Environmental Management Staffer – Stakeholders and Local Government Advisory Committees

The Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) is seeking an individual for a three-year Environmental Management Staffer position within its Environmental Management Career Development Program. All CRC Staffers in the Environmental Management Career Development Program support the work of the Chesapeake Bay Program. The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) is a regional partnership that guides that restoration and protection of the nation’s largest estuary and the waterways that flow into it. The CBP brings together leaders from state, federal and local government, as well as academia and the watershed’s many communities, to collaborate on creating the best strategies and engaging with diverse communities to restore habitat health for living resources and promote stewardship for an environmentally and economically sustainable Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Program is fueled by science and driven by partnership.

The Environmental Management Staffer in this position will provide support to the CBP’s Advisory Committees. The four advisory committees provide independent, informed recommendations to the Chesapeake Executive Council and Policy Steering Committee. They serve as liaisons between the partnership and four key stakeholder groups: watershed residents, local government leaders, the agricultural industry, and the scientific community. This Staffer position will specifically support two of the four advisory committees: the Stakeholders’ Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC). The Stakeholders’ Advisory Committee represents a sample of residents and stakeholders of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and promotes increased transparency and accountability on progress toward the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement goals and meaningful community engagement. The Local Government Advisory Committee advises the program on how to effectively implement projects and engage the support of local governments to achieve the goals and outcomes of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Environmental Management Staffer Role and Opportunities

As the Environmental Management Staffer in this position, you will assist the SAC and LGAC Coordinator with the day-to-day management of both committees. This generally includes providing administrative support for their suite of activities and involves both working directly with SAC and LGAC members and coordinating with Chesapeake Bay Program Staff and partners. The activities of all CRC Environmental Management Staffers generally fall into three categories: coordination and administrative support, projects and substantive assignments, and professional development. As the Staffer in this position, you will work to plan meetings and other important interactions, prepare briefing materials, track deliverables, maintain committee websites, and support member needs. While these vital coordination and administrative support functions can comprise a large portion of each Staffer’s experience (~60%), they are balanced with substantive work such as assisting with facilitating meetings, drafting letters, communications, products, synthesis documents, etc. As part of the Environmental Management Career Development Program, you will also spend time on activities to support your own professional growth and development by engaging in activities such as attending training sessions, participating in workshops and conferences, taking a course to develop and enhance a particular skill, and more.

As an Environmental Management Staffer in this program, you would have a unique opportunity to develop three years of professional experience through your day-to-day work activities while having dedicated time and support focused on your individual professional growth. This position offers an opportunity to work with a broad team of partners from across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, representing a vast network of government (federal, state, and local) and non-government entities. The skills and network gained from this position will be valuable to someone seeking further education and/or career development in environmental policy, watershed restoration, natural resources management, and community engagement.

The candidate selected for this position will work at the Chesapeake Research Consortium’s office located in Edgewater, MD on the campus of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Environmental Management Staffers work a hybrid schedule, dividing time each week between in-office work and telework.

Summary of Responsibilities

The following provides specific responsibilities that are likely to be assigned to the person accepting this position. This list is not exhaustive, and not all activities are concurrent. Staffers are considered a critical part of the team, working daily with networks of dedicated and passionate professionals, and can share in guiding and shaping important aspects of the work.

• Provide meeting support by scheduling meetings and developing meeting agendas; setting up hybrid meeting technologies such as video conferencing and collaborative tools (training provided); arrange meeting logistics such as venue, overnight accommodations, and meals; drafting concise meeting minutes; and tracking and following up on action items.
• Coordinate with committee leadership, members, and Chesapeake Bay Program partners to advance committee priorities, track current activities and committee needs, and provide updates to keep everyone informed.
• Along with the Coordinator, represent SAC and LGAC at Chesapeake Bay Program meetings.
• Manage and update content, contacts, and event information on the Committees’ websites. Maintain various SAC and LGAC distribution lists.
• Assist with managing the cooperative agreement which funds the Advisory Committees by tracking budgets, ensuring proper cost reimbursements, and providing progress updates to the agreement manager for routine performance reports.
• Other duties as assigned may include writing and editing fact sheets, backgrounders and other communications products, as well as updating, tracking and consolidating feedback on documents or resources as necessary from members, leadership and other experts.

Desired Skills and Interests

The ideal candidate for the position would have the following background and interests. However, if you meet more than 75% of the qualifications of this description, we encourage you to apply. We welcome the inclusion of nontraditional or nonformal education and experiences, including volunteer and lived experiences, that contribute to your fit for the position.

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study – candidates with backgrounds in environmental science, policy, and management fields are especially encouraged.
• Ability to provide support by independently planning meetings, developing agendas, drafting concise meeting minutes and tracking action items.
• Experience with producing content for various written and web-based communications.
• Familiarity with using hybrid meeting technologies such as video conferencing (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, etc.).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint is required and experience with Google Suite, Adobe Acrobat Professional, and scheduling apps such as Doodle or When to Meet is beneficial.
• Experience with or interest in collaborating with a range of partners and stakeholders as part of interdisciplinary teams representing a variety of interests, in an environment meant to build consensus.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills that support the ability to manage, prioritize, and meet deadlines for multiple tasks with attention to detail.
• Creative and collaborative problem-solving skills.
• Able to adapt in a dynamic working environment. Taking initiative to complete tasks independently and fulfill shared responsibilities as part of a team.
• Interest in learning how a multi-stakeholder, regional governmental-environmental-management partnership sets and achieves goals through collaboration, adaptive management and science-based decision making.
• A willingness to explore career options and interest in engaging in professional development activities.

All Environmental Management Staffers are required to successfully complete a federal background check upon hire.

Chesapeake Research Consortium is committed to a diverse workforce and encourages people from all backgrounds to apply. CRC recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary for all Environmental Management Staffer positions is $52,432. Our competitive benefits package includes paid vacation, sick and personal leave; affordable health, dental, and vision insurance options; paid holidays; and access to retirement saving options with an employer contribution. In addition to the experience gained through your work assignments, CRC can support your attendance at professional conferences, workshops, and training related to your position, identified future career interests and individual professional development plan.

Anticipated Start Date

We are looking to start a new Staffer in this role in the late September/early October timeframe. An exact start date will be determined collaboratively with the selected candidate.