Clean Energy Community Development Specialist
Are you interested in work that makes a difference in rural Minnesota? Anxious to apply what you know in new ways? Interested in a career change that allows you to contribute to rural communities? If so, we want YOU to join our small, innovative, professional team of community developers!
The Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission (UMVRDC) is looking for an energetic community development specialist who would focus on clean energy funding projects for cities, counties, schools and other organizations in the five-county UMVRDC region of Big Stone, Swift, Lac qui Parle, Chippewa and Yellow Medicine Counties.
The position would research state and federal clean energy programs, promote and share information about them to key audiences and write grants to implement locally identified projects.
Join an office culture that has great flexibility to achieve your ideal work/life balance. Join the office wellness committee to plan monthly office health challenges. Want to work from home part time? Use our office technology to stay connected. Desire to share what you learn or are working on? Help plan the next lunch and learn for employees. Join the fun committee to propose the next employee team building event. Be a part of a team who is pioneering rural practices and tactics inside our office and in the communities, we work with.
Want to learn more about our agency? Check out our agency hiring video and the UMVRDC website or review our most recent annual report. Want to know more about our area of the state? Check out our Western Minnesota Prairie Waters websites. You can also check out our social media channels by searching for UMVRDC, Prairie Waters, or Get Rural MN on Facebook.
Qualifications:
- Preferred education includes a degree in planning, urban studies, recreation planning, public administration, project management, geography, environmental studies, economics, political science or a related field.
- Two to five years of related experience preferred.
- Occasional night meetings and regular travel is required.
- Valid Class D Driver’s License required.
- Fluency in English language sufficient to communicate effectively with internal/external stakeholders and public both verbally and in writing.
- Knowledge and applications in the use of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
- This position requires the individual work 40+ hours per week.
- All finalists considered will be subject to a criminal background check.
Work responsibilities:
- Primary responsibilities will include funding research and grant writing in the clean energy field.
- Work with city, county, tribal, school district, township, state and federal agency staff in developing and implementing projects.
- Establish and implement annual goals and strategies that would develop and attract funding for clean energy projects in the region.
- Regularly report program progress to individual local units of government, regional development commission board, and other local committees as determined.
- Work on projects in both an individual and with other members of the UMVRDC staff and partners organizations.
- Demonstrate strong oral and written communications skills, including those related to collaboration, influencing, relationship building and strategic integrative thinking including:
- Coordinating and facilitating public meetings or workshops about clean energy funding.
- Developing and implement community surveys to identify clean energy opportunities.
- Researching, compiling and analyzing data.
- Promote the clean energy services at the UMVRDC through various means of community outreach (web, email, mail, personal visits, newsletters, press releases).
- Utilize strong computer-based skills (MS Office365 Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, social media) to write and develop technical professional plans, reports, and documents.
Details:
This position is grant funded for a three-year period.
The position would be full time and would start March 1, 2024 or as negotiated.
Employees work in a hybrid environment with some days in the office in Appleton and some days working from home.
Position requires regular travel and meetings within the region and occasional meetings throughout MN.
Salary starting at $63,000+ depending on experience. $1,000 signing incentive!
Benefits include employer paid health insurance and family coverage cost sharing, dental, significant health savings account employer contributions, pre-tax flexible spending account, matching contribution toward tax deferred retirement savings programs, life insurance, PERA, 11 paid holidays, 529 plan savings incentive, generous paid vacation, sick, parental leave and more.
This position will remain open until filled.
The UMVRDC is an equal-opportunity employer.
The following additional resources are available for this position on our website at www.umvrdc.org :
Application Process:
- Candidates must submit a resume and cover letter showcasing three things their education and/or experience can contribute to this position. This information should be sent to:
UMVRDC Executive Director
323 West Schlieman Ave., Appleton MN 56208
dawn.hegland@umvrdc.org
- Select candidates will be asked to complete a full application and provide responses to a list of areas of expertise related to this position.
- Select candidates are interviewed.
