Flood Risk Project Staff

Description

Wetlands Watch is seeking full-time Flood Risk Project Staff to help promote nature-driven climate adaptation strategies statewide and beyond. We seek an experienced and creative professional to develop, influence, and implement projects and programs that assist localities in planning for flooding. Wetlands Watch chairs the Coastal Virginia Community Rating System (CRS) Workgroup, a state-wide community of practice that supports comprehensive floodplain management by promoting emergency preparedness, community engagement, and flood risk education. The Flood Risk Project Staff person will help coordinate and lead the CRS Workgroup and manage our other work pertaining to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Additionally, this position will work statewide and cross-sector to promote the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund, providing assistance and building capacity for under-resourced localities to apply for these critical flood resilience resources. Flood risk management and planning is a critical aspect of our work, as these programs drive local land use decisions and provide the greatest opportunity to preserve our natural floodplains.

Job Duties

The Flood Risk Project Staff person will work closely with the Executive Director, Policy Program Director, and Community Engagement Project Manager, in partnership with staff contributing to policy, planning, and outreach initiatives. In addition, the individual may develop their own projects to advance our mission.

As part of our organization, you will:

• Promote and assist localities’ participation in the Community Rating System (CRS) program by leading the CRS Workgroup and executing technical assistance, outreach, and education efforts
• Conduct outreach statewide on the Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund (CFPF), particularly to overburdened localities located in western Virginia
• Provide technical assistance to localities seeking grant resources from the CFPF, Wetlands Watch’s Coastal Resilience and Trees Fund, and other relevant flood mitigation programs
• Collaborate with partner organizations to create comprehensive flood adaptation goals in the face of sea level rise and other climate change impacts

Skills Required

Applicants must have project experience in the nonprofit, educational, governmental, or related sector. Applicants must demonstrate a working knowledge of the National Flood Insurance Program and should have a college degree, or higher, in a field related to adaptation (environmental disciplines, policy, law, planning, engineering, landscape architecture, communication, etc.). Additional areas of expertise such as Virginia environmental policy, local government planning and zoning, coalition building, shoreline management, green infrastructure, or grant writing would elevate an application. Proficiency with basic technology is expected, while some experience in graphic design, data visualization, and website development would be helpful.

The job requires the ability to operate independently in a professional atmosphere that encourages creativity. The position requires the ability to plan and execute a project. The Flood Risk Project Staff person will be required to travel for multiple days at a time, operating independently out of our Norfolk office, and have access to reliable transportation.

Our ideal candidate is:

• Enthusiastic, outgoing, self-motivated, and able to work independently
• Knowledgeable about natural and nature based climate change adaptation practices
• An analytical thinker, detail oriented, and organized
• Attentive to detail, has good time management skills, and able to work and thrive in an entrepreneurial environment
• Strong writing and communication skills

Work Schedule

This is a full time position – 40 hours per week. Although Wetlands Watch allows remote working and flexible schedules, the hire should live near our Norfolk headquarters and expect to work in the office at least two days a week during a 6 month training period. The hire will travel across the state and within the U.S. as required.

Additional Info

Wetlands Watch is a statewide environmental non-profit in its 23rd year of working where land, communities, and water meet to conserve nature in a changing climate. We have seven staff and an office in Norfolk. We are one of the only conservation groups in the country working at the local government/ grassroots level to implement climate change adaptation measures at community scale.

We are an innovative boundary organization that brings academic strategies, scientific findings, and policies for addressing the impacts of climate change to the decision makers at the front lines of the impacts – local government staff and community members. We also inform those upper level academic and government activities with the needs of front line decision makers. We operate in networks and develop partnerships to advance our goals and maintain a collaborative approach to problem solving.