Job overview and requirements

Are you the type of person or organization who excels at coalition building? Are you interested in equitable solutions to big structural problems? Are you passionate about developing community-driven strategies to solve climate change and increase affordability in the Midwest building sector? Do you want to play a leadership role in developing an equitable and diverse Midwestern coalition aimed at advancing affordable homes and businesses that are free of climate change-causing air pollution?

 

The Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition (Midwest BDC) via Fresh Energy is hiring for a Manager of Community Engagement and Equity consultant to play a lead role in ensuring that the Coalition is inclusive of people and organizations most impacted by pollution, such as BIPOC-led organizations and/or those affected by historic injustices, and centers equity in its work to reduce energy burden and emissions across the buildings sector. This is an initial 12-month contract, with the goal of extending as funding is secured. We’re looking for an individual or an organization who is:

• Passionate about equitable coalition building and change-making,
• Knowledgeable about advocacy issues within the housing, community development, and/or building sector.
• Eager to embrace and create opportunities,
• Competent at navigating multiple decision-making arenas and inspiring diverse stakeholders,
• Entrepreneurial, and
• Results-oriented in both team and individual settings.

 

We enthusiastically welcome all candidates or registered organizations to apply. The Midwest BDC is committed to fostering diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age and life experience, creed, religion, class, nationality, language, and physical and mental capability.

 

If this sounds like you, read on!

 

Our story

14% of total carbon emissions in the Midwest derive directly from heating buildings with gas and propane. For large cities, the percentage is typically twice that. In 2019, no comprehensive plan existed to eliminate these emissions, and no organization was doing the planning. The Midwest BDC was founded to support a non-coastal model of deep decarbonization to address the regional challenges of a cold climate and the regional opportunities of purple state politics.

 

With generous support to Fresh Energy, the Energy Foundation seeded the Midwest BDC to play a leadership role in convening and leveraging numerous existing organizations and allies to develop and implement a plan. Sponsored by Fresh Energy and supported by many allies, the Midwest BDC spans eight states (IA, IN, IL, MI, MN, MO, OH, WI) driving coordinated progress with Coalition staff and engaged stakeholders.

 

The Midwest BDC launched initial outreach in January 2020. Subsequently, the Midwest BDC has continued to lead the engagement of a growing group of participants in monthly meetings and strategic planning sessions, coalescing around a mission statement, five work streams, and development of an initial Early Actions Work Plan.

 

Mission: To inspire and educate Midwesterners to end new installations of fossil fuel equipment in residential and commercial buildings by 2030, and to achieve zero emissions from these buildings by 2050, with intentional and consistent integration of equity and labor justice across all facets of our work.  

 

Work Streams: Early Coalition partners have identified five initial priority workstreams: Equity, Public Policy, Market Transformation, Consumer Inspiration, and Research. The Coalition’s work is Equity First, incorporating equity concerns and prioritization into all other work streams. 

 

The Midwest BDC will build regional capacity to enhance and support existing state and local advocates to develop a diverse building decarbonization coalition with equity as a priority focus. 

 

This 12-month contract will support a Manager of Community Engagement and Equity consultant within the Midwest BDC. This will be a leadership position to support the Coalition’s Equity First commitment and advance the Coalition’s Equity work stream. 

 

Reports to

Reports to the Midwest BDC project manager.

 

Essential responsibilities

This contract is for an equity leadership position within the Coalition, coordinating closely with the Midwest BDC project manager and primary consultant.

 

Primary responsibilities include:

• Leading equity outreach and relationship/trust development across the Midwest region (MN, MI, WI, IL, MO, IL, IA, ID) to build an inclusive and representative Coalition. In the near term, this work will be performed remotely via phone, video conference, and/or email in light of restrictions associated with COVID-19. Outreach will include, but not be limited to:
  • Environmental justice, frontline, and community groups currently engaged in energy efficiency, affordable housing, renters’ rights, and/or decarbonization work; and
  • Existing Midwestern networks and programs to partner with/leverage.

