About the position
Island Institute has an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about working with island and coastal communities as a Community Development Officer (CDO). This position will support our Climate Resilience team as part of the Center for Climate and Community. As a CDO, you will help manage projects that strengthen the resilience of Maine’s island and coastal communities, including initiatives in climate and clean energy planning. The role requires strong facilitation, community engagement, and project management skills, along with the ability to travel regularly along the Maine coast to attend and lead meetings. Headquartered in Rockland, Maine, Island Institute is a leading community development organization dedicated to navigating climate and economic changes with Maine’s island and coastal communities, expanding opportunities, and delivering effective solutions. Our culture thrives on collaboration and creativity, driven by a vision where Maine’s island and coastal communities thrive in a rapidly changing world, serving as models of innovation.
Responsibilities
- Facilitate meetings and workshops with internal teams, community partners, and external stakeholders.
- Plan and execute public events to educate and engage communities on climate resilience topics.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, organizations, and stakeholders.
- Implement community engagement strategies that align with local values and priorities.
- Communicate effectively in written and verbal formats to diverse audiences, including community members, technical experts, and policymakers.
- Work collaboratively on a small team while managing relationships with a wide range of external partners, including state, federal and regional partners.
- Translate complex scientific and technical information into actionable recommendations and relatable insights for communities.
- Foster partnerships with technical experts and community leaders to co-develop clean energy and climate resilience strategies.
- Assist with the management of multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely and successful delivery of project objectives.
- Maintain project timelines, budgets, and work plans.
- Coordinate with internal and external partners to implement project activities effectively.
- Serve as topical advisor to appropriate Island Institute Fellows.
- Monitor and evaluate project progress, adjusting plans as necessary to meet goals.
- Familiarity and experience with climate resilience strategies and community planning, especially for rural and island communities.
- Provide culturally-appropriate communication around climate resilience and clean energy.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in sustainability, climate studies, environmental science, planning, communication, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
- 2+ years of work experience with proven success in facilitation, specifically convening stakeholder groups in in-person, hybrid and virtual formats.
- Project management experience and engagement with diverse partners while maintaining relationships across sectors.
- 1+ years of professional work experience with demonstrated content expertise related to climate resilience or clean energy transitions work.
- Excellent public speaking and written communication skills.
- Digital literacy: ability and willingness to navigate multiple digital platforms and conduct virtual and hybrid meetings.
- Experience collaborating with technical experts and translating scientific data to meet community needs and values.
- Proficiency in GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS) and ability to analyze and visualize spatial data.
Benefits
- Health, dental, vision insurance.
- Company provided life insurance.
- 403b plan with an employer match of up to 6% after a year of service.
- Generous paid time off policy.
- 12 paid holidays and 2 paid floating holidays.
- Island Institute membership benefits.
- Hybrid work environment.
