allowing for work to be performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week.

Responsibilities
• Develops and implements new and existing collaborative projects and programs that involve campus-wide, local, regional and national partners in addressing critical issues related to climate adaptation.
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• Organizes and presents online and in-person educational programs, including creating curriculum independently or with the Climate Adaptation Coordinator, co-hosting field trips and conferences.
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• Connects and expands networks and collaboratives for climate adaptation.
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• Facilitates peer-to-peer learning among climate practitioners, fosters ambassadors who share best practices in adaptation, promotes watershed-scale climate collaboration, and supports expert work groups.
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• Assesses climate adaptation-related needs of stakeholders and responds through our initiatives.
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• Creates assessments (such as survey instruments), evaluates programmatic success, and reports results to partners and funders, independently or with the Climate Adaptation Coordinator.
,
• Collaborates in planning and conducting applied research as appropriate.
,
• Provides basic research-based climate adaptation recommendations to stakeholders and staff based on known best practices.
,
• Works collaboratively to design and disseminate outreach materials and publications.
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• Communicates best practices in the field, including amplifying climate adaptation strategies and demonstration projects that provide co-benefits for people and nature, center racial equity, promote community engagement, or foster impactful collaborations.
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• Supports Climate Program activities, including developing program objectives, preparing reports, and identifying grants to support activities.
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• Represents Extension at the campus, regional, state, and national levels in routine matters of organization and procedure relating to the Climate Program.
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• Co-supervises two student workers each semester and assists in their training.

Requirements
• Bachelor's degree.
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• Three to five (3-5) years of experience relevant for climate change adaptation.
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• Advanced degree in related field can substitute for two (2) years.
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• Valid driver's license with the ability to travel throughout Massachusetts occasionally for meetings.
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• Professional or volunteer experience delivering education or outreach programs.
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• Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills.
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• Ability to establish collaborative working relationships and facilitate group discussions.

Nice-to-haves
• Master's Degree in discipline related to climate change issues.
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• Degree and/or work experience in educational disciplines, pedagogy, communications, network management, or website development.
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• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Benefits
• Opportunities for advancement.