Outreach and Engagement Coordinator

Our mission is "To conserve, protect, and enhance natural resources for the economic, environmental, and quality of life benefits for the residents of Jackson County."

Position Overview

This is a full-time, at will position serving the citizens of Jackson County as a staff member of the Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District. The Outreach and Engagement Coordinator position is a source of outreach and engagement for the public on natural resource issues. This position coordinates with District staff and partnering agencies and organizations to communicate, promote and implement outreach information, events, and meetings for the ecological and economic benefit of individuals and the community. It has no regulatory authority

Essential Functions/Major Duties

• In consultation with District staff, designs, edits, and produces all District communications materials, including the annual report, quarterly newsletters, and other outreach and education materials such as brochures, signage, and promotional items.
• Coordinates the District’s outreach efforts related to workshops, classes, tours, and events, including promotional materials, media outreach, registrations, displays, and other related tasks.
• Communicates science-based natural resource conservation information and practices to diverse audiences.
• Develops and manages District special events such as periodic tours and celebrations, community meetings, and other periodic events and workshops.
• Manages an outreach events calendar to ensure District staff coverage and preparation for priority events such as tabling at community events and giving presentations.
• Manages the Community Conservation & Education grant program including outreach, communicating with potential grant recipients, and coordinating a grant review committee.
• Coordinates the annual Southern Oregon Regional Envirothon competition for high school students, including convening a local planning committee, recruiting, and organizing volunteers and teams, and coordinating with state Envirothon staff.
• Meets regularly with District staff to develop and coordinate specific communication and outreach strategies for their program areas.
• Corresponds with various media to emphasize and promote the positive impacts the District has accomplished in Jackson County.
• Manages the District’s website and social media accounts including coordinating a social media calendar, developing content to promote District projects and events, and supporting partner outreach.

Secondary Functions:

• Maintains peer relationships with other agencies and organizations to strengthen partnerships and implement the District’s communication and outreach needs.
• Assists with tracking financial resources and expenditures related to funding of education and outreach projects.
• Maintain JSWCD files, time, and attendance records according to JSWCD policy and protocols.
• Serves on District committees and workgroups, and regional and statewide committees, to further the mission of the District.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervision

The Outreach and Engagement Coordinator is under the supervision of the Executive Director. This position requires independent initiative with limited supervision. The person in this position may provide training, daily work assignments, and supervision for interns and volunteers, and may occasionally be asked to assist with managing the work of outside contractors. This position does not supervise any full-time JSWCD employees.

Qualifications

Specific Job Skills:

• Communication, marketing, or journalism skills and ability to write and speak about conservation of natural resources to a wide variety of audiences and cultures.
• Excellent verbal communication skills including public speaking, training or workshops facilitation, and giving presentations on behalf of the District.
• Strong time management, organization, and project planning skills.
• Knowledge of Microsoft products and publication and marketing design software.
• Ability to coordinate events, conduct outreach campaigns, and communicate the work of the District to various audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, contribute to and adhere to project timelines, budgets, and meet deadlines.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree with major course work in communication, marketing and publicity, community engagement, or related discipline and two years’ professional experience coordinating or administering outreach and engagement programs. OR: any combination of experience or education equivalent to four to five years of experience that typically supports the knowledge and skill requirements listed for the functions listed above.
• Demonstrated knowledge of land conservation and watershed dynamics, water quality issues, native and invasive vegetation, ecology, erosion prevention, and other conservation issues.
  Well-developed and adaptive writing skills for preparing both high-level technical and funding documents, as well as information to be digested by the public.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Experience developing and managing social media content and managing websites.
• Demonstrated ability to be an effective member of a team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of SWCD’s, city, county, and state and federal agencies and organizations pertaining to management of Oregon’s natural resources.
• Advanced technical and design skills for communication, including videography, familiarity with Microsoft Access or other similar databases, and experience with Adobe creative cloud products including In Design and Illustrator.
• Experience in media relations including writing press releases, conducting interviews, and developing and implementing earned media campaigns.
• Spanish-language proficiency.

Please see our website for a full position description!