Energy & Environmental Programs Coordinator

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSTING

Employer: Connecticut Resource Conservation & Development Area, Inc. (CT RC&D)

Employment Status: Regular Part-Time, Hourly

Hours: 25 hours per week, which may include occasional evening and weekend assignments/events

Location: This is a hybrid position. Day-to-day work will take place remotely (work from home or another other remote location). In-person attendance is required for staff meetings which take place at the CT RC&D Office located at the UCONN Extension Center – 1066 Saybrook Road, Haddam, CT 06438. This position also requires the ability to travel to fieldwork locations at farms and municipalities across Connecticut. Mileage is reimbursed at the Federal Standard Mileage Rate.

Pay Range: $25-28/hour (depending on qualifications and experience)

Benefits: Pro-rated vacation & sick time, paid holidays, personal leave, and contribution toward our qualified retirement plan, in addition to all legally required benefits such as Medicare, Unemployment & Workers’ Compensation Insurance, and Social Security.

General Job Duties and Responsibilities:

The Energy & Environmental Programs Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating activities directly related to CT RC&D’s CT Farm Energy Program (CFEP) and CT Environmental Review Team Program (ERT). They will work under the general direction of CT RC&D’s Agricultural Programs Manager and Executive Director to deliver resources and technical assistance to agricultural, municipal, and land trust clientele. This includes providing direct one-on-one assistance to agricultural producers, working with state and federal partners, contractors, municipal staff and commissions, as well as land trusts. Work will include planning and hosting events, assist with the delivery of communication and educational resources, coordination and implementation of grant applications and reports related to both CFEP and ERT programs, and working with partner organizations to aid in the delivery of these programs as needed. Program focus includes, but is not limited to, on-farm energy efficiency and renewable energy, federal grant application assistance, reporting documentation, coordination of field visits, ERT volunteer coordination, and report compilation.

CT Farm Energy Program Tasks: CTFarmEnergy.org 

(50% of the position’s time under the direction of the Agricultural Programs Director):

• Collaborate with farmers, USDA, utility programs, government agencies, and contractors to achieve program goals.
• Outreach and education implementation, which may include providing information to farmers and agriculturally based rural small businesses about available assistance and programs related to energy programs in CT.
• Meet one-on-one to provide direct technical assistance to CT farmers as it relates to the CT Farm Energy Program and USDA Rural Development REAP grant application packages.
• Assist with program administration, including meeting grant deliverables within a scope of work.
• Assist with the development and maintenance of program files and documentation. This may include mailing and contact lists, programmatic documents related to grant technical assistance, clientele eligibility, and resources for program delivery.
• Attend program related meetings, workshops, events, and conferences.
• Deliver targeted outreach campaigns to market the CT Farm Energy program services, including but not limited to, displaying info at local meetings and conferences, workshops, field days, public events, field visits across the state, articles for newsletters, and other news media contacts.
• Work with the CT RC&D Agricultural Programs Director to implement the CT Farm Energy Program.
• Assist in the compilation and development of grant applications and required reporting related to providing technical assistance directly to agricultural producers and agriculturally based rural small business in Connecticut.
• Maintain a record of activities completed.

CT Environmental Review Team Program Tasks: CTERT.org
(50% of the position’s time under the direction of the Executive Director):

• Coordinate a multi-disciplinary team of volunteer environmental professionals in preparing natural resources inventories.
• Monitor, review, and process applications for ERT Reports.
• Gather information about sites of interest, disseminate information to ERT volunteers and participants prior to field visit, schedule site visits with team members, town officials, applicants, and landowners.
• Follow up with volunteers and clientele with progress reports, track volunteer reports and mileage, compile reports as submitted.
• Maintain and update database of ERT volunteer members.
• Assist with marketing the ERT Program to towns and land trusts through outreach and education about the availability and program offerings of CT ERT.
• Work with the CT RC&D Executive Director for Environmental Review Team program implementation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Minimum Qualifications – This position requires a person to think critically, plan ahead, and execute complex tasks with a diverse set of individuals and project partners.

Candidates must have:

• Demonstrated experience with program coordination with multiple project partners.
• The ability to clearly communicate with a wide range of individuals and professional levels.
• Comfortability with participating in CT RC&D’s education and outreach efforts by presenting information to potential partners and clients.
• The ability to effectively work, build relationships with, and coordinate variety of partners including but not limited to farmers, contractors, federal and state agencies, municipalities, and land trusts.
• Excellent business writing skills.
• The ability to manage multiple deadlines across projects.
• An action-oriented work style: self-motivated, detail oriented, with a high level of organizational skills.
• The ability to work cooperatively as part of a team as well as individually.
• The ability to work flexible hours and make site visits to farms and towns across the state of Connecticut, as needed.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft 365 suite of programs and Adobe Acrobat.
• The ability to operate a motor vehicle to carry out assignments and duties which means a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• US Citizenship.
• A clean criminal record verified by a background check with local, state, and national law enforcement agencies.

Preferred Qualifications – While the following are not specific requirements of the position, and on-the-job training will be provided, these factors will be highly regarded during the review process.

A plus if candidates have:

• A bachelor’s degree in agriculture, environmental science, natural resources, and/or energy and/or 3-4 years of equivalent training and job experience.
• Experience with agriculture production and farming practices and/or current natural resources management practices.
• Familiarity and/or experience in processing state and federal agricultural or natural resources programs and grants.

Position Description Last Updated: October 27, 2023.