Hybrid Environmental Outreach & Engagement Coordinator bei City of McKinney, TX

About the Department

WORKING FOR THE CITY OF MCKINNEY

Working for the City of McKinney is more than a job.  It is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.  It is also an opportunity to have a hand in the development of one of the fastest growing communities in the nation.  In 2014, our community was named “The #1 Best Place to Live in America.”  Although proud of that honor, everyone on our team is committed to making McKinney an even better place to live, work and raise a family.  That’s why we exist.

OUR CORE VALUES

City of McKinney employees work hard and at a very fast pace.   However, we also look after and support one another.  All of us are guided by four employee-inspired values – Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (RISE).  We are also supported by servant-based leaders who foster and support a healthy, family-oriented culture.  All new employees are expected to embrace and live by our core values and commit to helping us sustain our exceptional work environment as a high performance organization.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

Under general direction, this position plans, develops, organizes, implements grassroots environmental outreach and engagement approaches to achieve the City’s strategic goals and initiatives that result in a measurable positive impact within the community. This position builds environmental awareness among residents, schools, community and civic groups, and businesses to increase the visibility of the City’s programs and activities. The position engages with all City Departments to identify programs and initiatives to achieve the City’s goals for environmental awareness and stewardship.

Position Duties

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES 

In order for us to continue to achieve our primary function of making McKinney a better place to live, work, and raise a family, we hold these expectations for all employees. 

• Learn and demonstrate an understanding of how team, department, and City goals are interconnected.
• Contribute to a positive work culture.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance.
• Ability to assess his/her work performance or the work performance of the team.
• Contribute to the development of others and/or the working unit or overall organization.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team, to demonstrate team skills, and to perform a fair share of team responsibilities.
• Ability to continuously learn and develop through a mix of internal and external training opportunities, and if applicable, encourage subordinates to do the same.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• In a lead capacity, plans, develops, and conducts activities and projects to outreach and engage diverse populations residing within the City: educate those populations about the City’s goals and initiatives to increase awareness and promote action-driven activities. 
• Performs both assigned and independent work, skilled administrative and supervisory duties, such as preparation and/or assistance on a variety of reports, budget preparation, feasibility studies, complex research projects, program development, meetings, and special event organization. 
• Identifies, cultivates, and maintains relationships that expand community engagement and programmatic efforts.
• As the subject matter expert, prepares presentations, workshops and provide content for press releases, newsletters, social media, and marketing materials.
• Coordinates, develops, and implements a communications plan in collaboration with the City’s Communication & Marketing Department.
• Edits and updates content on website.
• Uses strong proofreading skills and attention to detail, edits, and quality checks communications materials.
• Explores new and evaluates existing programs for effectiveness and efficiency; assists by making policy recommendations for resource management and conservation.
• Works with supervisor to evaluate program effectiveness and implement recommendations for improvements.
• Provides ongoing input, information, and materials that support internal and external communication efforts about programming and opportunities.
• Conducts outreach, recruits, trains, and supervises work activities of volunteers to meet the City’s goals.
• Develops assessment tools and implements data collection and analysis to evaluate program success. 
• Remains current with new developments in resource management and conservation, education and learning methodologies; incorporate new developments into appropriate programs.
• Oversees support staff for Environmental Outreach and Engagement.
• Attends City and department events on evenings and on weekends. 
• Comply with all written City policies and procedures.                   

General Duties

• Maintains record keeping for monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting.
• Creates and maintains a database of contacts and volunteers. 
• Attends, participates in and/or delivers presentations at conferences and workshops for local, regional, state, and national organizations.
• Assists supervisor with budget development and special projects.
• Writes and prepares grants and award applications.
• Regular and consistent attendance for the assigned work schedule is essential.

