Climate Resilience Manager

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Job Title:

Climate Resilience Manager

Job Family:

Professionals

Full-Time/Part-Time:

Full time

Compensation Grade:

8S

Pay Type:

Salary

Department:

Sustainability

Job Summary:

The Shi Institute Climate Resilience Manager supports climate resilience work in the 10 census tracks in S.C. that have been designated Community Disaster Resilience Zones (CDRZs) by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The manager will work with the relevant state agencies, local government, and community organizations to determine the status of resilience efforts within designated CDRZs. The Manager will also collaborate with the relevant stakeholders to fill knowledge gaps, identify resources, and advance important resilience projects. The position requires outstanding organizational, communication, and collaborative skills, as well as an ability to problem solve independently and adaptively in support of communities. The Manager will work collaboratively with the Shi Institute team, receiving technical support as needed from our applied research group, and work and learn collaboratively from other Managers in NC, GA, and Florida, all in support of the broader effort led by the Geos Institute to advance climate resilience in the Southeast. The Manager reports directly to the Executive Director of the Shi Institute.

Job Description:

Responsibilities:

• Direct Support of Communities:
  • Contact the CDRZ communities in SC and assist them in identifying available services and support.
  • Convene conversations that bring together multiple jurisdictions (city, county, council of governments, planning district, etc.) to bring forward resilience projects to serve specific CDRZ areas.
  • Work with CDRZ communities in SC to determine the best ways to assist them, building cohorts of communities where feasible and productive.
  • Identify where all the CDRZ communities are in the process of building resilience to the natural hazards that rank high or very high in FEMA’s National Risk Index.
  • Work with community leaders to match their needs with funding, capacity building, and technical support programs available to assist them in taking the next step toward building resilience.

• Collaborate with Geos Navigators organizations across the Southeast:
  • Participate in onboarding and training processes with the Geos Institute.
  • Engage with the Regional Support Team to learn about funding, technical support, and capacity building programs available through federal and regional agencies and organizations.
  • Participate in the Geos cohort of Navigators supporting CDRZ communities across the four states to share information and troubleshoot challenges.

Relationships:  The manager reports directly to the Shi Institute Executive Director and is required to collaborate with the Geos Institute and other Managers (Navigators) across the Southeast.  The Manager will be in frequent contact and collaboration with other Shi staff that will be supporting the resilience effort. To be successful, the Manager will also be in frequent contact and collaboration with CDRZ community members, stakeholders, and leaders, as well as relevant state level collaborators.

Reports to: Shi Institute Executive Director, with frequent collaboration across the Southeast and with Geos Institute staff.

Responsibilities for final decisions:

• Coordinates and collaborates independently with CDRZ stakeholders.
• Tasks involve interpretation of data and/or procedures to address problems or situations that are not clearly defined.  Work involves non-routine/diverse work not defined by procedures.
• Budget and process decisions will be made in collaboration with Shi Executive Director, and when appropriate in consultation with Geos staff.

Qualifications/Skills/Competencies

• A self-starter.
• Bachelor’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution and 3 years of progressively responsible experience related to resilience/community engagement; or an equivalent combination of experience and training.
• Expertise in environmental management, natural resource management, environmental planning, or related fields.
• Experience and/or interest in building disaster resilience at the community level.
• Community engagement experience, preferably with under-resourced, high-risk communities. 
• Excellent (written and verbal) communication and collaborative skills.
• Experience writing grants.
• Curiosity; a creative problem solver.

Work Conditions: Furman University is located in Greenville SC, however all SC CDRZs are in the SC Lowcountry (mainly in the Charleston area). As a result, different work arrangements are possible, including: onsite at Furman with significant travel expectation; or hybrid/remote work schedules to accommodate candidates located it the Midlands or Lowcountry of SC.  All applicants should consider carefully the expectation of significant in-person communication as a key component of the work. This is a full-time position (37.5 hours per week) with benefits.

For consideration, please submit a cover letter, resume/CV, and a minimum of 2 professional references.

Education Requirements:

Bachelors

Certification Requirements:

Job Posting End Date (if date is blank, posting is open ended):