• Leading the Equity work stream, reporting out often on activities to the Midwest BDC project manager, including but not limited to:
  • Fostering diverse voices within the Coalition with the goal of championing community-driven solutions;
  • Coordinating with the Midwest BDC project manager to identify environmental justice, frontline, and community groups to support/expand local advocacy on building decarbonization; and
  • Helping to establish and/or bolster participation in working groups within the Coalition that develop and advance equitable building decarbonization solutions.
• Supporting the Coalition’s Equity First commitment by:
  • Leading on equitable Coalition building, including coordinating with the Midwest BDC project manager and primary consultant to establish equitable operating principles and governance structures for the Coalition that are inclusive and representative;
  • Integrating environmental justice, frontline, affordable housing, and community groups into the Coalition’s Policy Development, Market Transformation, Consumer Inspiration, and Research work streams; and
  • Leveraging existing expertise through state-based communications and policy consultants to prioritize and advance the Coalition’s Equity agenda.
• Participating in weekly phone/video meetings with the Midwest BDC project manager and primary consultant to confirm and adjust project priorities and goals as needed.
• Acting as co-facilitator of the Coalition in coordination with the Midwest BDC project manager and primary consultant during monthly meetings, in addition to setting meeting agendas and coordinating Coalition activities.
• Collaborating and coordinating closely with the Midwest BDC project manager and primary consultant on fundraising efforts for continued Coalition support.
• Coordinating closely with the Midwest BDC project manager and primary consultant on developing Coalition resources to facilitate and advance Coalition activities, including but not limited to:
  • Stakeholder list management;
  • Work plan drafting;
  • Engagement and 101 materials;
  • Slide decks;
  • Website; and
  • Reading lists.
• Coordinating closely with the Midwest BDC project manager and primary consultant on developing Coalition reporting for funders to support and advance Coalition activities throughout Year One 2020, including but not limited to:
  • Project proposals, reports, and budgets; and
  • Reporting and metrics from state advocates.

 

Job qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of seven years of experience in public policy, community engagement, equitable coalition building, affordable housing, energy efficiency, building design, or related fields, OR an organization that could demonstrate five years of recent accomplishments in public policy, community engagement, equitable coalition building, affordable housing, energy efficiency, building design, or related fields.
• Must reside in Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, or Wisconsin.
• Ability to work effectively in a remote capacity from a home office.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion theory and practices.
• Experience engaging, influencing, and working collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders across different interests.
• Self-motivated, entrepreneurial, and a passion for change-making.
• Organized and results-oriented.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Solid computer skills in Windows environment, including MS Office.
• Team player who desires working in an environment where working as a team is valued and practiced.
• Demonstrated ability to perform well in fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work occasional evenings/weekends is required.

 

Compensation and benefits

• Compensation for the initial scope of 48 weeks of work over 12 months will be $90,000, excluding travel and incidental expenses, negotiable depending on education and experience.
• Reimbursement for reasonable travel and incidental expenses that are incurred in provision of contract deliverables will be provided.
• Access to Fresh Energy IT support as well as Zoom and Microsoft Teams accounts and one Fresh Energy email account.
• Fresh Energy email address and printed Fresh Energy/Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition business cards.
• We foster a respectful, inclusive, collaborative, and fun work environment.

 

Our hiring process and timeline

• The contract will remain open until filled with priority given to applications received on or before August 10, 2020.
• Our hiring team will select finalists for an initial 30 minute interview via video conference or over the phone.
• Finalists will be invited back for an approximately 60 minute second-round interview, also via video conference or phone; at that time, we will ask for three references and two work samples relevant to this contract e.g. a professional writing sample, or other relevant materials.
• Ideally the selected candidate would begin work in early to mid-September 2020.
• Fresh Energy’s Equal Opportunity Employer Policy reflects our commitment to ensure equality, treat everyone with respect, and promote diversity in the workplace.

 

To apply

Email cover letter and resume to the Fresh Energy Hiring Team at hiringteam@fresh-energy.org with the subject line “Manager of Community Engagement and Equity, MWBDC.” Please include cover letter and resume in one PDF document with your name as the title. No phone calls, please.