General Focus 

• Waste Reduction & Recycling – Researches, develops, organizes, implements, markets, and evaluates outreach, engagement and education programming that supports the City’s Solid Waste Management Strategy and the State’s Waste Minimization & Recycling Goal by exploring new and improved materials diversion opportunities to divert and recycle materials leaving the city through the complete waste stream to lessen the amount of waste generated. Emphasis will be placed on new and existing markets, increasing recycling capacity, reducing residual contamination, and optimizing the values created from waste to lower and/or stabilize costs of service to all residents and commercial accounts in the City. 
• Water Quality & Conservation – Researches, develops, organizes, implements, markets, and evaluates outreach, engagement and education programming that supports the City’s Stormwater Management Plan and stormwater conveyance system (reduce illicit discharge of pollutants i.e., any substance other than stormwater and conducts community clean-ups to reduce floatables); the EPA’s Goal to Eliminate Sanitary Sewer Overflows in the wastewater/sanitary sewer system (reduce FOG related outflows and/or overflows); and the Texas Water Development Board’s Regional Goals for water conservation and watershed protection (promote use of native plants and adaptive plants, prevent water runoff, and reduce bacteria in impaired water bodies, etc.).
• Sustainability – Collaborates with City departments on broad sustainability goals and initiatives and supports Purchasing with effecting the State’s Government Entity Recycling & Purchasing of Recycled Materials Rule.
• Volunteerism – Coordinates all training and supervises volunteer efforts for community cleanups to reduce litter and debris from around the City’s roadways, rights-of-way, waterways, and parks.

Typical Decisions

• Formulates program goals and objectives and identify appropriate activities and functions to meet those objectives.  
• Analyzes target audience’s interests and balance with City and department needs to develop results-oriented programming
• Determines priority programming that will bring the best return on investment of staff time and resources. 

OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS:

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND BEHAVIORS

• Ability to embrace and embody the City’s core values of Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (R.I.S.E.).
• Ability to communicate effectively with peers, supervisors, subordinates, and people to whom service is provided. 
• Ability to produce desired work outcomes, including quality, quantity, and timeliness.
• Ability to plan and organize work, time, and resources, and if applicable, that of subordinates.
• Ability to demonstrate control and a pleasant demeanor in challenging situations.
• Ability to design, develop, and delivery an innovative curriculum that reaches and engages diverse populations (age, gender, cultural, socio-economic, relocates, demographic changes, etc.) as part of the process.
• Knowledge of effective supervisory practices and techniques.
• Knowledge of the public education, outreach, and involvement requirements of the City’s Stormwater Management Plan.
• Knowledge of educational learning theory, lesson planning, curriculum development, and training modules, and online learning strategies and development.
• Knowledge of environmental issues and ecological concepts.
• Knowledge of community-based social marketing theory.
• Knowledge of research, analysis, and application techniques for grant programs and funding.
• Knowledge of effective presentation skills and use of technology in different learning strategies.
• Skills in providing and delivering effective and persuasive presentations.
• Skills in communicating effectively both verbally and in writing and public speaking.
• Skills in working with and supervising volunteers.
• Skills in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Skills in organizing time to meet deadlines and project deliverables.
• Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and analyze data. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships.  
• Requires the ability to apply principles of persuasion and/or influence.  
• Requires the ability to utilize a variety of advisory data and information, such as city codes, state statutes, zoning maps and code enforcement books, site plan approvals, and sub-division plats.
• Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; ability to utilize principles of fractions; ability to interpret graphs.
• Requires ability to apply principles of rational systems. Ability to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form.  Ability to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.
• Requires the ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity required in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.
• Utilize Microsoft Word, Power Point, Publisher, Access, and Excel, as well as the most current Creative Suite from Adobe including Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator.
• The ability to work in a team environment; contribute as a team member and treat co-workers and customers with respect.
• Build professional relationships with internal staff and customers.
• Offer flexibility and adaptability, especially during times of change.

Minimum Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study and five (5) years of experience working community outreach, public engagement, public relations, planning and/or conducting educational programs. Preference will be given to candidates with a working knowledge of community organizing and/or volunteer management. Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Any work related experience resulting in acceptable proficiency levels in the above Minimum Qualifications may be an acceptable substitute for the above specified education and experience requirements.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in a relevant field of study is desired
• Two (2) years or supervisory experience
• Skills in effective Spanish oral and written communication is a plus

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Must pass a drug screen and background check.
• Must have Class C Texas Driver’s License.

Other Qualifications

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing in work areas and walking between work areas while being subject to moderate noise levels is required. Working in outdoor conditions, sometimes including both hot and cold adverse weather, is also required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials, equipment and objects weighing up to 50 pounds. The position also requires meeting the essential requirements of the physical demands, with or without reasonable accommodation.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

There is limited exposure to environmental conditions.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed as of the date of preparation and approval.  They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the position.  Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by management. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and all requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

The City of McKinney is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) committed to an alcohol / drug free workplace and to providing equal opportunities regardless of age, race, color, gender, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.