Department

SOG Environmental Finance Ctr-375700

Career Area

Research Professionals

Posting Open Date

05/09/2023

Application Deadline

05/22/2023

Open Until Filled

No

Position Type

Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)

Working Title

Strategic Outreach Director, EFC

Appointment Type

EHRA Non-Faculty

Position Number

20055365

Vacancy ID

NF0006950

Full Time/Part Time

Full-Time Permanent

FTE

1

Hours per week

40

Position Location

North Carolina, US

Hiring Range

$75,000 - $80,000

Proposed Start Date

06/19/2023

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill works to improve the lives of North Carolinians by engaging in practical scholarship that helps public officials and citizens understand and improve state and local government. As the largest university-based local government training, advisory, and research organization in the United States, the School of Government offers up to 200 courses, webinars, and specialized conferences for more than 12,000 public officials each year. In addition, faculty members annually publish approximately 50 books, manuals, reports, articles, bulletins, and other print and online content related to state and local government. The School is also home to a nationally ranked graduate program in public administration and specialized centers focused on information technology and environmental finance.

The School of Government recognizes the importance of an educational and work environment in which all individuals are respected and valued. To that end, we are strongly committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. For more information about the School’s commitment to diversity, please visit our Diversity and Inclusion page: https://www.sog.unc.edu/resources/microsites/diversity-and-inclusion.

Position Summary

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

The Environmental Finance Center (EFC) at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (efc.sog.unc.edu) is dedicated to enhancing the ability of governments and other organizations across the country to provide environmental programs and services in fair, effective, and financially sustainable ways. The EFC is part of the University’s public service mission and works directly with environmental service providers. The work of the EFC is primarily funded through grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other awards.

The EFC works directly with environmental service providers, including local and state governments, federal agencies, utilities, associations, and other organizations. The EFC focuses on the financial and managerial issues of managing a wide range of environmental services, including drinking water, wastewater, clean energy, stormwater, wetlands, and land conservation. The EFC delivers its services through education events, direct assistance, and advising to environmental service providers and policymakers, and applied research.

For example, the EFC works with drinking water systems on finance and management, including how to set rates, assess financial health, measure the affordability of service, and plan for long term needs. Furthermore, the EFC works with local governments to help design stormwater fees.

The Strategic Outreach Director will play a key role in reporting on UNC EFC’s outcomes and impact to both internal and external stakeholders via content creation (written, web, and social media). The incumbent will work with the other staff on the executive management team, the School of Government, and external partners to create and execute a strategy to communicate the EFC’s work with internal and external stakeholders. This position will be responsible for tracking and reporting the outcomes and community impact of funded research; overseeing research reporting and summaries; and will write, edit, and/or design reports, blog posts, case studies, and one-page summaries The Strategic Outreach Director will also contribute to grant proposals and mentoring student workers.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity or comparable background in independent academic or instructional activities, will accept a relevant Bachelor’s degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. This experience may be related to the direction/oversight of programs that focus the academic and research resources of a higher education institution towards community or regional issues.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Preferred experience in one or more of the following :

• distilling complex information for communication with targeted audiences
• Experience with strategic outreach or communications planning
• managing staff or student assistants
• graphic design, videography or video editing
• drafting communications as they relate to academic products in a variety of print and online marketing delivery systems.
• Knowledge of environmental management, natural resource management, or environmental finance

Preferred competencies and abilities:

• Ability to contribute ideas, recommendations, and solutions to reach project goals.
• Ability to provide complex and strategic information and advice to clients; ability to interact with key people at all levels of the organization.
• ability to keep current with technical developments and trends as they relate to the fields of communications, public relations, publishing, marketing, and web-based communications.
• Ability to develop and implement data-based communications strategies.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities