| Responsibilities: The New School is launching an innovative new leadership program for Environmental Justice movement leaders. In 2018, we embarked on an assessment of the need for and interest in an environmental justice movement leadership program, surveying and interviewing more than 200 movement leaders. From this study, we developed a program designed specifically to support the impact of the Environmental Justice (EJ) movement to respond in a time of growing climate urgency and inequalities. The program seeks to support social movement and organizational effectiveness using a Just Transitions framework. The program is designed to support leaders in generating innovative and contentious strategies in response to the current climate crisis. It is designed as a two-year leadership program that will launch in Fall 2021 with a first cohort of 16 fellows and is envisioned as a legacy program. The complete program consists of four distinct phases: (1) Building individual leadership capacities for contention and innovation; (2) Support and space to explore and develop new ideas; (3) Support and tools to testing and prototyping ideas; and (4) Resources and support to implement tested ideas. After our pilot cohort in 2020, we envision running concurrent cohorts in staggered phases and we expect to grow each cohort to 25 participants, with as many as 50 new leaders a year in the program. We are seeking a dynamic, dedicated Program and Communications Associate to support all aspects of this new program, including our initial launch. The Associate will report directly to the Program Director and work closely with the Program Manager. This is a great opportunity to be part of a building a new initiative from the ground up. This program will be housed at the Tishman Environment and Design Center in collaboration with the Social Movements and Innovation Lab. This is a full-time position based in New York City. The Associate will be part of a hybrid team made up of staff and faculty located in New York City and remotely nationwide and should be comfortable working with a diverse range of working and communication styles. Job responsibilities include:
Maintain the administrative processes of the program in service of supporting the frontline communities, leaders, and the larger environmental justice movement
Provide logistical support to the planning and execution of team meetings, public and private events, and retreats
Coordinate regular team meetings, progress reports, draft agendas, and record keeping for ongoing project tasks
Support the Program Director's scheduling needs and implement systems to support program leadership
Provide administrative support to the program such as booking travel and compensating external partners, expense reporting, and honoraria payments
Oversight of program calendar and academic communications, media promotion and public relations, including website content
Contribute to program's communications strategy by creating promotional and marketing content (text and graphic) for web pages, newsletters, and social media
Maintain and advance fellowship website
Coordinate with external consultants and creatives regarding scopes, timelines, and payments
Act as the primary liaison to the Tishman Center, Social Movements + Innovation Lab, and other university offices, including Marketing & Communications
Track program data and report to team members
Other tasks as neededMinimum Qualifications: Ability to listen deeply to, provide support to, and follow the lead of frontline, community based leaders and collaborators
Demonstrated solution-oriented approach and high emotional intelligence
Proven track record of strong project coordination and communication skills, including attention to detail, ability to effectively prioritize tasks with little supervision, and work independently to accomplish assignments and projects
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Experience contributing to and/or managing complex, long-term projects
Excellent writing skills; can draft and copy edit final documents
Creative approaches to link traditional to digital media
Design and technical skills such as Adobe Creative Cloud and web design
Experience building systems to support program's operations, including payment trackers, outreach spreadsheets, budgets, and work plans
Commitment to principles of inclusivity, justice, and anti-oppression
Experience working with frontline communities and multiple sectors, including social justice organizations and philanthropyPreferred Qualifications: Bachelor's degree and/or 3-5 years experience in environmental justice, social justice, community development, urban studies or related field
An interest or experience in environmental justice, leadership development, social movements
Experience with qualitative data methods and skills
Operations management background
Ability to manage up and across programs leads to land deadlinesSpecial Instructions to Applicants: Please submit a writing sample and two job references (please include full name, e-mail address, and telephone number) along with your resume and cover letter. This position offers opportunities for professional growth within the initiative. Candidates interested in developing a career in environmental justice, grassroots movements and/or community engagement will be given priority.
The New School is committed to creating and maintaining an environment that promises diversity and tolerance in all areas of employment, education and access to its educational, artistic or cultural programs and activities. The New School does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, creed, sex or gender (including gender identity and expression), pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion, religious practices, mental or physical disability, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, veteran status, marital or partnership status, or any other legally protected status. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and Queer candidates are highly encouraged to apply. Position would begin immediately and go through May 2022 with an opportunity for an extension contingent upon funding and performance. New York Benefits and tuition waiver eligible. |
