Midwest Resilience Specialist

LegacyWorks Group shows up in service of highly collaborative community-driven initiatives and can play a wide range of roles from facilitator and project manager to strategist and financier.

In each of our initiatives and engagements we show up in service of emergent impact opportunities and design and support solutions that are driven by the community. All of our initiatives address key needs and fill gaps that unlock community and conservation potential while shifting culture and building capacity in ways needed to tip the scales towards transformative, systemic long-term change. 

Position Overview

The role of the Midwest Resilience Specialist is to collaborate closely with partners and supporters to identify, implement and accelerate collaborative projects to enhance climate resilience to protect military missions, community infrastructure, and ecosystems. Climate resilience projects are ones that mitigate risks and increase resilience of military installations and the landscapes that overlap mission footprints. The Resilience Specialist will work in close coordination with the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape (SISL) and Camp Ripley Sentinel Landscape (CRSL) Coordinators, the Sentinel Landscape Committees, the Sentinel Landscape partners, and military installations to develop collaborative, near-and long-term, climate resilience and adaptation project proposals.

The Midwest Resilience Specialist will report to LegacyWorks Group (LWG or LegacyWorks) and the SISL and CRSL Coordinators to identify climate adaptation and resilience needs. The specialist will work with SISL and CRSL Coordinators to develop projects and pursue complimentary funding streams. At the discretion of the SISL and CRSL Coordinators, the Resilience Specialist may work directly with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff on how to utilize NRCS technical and financial assistance programs.  In addition to USDA-NRCS, the USFS, USFWS, Tribes, state and local governments would also be sources of TA/FA on ongoing programmatic leverage. The Resilience Specialist will assist the SISL and CRSL Coordinators in updating relevant planning and implementation documents for resilience issues.

• Location: This position will be based in central or south-central Indiana (Indianapolis, Bloomington, or Columbus areas and require travel throughout both SISL and CRSL with additional regional and national travel. The position will be housed at the Conservation Law Center office at 116 South Indiana Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47408. Conservation Law Center is the host and lead organization of SISL. Remote work is available; however, the Resilience Specialist is expected to be in office at CLC an average of 2 days per week, and attend in person meetings and events within the CRSL 2-3 times per year.

Summary of Responsibilities:

• Support the SISL and CRSL Coordinators and LWG to advance resilience planning and actions.
• Assess and record the state of resilience and climate adaptation planning, projects and priorities of federal, state, and local government agencies, military installations, NGOs, and communities within the SISL and CRSL boundaries.
• Identify, recommend, and pursue funding for individual partner actions that support implementation plans, including administration of grants and contracts. Solicit project ideas and develop proposals for near-term resilience and climate adaptation projects and potential landscape resilience-related scientific research needs that could be implemented in the first 6-12 months to take advantage of newly available funding.
• Coordinate with and support the SISL and CRSL Coordinators in facilitating various partners and any relevant work groups and/or military installations to advance and synchronize resilience coordination, planning, and actions for the Landscape.
• Coordinate with installation environmental staff and USFWS staff to develop resilience strategies that intersect with installation Conservation Benefit Agreements or development thereof.
• At the discretion of the SISL and CRSL coordinators, participate in relevant events, conferences, and meetings.
• Identify climate resilience issues affecting historically underserved stakeholders within SISL and CRSL; recommend actions to mitigate impacts.
• Assist the SISL and CRSL Coordinators in developing reporting metrics and standards for landscapes including climate resilience.
• Prepare quarterly and annual reports as required to report progress on resilience and climate adaptation projects activities.
• Serve as the chair for the SISL Landscape Resiliency Subcommittee
• Serve on the MIRR committee for SISL and work with partners to follow through with recommended implementation opportunities.

Desired Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, to include presentation development
• Strong organization and time management skills
• Experience in working with historically underserved communities
• Advanced degrees or equivalent experiences in natural resource conservation, climate resilience and adaptation, or comparable field and adaptation, or comparable field
• Experience in coordinating and facilitating diverse interests to achieve large-scale goals.
• Experience in building and managing partnerships
• Experience with the development and administration of federal and/or state grants, agreements, and contracts
• Working knowledge of the military services, and/or Department of Defense
• Familiarity with the local ecology of the landscapes

Please note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of the activities, duties, or responsibilities required. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.

Compensation

Hours & Pay:

• This position is full-time exempt of 40 hours per week. Annual salary range is $60,000 to $70,000 based on relevant qualifications and experience.

Benefits:

• As a full-time salaried employee you are eligible to participate in the organization’s group medical and dental insurance plans if you elect (at this time, employer contribution is 50% of the cost for the employee only); and eligible for an $80/month home office equipment allocation from LegacyWorks to contribute to the costs of remote work. LegacyWorks also has a 401k plan which you will be eligible to participate in; we do not offer any match contribution at this time. 
• LegacyWorks has an unlimited paid time off policy that encompasses both holidays and vacation days. This is a trust-based pact between employer and employee and amongst team members, and it is up to each of us to communicate effectively about planning time off and manage this policy responsibly.

To Apply

• Please click "Apply" below to email a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to Angela Manavella, with Midwest Resilience Specialist in the subject line. Applications are only accepted electronically.
• Applications will be accepted until the position is filled (interviews anticipated for mid-July). The position will ideally have a start date in early September 2024.
• This position is funded for a three-year period, with the possibility of extension based on available funding

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Workplace

LegacyWorks is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive work culture. LegacyWorks Group is committed to increasing the diversity of the team, including board and staff, and continuing to improve compensation and benefits. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds and value life experience and achievements. All employees and applicants for employment are not to be discriminated based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors.