Job Posting for the London Environmental Network
Job Title: Community Engagement Specialist
Eligibility: Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements in accordance with the Eco Canada funding program:
- Must be aged between 15-30 (inclusive)
- Must be a post-secondary graduate
- Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or be a protected person as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- Must be legally entitled to work in Canada and according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations
Location: London, ON. Candidates must reside in London. This position requires a combination of in-person (minimum 2 office days/week) and remote work. Evenings and weekend work will be required on occasion. Reliable access to a vehicle is required for travel to various job responsibilities within London.
Remuneration: $25/hour for 35 hours/week. 12-month contract, with possibility for extension.
Start Date: September 2024
Benefits include: 3 weeks paid vacation, 8 wellness days, health and dental coverage plan, and $50/month stipend for phone and internet usage.
Position Details:
We are looking for a self-motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our team as the Community Engagement Specialist! The Community Engagement Specialist is one of the key touchpoints between LEN and the community, and they are responsible for executing LEN’s digital communications and events and outreach strategies. In this role, the main priorities are to communicate our objectives, engage our stakeholders, and grow our audience (digital and in person) to create positive environmental change in the community. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with team members, volunteers, and community partners to promote our programming and create a strong presence in the community.
The Organization:
The London Environmental Network (LEN) is a registered environmental charity in London, ON that aims to create a green, sustainable, and more resilient city. The LEN works to connect and engage individuals, nonprofits, and businesses in the community to reduce their environmental impacts. This is achieved through environmental programming and service offerings including Greener Homes London, Green Economy London, Environmental Action Incubator, and more. The LEN also works to raise the profile of the environmental non-profit sector to attract and engage Londoners in growing a healthy, sustainable city.
The Overview:
- You’ll be responsible for delivering our communications strategy, which includes curating environmental content for social media channels, newsletters, website content, and promotional materials. You will also be responsible for monitoring progress towards communications and outreach targets identified in our strategic plan.
- You’ll be responsible for coordinating and conducting outreach for the organization, such as speaking engagements, outreach booths, and networking events across the city to expand the reach of LEN and make new connections in the community.
Preferable Experience and Skills:
Preference will be given to candidates that have the following experience and skills:
- Previous education or interest in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) and/or environmental sciences is desirable.
- Previous experience working or volunteering in the non-profit sector is desirable.
- Experience with managing any or all of the following: social media platforms, website design and maintenance, graphic design software, marketing materials.
- Experience in public speaking, community engagement, sales, or customer service is desirable.
- Strong relationship-building skills to support with engaging with the public in a variety of ways (presentations, meetings, messages, etc.).
- Strong communication skills, both written and oral, to engage new audiences. Particularly skilled with communicating complex information and terminology in beginner-friendly formats.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively on a team to find solutions and meet deliverables.
The Details:
Responsibilities of the Community Engagement Specialist will include:
Communications (40%)
- Maintain regular social media engagement on LEN’s social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram) by creating informative and creative post content as well as interacting with other accounts online.
- Maintain regular social media engagement on GEL’s social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram) by creating informative and creative post content as well as interacting with other accounts online.
- Design, content development and implementation of LEN’s monthly e-newsletter for Londoners to engage them on upcoming events and volunteer opportunities in the environmental community.
- Work with program coordinators to ensure that program opportunities and environmental impacts are being regularly communicated to our audiences on our website, newsletter, and social media (ex. Green Consultation Service, Thriving Communities site transformations, Green Economy London business opportunities etc.).
- Provide training on communications strategies to LEN team members, ensuring communication best practices (branding, accessibility, diversity and inclusion, etc.) are being adhered to.
- Execute our digital communications strategy, monitoring progress towards goals identified in our strategic plan and identifying new opportunities to advance our digital communications.
- Design of promotional materials (flyers, brochures, graphics), merchandise, event invitations, surveys, and other communications materials for online platforms as required
Events and Outreach (40%)
- Coordinating and conducting outreach for LEN, including speaking engagements, outreach booths at events across the city, and presentations to new groups to share ways people can get involved with our organization and members
- Maintaining LEN outreach booth materials (inventory, updating materials with current information, etc.) and coming up with new ways to make the outreach booth an engaging and informative way for Londoners to learn about LEN and its opportunities
- Recruiting, training, and coordinating a small team of volunteers to help execute events and outreach activities
- Collaborating with LEN program staff to provide various event support, including providing outreach materials, event set up, registration, etc. as needed
- Maintaining webpages related to events, volunteers opportunities, and outreach on the LEN website such as the LEN Events and Blog pages, and the Volunteer Bank
- Developing an annual outreach event calendar, aiming to target new and diverse outreach booth locations for the 2024 - 2025 events season
- Attending networking and community events to strengthen our strategic partnerships and support our organizational development goals.
- Assist with coordinating aspects of community engagement events as instructed by Directors. For example, creating registration links and promotions for webinars or events hosted in partnership with network members.
- Supporting the 2024 - 2025 events season such as Green Leader Awards, Green in the City series, Sustainability Socials, summer markets, and other outreach booths
Administration and Other Duties (20%)
- Creating a procedural manual for the role and templates to set the organization up for success.
- Input metrics into our systems to track community engagement performance.
- Maintaining a weekly log of activities and achievements.
- Performing other similar and related activities as required.
- Reporting project progress to the Supervisor in a timely manner.
Supervision and Mentoring Plan:
The Community Engagement Specialist will report directly to the Director of Sustainability (the “Supervisor”) at the LEN. Orientation to the LEN and the position will be provided at the beginning of the position and will include an overview of the LEN organizational structure, mandate, policies, procedures and properties.
Project training and supervision will be provided by the Supervisor who will communicate the specific goals, tasks and expectations of individual projects. The Community Engagement Specialist will work with the Supervisor directly most days and be in contact on a daily basis when working independently.
The Supervisor will meet with the Community Engagement Specialist once per week to review progress on projects, update work plans accordingly, and discuss new ideas and challenges. They will be supported with opportunities for continued learning and professional development throughout their contract term.
London Environmental Network is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all staff, volunteers, members, subcontractors, and vendors in all our activities and operations, regardless of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), dis/ability, marital status, or sexual orientation. We welcome applications from persons with disabilities and will provide accommodations during all stages of the hiring process, upon request.
How to Apply:
Please email your cover letter and resume to Kaitlin Creighton at kaitlin@londonenvironment.net with the subject line “Community Engagement Specialist”. Portfolios or links to past communications projects are welcomed. Please ensure your cover letter includes your relevant skills, why you are interested in this position, and, confirmation that you meet the candidate eligibility requirements noted above.
Applications are due Friday, August 16th by 5pm. Interviews will be scheduled the week August 19th and ongoing.