Sustainability Outreach Specialist (Official Job Title: Community Outreach Specialist):    Educate members of the community and employees in order to encourage behavior change, promote savings and achieve sustainability goals. Support sustainability policies and programs through education and engagement. Serve as a resource for county and community partners on areas of subject matter expertise.

Duties:

Education, Outreach and Engagement

• Maintain and enhance the Energy Upgrade volunteer program by recruiting new volunteers, organizing training sessions, communicating with volunteers, scheduling classes and upgrade installs, and working with program partners. Engage and maintain relationships with current and future volunteers.
• Assist with the Partners for Green Places grant project by creating documents, tracking, implementing the communications plan, working with project partners, and other tasks as needed. This grant project is a partnership between numerous organizations that will allow local non-profits to assess and implement energy efficiency measures in their buildings.  
• Ensure a coordinated approach to community outreach and education including the adoption and implementation of relevant campaigns, prioritization of topics based on community need, promotion of priority messages and strategic engagement tools.
• Lead planning and implementation efforts for sustainability events and workshops:
  • Workshops, events and meetings: Examples include annual Sustainable Communities Workshop and other educational events and meetings throughout the year on key issues. Tasks include coordination of planning committees, identification of speakers, development of materials, event promotion, and oversight of budget and contracted services.
  • Classes: Create and deliver sustainability training and classes on priority topics, with a particular focus on energy, green building, and sustainable living (e.g. Energy Upgrade Workshops, Green Champion series); engage new and diverse audiences; implement creative education strategies and technologies to achieve education goals.
• Track and report result of education and outreach efforts according to Department guidance and in a way that will contribute to continuous improvement of programming.
• Develop and implement outreach programs, events and technical reports related to priority subject areas to foster a community culture of sustainability.
• Maintain an understanding of the policy and best practices for sustainability elsewhere around the state and country. Assist in development of programs and policy.

Communication and Coordination

• Develop and maintain communication tools for use with various partners such as county and Extension Sustainability websites, Employee Sustainability e-Net site, subject-specific brochures, informative emails and e-newsletters, blogs, social media posts, videos and other material that furthers the sustainability education mission.
• Showcase success stories both across the community and within the enterprise to highlight completed projects and support the spread of demonstration projects.
• Maintain regular communication with diverse, strategic community and enterprise partners and provide regular opportunities for networking and engagement with a goal of ensuring a connected and informed sustainability network.
• Represent county sustainability at community events and speaking engagements.
• Cultivate critical relationships both internally and externally: cultivate and maintain collaborative relationship with agencies, organizations and business representatives; maintain knowledge of their sustainability priorities and incorporate that into development of new programs; facilitate opportunities to maintain and showcase Sarasota County’s leadership position.
• Develop and maintain Sarasota County’s reputation and relationship with key agencies and organizations responsible for program demonstrations, funding and collaboration opportunities, and leadership opportunities.

Analysis and Consultation

• Regularly research and maintain working knowledge of best practices in sustainability programs and policy, including green building, energy conservation and other identified subject matter expertise; develop approachable technical reports and otherwise apply that knowledge in application of education goals above.
• Analyze policy options as necessary: work with County Governmental Relations to evaluate legislative proposals and to inform the community on opportunities and impediments relative to community sustainability through local, state and federal policy.
• Provide as needed analytic and information services on a range of sustainability related tasks including bench-marking, technology, funding, and networking; Serve as a consultant to internal and external stakeholders in their efforts to improve sustainability and implement innovative practices.
• Conduct and analyze surveys to determine program impact and metrics. Regularly track and report metrics to show success and evaluate opportunities for improvement.
• Assist in identifying and pursuing funding and sponsorship sources.
• Demonstrate ability to manage projects through the planning, organization, monitoring, reporting and control of assigned projects.  Should include development of project plans with tasks, timelines, responsibilities and budgets as well as responsiveness to requests from others in a timely fashion.

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Minimum Qualifications:    An Associate's Degree in Sustainability, Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, Environmental Planning, Communications, Education, Planning or a highly related field to sustainability and two (2) years of sustainability community event/activities planning -OR- Four (4) years of sustainability community event/activities planning.  A valid Driver’s License is required.  Please attach a cover letter and resume to your application.

Preferred Qualifications:    A Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainability, Communications, or Education is preferred with four years of related outreach and education, networking facilitation, event planning and coordination, and policy analysis.  Sustainability-related accreditation preferred, such as LEED GA, LEED AP or International Society of Sustainability Professionals Certificate.  Demonstrated understanding of and connections to the network of sustainability professionals and advocates in Sarasota County is preferred.

Job Based Competencies:    Subject matter expertise on sustainability in general and at least two of the following: energy efficiency, renewable energy, alternative transportation, green building, environmentally preferable procurement, toxins, environmental health, social sustainability and equity.  Working knowledge and demonstrated ability to apply innovative educational techniques designed to engage the audience and ensure retention.

Work Schedule:    There will be occasional work on evenings and weekends.

Sarasota County Government is committed to wellness and successful applicants must be tobacco free for twelve months preceding date of application.

Drug Free Work Environment             EOE/AA/ADA