Resilience Ambassador

Join a team of passionate advocates and experts who are committed to protecting Wisconsin’s vital natural resources and building a clean, sustainable and equitable future for everyone in our state. Clean Wisconsin is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit seeking a motivated Resilience Ambassador to support a unique three-year collaborative agreement with the City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Position Purpose: The Resilience Ambassador will educate Milwaukee residents about climate change and connect them with the knowledge, tools and resources they need to mitigate and adapt to its impacts on their daily lives. By working with and through trusted community-based organizations, the Resilience Ambassador will implement strategies from the Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan, including Healthy Home Energy Upgrades. Through funding by the EPA Environmental Justice Government-to-Government grant program, Clean Wisconsin’s Resilience Ambassador will work with other resilience ambassadors across the city to educate and connect residents with resources and programs that can create a “healthier home environment” including housing improvement and decarbonization (energy efficiency, electrification, renewable energy) programs including the Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and rebates, as well as home environmental health information.  

The Resilience Ambassador will organize volunteers and community partners to conduct targeted outreach campaigns across neighborhoods on Milwaukee’s north and south sides to promote greater knowledge of and access to these resources. Finally, the Resilience Ambassador will conduct assessments and education for the Healthy Home Energy Upgrades for approximately 200 households receiving subsidized energy audits. The goal of these upgrades is to improve home energy efficiency, which is critical to dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing the burden of high energy bills, and improving the health and quality of life for residents. This position reports to the resilient communities program director and provides general support to the program as needed. 

Background: The City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO) recently completed the Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan. The recommendations that comprise the Climate and Equity Plan were developed over three years of planning with nine different work groups made up of residents, community stakeholders, nonprofit partners and sustainability experts through the City-County Task Force on Climate and Economic Equity. Given the challenges with environmental and health disparities caused by a history of environmental injustices, one of the key strategies, or “Big Ideas,” developed in the plan is the need for Resilience Ambassadors. 

Responsibilities

Community Outreach and Engagement 

• Attend project meetings and relevant community meetings and events to promote the project and encourage alignment with community interests. 
• Create and implement an outreach and communications strategy to educate residents about the need for and benefits of green infrastructure and Healthy Home Energy Upgrades in partnership with the project team, Clean Wisconsin staff, Advisory Committee, community members and stakeholder partners. 
• Collaborate with other Resilience Ambassadors, community partners and volunteers to organize and implement educational events, presentations, workshops, and canvassing in targeted neighborhoods across the north and south sides of Milwaukee. 
• Plan and facilitate volunteer training.  
• Recruit new stakeholders and volunteers to support outreach. 
• Schedule and conduct assessments and education for Heathy Homes Energy Upgrades during the energy audit process as well as follow up with individual homeowners to recommend specific housing-improvement programs and related resources they can use to improve the comfort, health, safety and efficiency of their house.  

Communications 

• Create and disseminate print and virtual educational and marketing materials such as presentations, fliers, videos, and more.  
• Generate post assessment reports for homeowners. 
• Collect participant feedback and stories associated with the Healthy Homes Energy Upgrades and energy audits with outreach activities for grant reporting and heightening community awareness. 

Data Collection and Reporting 

• Track and monitor activities to support preparation and submission of grant progress reports and program deliverables including assessments. 
• Support development and dissemination of feedback surveys in coordination with the project team. 

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree preferred. Significant experience and recognized community leadership may substitute for this requirement.   
• At least two years of professional experience in grassroots organizing, case management or health education. 
• Availability to work evenings and weekends as required. 
• Possession of a valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle is preferred. 

Qualities of the Resilience Ambassador

• Cultural competency with the ability, desire and experience to work with diverse individuals from different backgrounds and develop trusted partnerships. 
• Knowledge of local environmental and social issues, the Milwaukee area, and community-based organizations. 
• Ability to provide technical assistance and education tailored to meet the unique needs of the community.  
• Ability to articulate what climate resilience is and the social, economic, and ecological benefits it has for community members. 
• Commitment to helping create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences.  

Desireable Qualifications 

• Knowledge of building science, trades, clean energy, stormwater management, or public health. 
• Bilingual (English/Spanish). 

Traits

Communication and Interpersonal 

• Ability to create and present engaging, plain language outreach and educational materials for diverse individuals and groups. 
• Written communications skills to be able to prepare technical and grant reports.  
• Skilled in virtual and in-person meeting organization and facilitation.  
• Demonstrated capacity to communicate sensitive topics with individuals and large groups with patience, compassion and transparency. 

Technical 

• Ability to review, analyze, and understand work-related materials to gather information and compile reports. 
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite software PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Excel and social media platforms.  

Judgement and Responsibility 

• Ability to be thorough in the completion of assigned projects. 
• Ability to think critically to find solutions to problems. 
• Ability to multitask, manage multiple projects and deadlines and prioritize work requirements while maintaining a long-term vision. 
• Ability to work well both independently and as a member of a team. 

Conditions of Employment:

The Resilience Ambassador must be able to perform physical activities that require walking, bending, lifting heavy objects up to 50 pounds, climbing stairs and ladders, and sitting or standing for extended periods of time in indoor and outdoor environments. Note: this position is grant-funded and will be limited-term (three years). The ambassador will be based at Clean Wisconsin offices located at 4201 N 27th Street, Milwaukee, WI.  

Compensation:

The salary range for the position is $50,000 – $55,000 commensurate with skills and experience. Benefits package includes health and dental insurance, a 403(b) retirement plan with a 6% employer match, paid sick leave and vacation, life insurance and short- and long-term disability insurance.  

To apply:

Please submit a cover letter and resume to hiring@cleanwisconsin.org. Be sure to include the subject line “Resilience Ambassador.” Applications that do not follow these instructions will not be reviewed. For best consideration, please submit materials by August 16, 2024. 

Additional Notes:

• Applicants who receive an offer to interview will be encouraged to bring or send a portfolio or sample of any communications or other materials relevant to the position.  
• Bilingual applicants will be asked to demonstrate their skill set in written and verbal formats as part of the interview process.  

Clean Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization with offices in Madison and Milwaukee. Our mission is to combat climate change and pollution in our air, water and land, and to ensure a healthy future for every Wisconsin community. Clean Wisconsin is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in our work and in our hiring practices. We value a team with different perspectives, educational backgrounds, and life experiences, and we prioritize diversity on our team. If you have any doubt about whether you might be qualified for this position and you think you have something special to contribute, we encourage you to apply. We encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Please also see our statement on diversity, equity and inclusion.