Sustainability/Environmental Community Engagement Specialist

The City of Somerville is leading cities on climate change in Massachusetts and the country, pioneering new approaches to climate action planning, clean energy and resilience programs, and community engagement. Reporting to the Climate Change Program Manager of the Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE), the Community Engagement Specialist is responsible for designing and executing programs and campaigns that continually work toward the City’s goal of an equitable, resilient, and carbon-neutral City. The Community Engagement Specialist will conduct outreach and provide customer service to community members, stakeholders, partners, and organizations. 

The Community Engagement Specialist will coordinate and execute programs and campaign related activities both virtual and in-person for the OSE. The employee is expected to manage and build existing and new engagement campaigns and programs across platforms for the community to advance climate action and departmental goals. They will support OSE outreach and communication needs and respond to requests for customer service. Engagement is centered on the cultural, racial, age demographics, and diversity of our community.

The position requires the employee to conduct business across the city of Somerville, as well as the surrounding region. It requires the employee to attend engagement activities within Somerville and transport supplies.

Essential Functions

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Provide support designing, coordinating, implementing, executing, analyzing, and evaluating multimedia climate change and sustainability awareness and engagement campaigns.
• Support the maintenance of relationships and collaborations on climate change programs and projects with key external entities.
• Strengthen existing partnerships and programs and identify new opportunities.
• Identify strategies to connect with community members and meet with community leaders to design targeted engagement strategies.
• Plan program-related education and outreach activities, events, and initiatives.
• Be accountable for drafting and executing communications.
• Prepare and distribute outreach materials.
• Represent OSE in the community.
• Give presentations, attend meetings, and conduct outreach.
• Secure locations for and scheduling of meetings.
• Provide excellent, streamlined customer service.
• Maintain logs of communications and outreach efforts for organization and evaluative purposes.
• Support reporting and grant application efforts.
• Monitor and review applications and qualifications for completeness.
• Distribute incentives, including but not limited to gift cards.
• Organize and maintain files, forms, and folders in the department’s OneDrive.
• Conduct periodic inventory and submit requests for supplies.
• Draft supply and material orders and solicit quotes as needed.
• Conduct data entry and communications on a timely and regular basis.
• Maintain www.somervillema.gov/sustainaville and update as needed.
• Maintain and update OSE social media accounts.
• Draft and send SustainaVille Newsletter periodically.
• Strive to meet program, campaign, departmental, Somerville Climate Forward, and the administration’s goals.
• Accountable for maintaining project timelines.
• Adapt to changing circumstances and feedback.
• Other duties as assigned to meet department needs

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree and over three (3) years’ experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Experience coordinating campaigns and programs and/or in sales is strongly preferred. Relevant fields of study include but are not limited to: marketing, communication, English, business, psychology, urban and regional planning, environmental studies, environmental science, public administration, and public policy. We value lived experience as something that can contribute substantively to the skills candidates bring to this position.

Possess a valid MA Driver’s License, with a responsible driving record OR the ability to move independently between various job sites in one day.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Strong interest in climate change, community engagement, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and municipal government. Knowledge of climate change mitigation and adaptation, resilience, sustainability, environmental (in)justice, social media, print marketing, design principles, community-based social marketing, engagement strategies, and web design.

Abilities: Ability to multi-task; ability to meet and deal with staff, elected officials, and the public professionally, effectively, and appropriately; ability to handle problems and emergencies effectively; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to operate a computer; ability to maintain confidential information; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to communicate complicated ideas succinctly and persuasively; ability to speak multiple languages, including but not limited to Spanish, Portuguese, and/or Haitian-Creole is preferred. Graphic design experience is preferred.

Skill: Strong interpersonal and critical thinking skills; strong skills in oral and written communication; excellent customer service; excellent computer skills for word processing, spreadsheets, and databases; excellent analytical skills; experience with social media and community engagement platforms; experience with virtual meeting programs such as Teams, Go-To-Meeting, and/or Zoom; excellent organizational skills; experience with web design; experience with graphic design. Proficient in Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Project. Experience with Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Microsoft Office 365 OneDrive, JotForm, MailChimp, and Google products like Canva, are preferred.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills: Few physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. May also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.)

Motor Skills: Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills: Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Send your resume and cover letter by Friday October 22  to

City Hall HR Office
93 Highland Avenue
Somerville MA 02143
Fax: 617-666-4426
TTY: 1-866-808-4851
Email: employment_opportunities@somervillema.gov

City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request.

Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Nancy Bacci at 617-625-6600 x 2250 or nbacci@somervillema.gov.