| Description |
IMPORTANT: This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders. Other applicants need not apply.
The work of the EDF’s Ecosystems Program is to show how we can meet human needs for food, water, and shelter from extreme events in ways that simultaneously increase ecosystem resilience. When it comes to natural resources in this country, we have scarcity and inefficiency problems that will be exacerbated by climate change. EDF is uniquely equipped to help fix this problem by accelerating the development of systems that make conservation and efficient land and water management profitable. We believe that such will be critical to helping the nation meet one of its greatest challenges: how to support a growing population without continuing to overspend our precious natural capital.
EDF is partnered with two other leading national environmental groups and a number of local Louisiana groups in a bold initiative to restore the Mississippi River Delta (MRD) system. This multi-faceted program deals with many challenges associated with restoring coastal wetlands on a working coast and aims to restore natural system processes to create sustainable communities with improved infrastructure and robust economies. A key part of the MRD work is advancing new thinking in the restoration and resilience of coastal Louisiana by finding answers to key science and engineering challenges.
Overall Function
The Program Assistant plays a key role in the success of EDF’s MRD restoration work by growing the program's impact through independently and effectively:
- Coordinating the MRD’s science committee, under direction of the MRD Science Policy Director, to ensure clear communications of campaign science staff, timely production of science projects and deliverables and provide review of external science communications documents.
- Researching and summarizing literature, performing basic analytical work, and developing maps, presentations and other communication materials on science topics relevant to the Mississippi River Delta Restoration and coastal resilience.
- Coordinating and assisting EDF’s MRD team through administrative, travel, communications, research and financial support.
Key Responsibilities
General Support and Coordination (approximately 50% of time):
- Enhance program and staff efficiency -
- Provide a variety of support functions, as needed, to fill gaps and support staff in completing deliverables, often of a short deadline and high profile nature.
- Create and maintain organizational systems (calendars, files, rolodex entries, databases, SharePoint, Google Drive, etc.) for rapid use, information sharing and up-to-date tracking.
- Interpret guidelines, policies and procedures to ensure smooth operations.
- Coordinate with other staff supporting Ecosystem programs and leadership to ensure smooth functions.
- Enhance productivity of Senior Director, MRD, by effectively coordinating travel plans and taking advantage of opportunities for additional engagements while traveling.
- Research support -
- Conduct library and internet research
- Investigate, gather, and analyze readily available data
- Team and Coalition communications -
- Ensure regular communication between and among members of the MRD team.
- Prepare routine correspondence following a standard format or template; coordinate and distribute correspondence and other documents; assist with large mailings to multiple locations.
- Identify scientific, engineering, and other technical meetings for participation or attendance by a representative of MRD or EDF for purposes of education or outreach.
- Coordinate and manage workshops, meetings, conference calls, tele-video meetings, and appointments and support meeting operations (preparation, note taking, and task tracking).
- Field public inquiries.
- Travel and Financial support -
- Coordinate travel arrangements, as time allows, and assist with solving en-route travel issues.
- Solve problems with program staff’s expense reports and program-related invoices to ensure timely and accurate monthly expense reimbursements for 6 senior staff.
- Provide administrative/logistical support to leadership of EDF’s Ecosystems Program visiting the Washington, D.C. office.
- Continual process improvement -
- Apply knowledge to solve independently problems with routine tasks and procedures.
- Apply knowledge to make recommendations that are well-reasoned
- Work with EDF’s other program support staff and the Ecosystems Director of Operations to identify and implement organizational and system improvements to increase efficiency.
MRD/Coastal Resilience Science Support (approximately 50% of time):
- Help facilitate development of science committee work plan.
- Track and report on outputs and outcomes assigned to the MRD Science team.
- Track relevant engagement and funding opportunities relevant to the science committee’s activities.
- Coordinate the development of science committee contingency fund proposals, and monitor and track the budget and the progress of those projects.
- Science Communications
- Ensure effective communications among members of the science committee, and between the science committee and other committees of the MRD effort.
- Coordinate MRD science committee-hosted conferences and other science events.
- Identify and improve communication opportunities.
- Edit reports from the science committee.
- Facilitate regular science committee meetings by preparing agendas and circulating notes.
- Provide editorial and design support to science/technical-related projects.
- Research and Technical Support
- Under the guidance of the science committee members and coastal resiliency staff, provide research assistance and technical support (e.g., GIS, graphics, spreadsheets) and conduct literature research, compile available data and organize information.
- Science Problem Identification and Solving
- Solve routine technical and administrative challenges associated with organizing science team activities.
Qualifications
A highly organized and analytical self-starter with an academic or professional background in the environmental sectors. Other qualifications for this position include evidence of:
- Bachelor's degree (in an environmental science preferable).
- Work experience working in a professional environment.
- Ability to use independent judgment required to plan, prioritize, and organize a diverse workload.
- Customer service orientation.
- Excellent analytical skills.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work well with colleagues and partners of varied backgrounds and experience that often operate remotely.
- Exceptional personal organization, attention to detail, and ability to multi-task.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced, dynamic, and entrepreneurial environment.
- Proficiency in the use of PCs, including Windows XP and Windows 8, the Microsoft Office suite of software (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Highly desirable skills also include ArcGIS, database programs, and Google Drive and a basic knowledge of the theory and practice of environmental restoration and climate adaptation.
Reporting Structure
This position reports to the Director, MRD Science Policy.
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