Environmental Programs Coordinator

Born in the immediate aftermath of hurricane Katrina, Common Ground Relief is a grassroots organization committed to supporting the needs of southern Louisiana. Currently Common Ground Relief empowers environmental and community stewardship by mobilizing volunteers for coastal restoration projects, providing environmental education to learners of all ages, building relationships among stakeholders, and facilitating direct need-responsive aid via the Free Pantry and other community projects.

Position Description:

The Environmental Programs Coordinator will be responsible for supporting Common Ground Relief’s Environmental Programs, including the native plant nursery located in the Lower Ninth Ward, urban and coastal tree and marsh grass plantings, volunteer supervision, environmental education, and basic maintenance of property and equipment. The Environmental Programs Coordinator will work closely with Common Ground Relief’s Executive Director. Additionally, the Environmental Programs Coordinator will work with government and community partners, and oversee a variety of short- and long-term volunteers and interns.  

• Position Title: Environmental Programs Coordinator
• Location: Based in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, LA. Field work throughout Southeast Louisiana. In-person work required.
• Hours: Roughly 8am – 4pm Monday – Friday (40 hours per week) Exact hours and days vary week by week, including more downtime during slow seasons.  Flexibility is important.
• Start Date: October 2024
• Compensation: $40,000 starting salary. Subject to increase depending on education and experience 
• Benefits:
  • Paid time off: 2 weeks (12 business days) in August when organization closes; 2 weeks (12 business days) flexible vacation; sick days as needed. **More flexibility for time off depending on schedule of plantings and volunteers 
  • A QSEHRA covers up to $300/month of healthcare premiums or expenses. 
  • Annual professional development fund.
  • Free housing  in a  private room in a shared volunteer house, utilities and groceries included.  Our housing options could be a great perk for some applicants, but living at our volunteer house is by no means a requirement.

What to expect:

• Schedule in advance activities suitable for both the interests and abilities of our volunteers, which range from schoolchildren to elderly residents. This is done in coordination with the executive director, and/or partner organizations, local/state government agencies, funders, or any other relevant parties.
• Give an engaging presentation on the issues of wetlands loss to groups of volunteers who are staying in our short-term volunteer house, next door to our office and long term volunteer/staff house.  This presentation and guided discussion can be upwards of 1 hr long, appropriately edited for education level, time-frame, and situation.
• Lead the volunteers on a week’s worth of volunteer activities, which  typically includes 2-3 full days and 1 half-day of projects. During these activities it is extremely important to maintain volunteer safety and respond appropriately to any instance of medical emergency. It is also important to maintain volunteer morale and motivation.
• Planting project locations range from 0.5 up to 2.5 hours drive from New Orleans.  You will get there early those days and hook up the boat trailer to the truck, and with the help of volunteers load all the supplies for the project.  
• Upon arrival at the planting site you will meet with any partners that are involved in the project, discuss safety and other project specific goals and logistics with the group and venture off on the boat into the marshes, swamps, or forests. 
• On planting projects you will be both planting alongside the volunteers, sometimes in waist deep mud and water, as well as making sure all the logistics are being taken care of and everyone is having a good time and being safe.  It is important to lead by example, as many volunteers will be immersed in the swamp or even on a boat for the first time.
• Other days will be spent nearby in our tree nursery at 1501 Jourdan Ave, which includes potting, weeding, and other tasks relevant to the care of thousands of trees and grasses housed here.
• CGR often partners with other organizations to do relevant work, such as invasive species removal, neighborhood cleanups, and direct aid distribution after disasters. More ideas are always welcome if you find them exciting and relevant to the mission.
• Often projects will be co-led with our executive director or assisted by long term volunteers or interns however needed.  On weeks when there are no volunteer groups you will be coordinating with our different partners to plan future projects, attending important networking events, doing outreach, and keeping things running smoothly at the house.
• The Environmental Programs Coordinator will primarily be responsible for Common Ground Relief’s environmental programs. As a small organization, Common Ground Relief expects that all staff are adaptable,can work independently, and may participate in other aspects of operations, within the bounds of team members’ work hours, skills, and abilities.

Requirements:

• At least 1 year of work experience related to one or more of the core responsibilities.
• Possesses valid US driver’s license.
• Educational background relevant to environmental restoration and specific knowledge of wetlands issues in Louisiana.
• Build and maintain relationships, and work effectively with a variety of different teams and types of people.
• Physically and mentally comfortable with working in remote areas in a variety of ecosystems in Louisiana, and the ability to make good decisions in these environments.
• Comfortable with driving boats, and trailers, and mechanically inclined to be able to troubleshoot and make decisions with maintenance of equipment.
• Communicate effectively via email, text, and social media.
• Comfortable speaking in public in various settings.
• Organized, able to coordinate multiple projects on deadlines. Able to plan projects, delegate tasks, and give instructions effectively without additional oversight.
• Passionate about the environment and the connections between climate, economic, and racial justice and able to speak fluently to the intersections of these issues
• Prioritizes building an inclusive organization that is welcoming and accessible to all people including from diverse racial and religious backgrounds, sexual and gender orientations, economic and housing status, ages, and people who are physically and/or mentally differently abled.

Note: There may be some requirements that you will be able to learn or improve during your onboarding and training.  Let us know what aspects of the job you are most comfortable with, and which aspects you have room for improvement.

Nice to have, but not necessary: 

• Light construction skills
• Personal vehicle
• ArcGIS mapping software experience 
• Lived experience with environmental justice and/or disaster recovery in Southeast Louisiana.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in environmental science

Note: We hope to find someone who wants to commit long term to grow with the organization, and is willing to eventually take on more administrative tasks to support our executive director.  The salary would increase over time to reflect this growth.

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to email your resume along with a brief personal statement that describes why you are interested in this role and what you hope to bring to the Common Ground Relief team.  Include your relevant experience from both your personal and professional life. 

Common Ground Relief, Inc is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will consider applicants for this position without regard to any category protected by applicable federal, state or local law, including but not limited to: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status or uniformed service member status. We are committed to maintaining a discrimination-free workplace now and always.

BIPOC and LGBTQ people; transgender, non-binary, and two-spirit people; poor and housing-insecure people; disabled people, young people, and seniors, and members of other historically disenfranchised populations are encouraged to apply.