Job Opportunities

Position Details

TITLE: Community Coordinator
EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full-time, salaried, non-exempt. Eligible for overtime pay for time worked beyond 40 hrs in a work week (Sat-Fri).
Full-time: 40 hours per week between Labor Day and Memorial Day; 35 hours per week between Memorial Day and Labor Day (while maintaining a 40 hour per week salary). Weekend events and evenings are common (2+ per month).
TERM:  Position funded through summer 2029, may be extended or made permanent based on future grant funding.
SUPERVISED BY: Volunteer & Outreach Program Manager
SUPERVISES: Part-time/seasonal staff
PAY RATE: $56,000 annual salary, eligible for full benefits package, including 100% employer paid medical, dental and vision insurance, retirement match, paid time off starting at 3 weeks’ vacation, 11 holidays, and sick time. In addition, the organization will be closed Dec 25-29 which does not count toward vacation.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Eligible for hybrid work.  Scheduling a weekly combination of in-office and remote work will be determined with the Volunteer & Outreach Manager.

ABOUT FRIENDS OF TREES & 11-MEMBER COALITION

Since 1989, Friends of Trees (FOT) has planted nearly a million trees and native shrubs in 120+ neighborhoods in six counties across two states. We’ve done this through engaging tens of thousands of community members while implementing and growing programming that aims to do this work inclusively and equitably. We plant trees, and so much more. Learn more about The Friends of Trees Way, about Our Commitment to Equity, and about Our Community Partnerships.

In September 2023, an 11-member coalition led by Friends of Trees was awarded a $12 million Urban and Community Forestry Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. The grant will bring resources to  communities in East Portland, Gresham, West Eugene, and Springfield most impacted by climate change, pollution, and environmental hazards. The project includes funding for community forestry work including tree planting, natural area restoration, post-planting care, community education, opportunities for direct community input and participation, and workforce training and skills development. The partner coalition includes APANO, Black Parent Initiative, City of Gresham, City of Portland, Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Connecting Canopies (via The Blueprint Foundation and The Intertwine Alliance), Depave, POIC, Verde, and Wisdom of the Elders. The $12 million award will direct funds to these partners and Friends of Trees across five years.  This position is funded by this grant, and will serve a crucial role in the success of this coalition work.

JOB SUMMARY

The Community Coordinator is responsible for working with the 11 coalition partners to provide support with planning and implementing our collaborative community engagement efforts. This position serves as an extension of the coalition partner’s community engagement work toward grant deliverables. The overall objective for this position is to thoughtfully and effectively engage coalition partner’s constituents as well as the diversity of community members in East Portland and Gresham with urban and community forestry efforts. Strong candidates will have excellent verbal communication skills and a commitment to building and deepening authentic relationships in East Portland and Gresham. This role may be responsible for supervising part-time/seasonal outreach staff to support reaching coalition partner engagement priorities. This will be primarily indoor work, with up to 25% of time engaged in outdoor field-based activities, including outreach events and planting events.

DESCRIPTION OF ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborate closely with the coalition’s members to develop and refine community engagement and outreach plans that support coalition partners to achieve their stated goals over the 5-year grant period.
• Utilize culturally-specific outreach approaches and employ cultural competency best practices in planning and implementing outreach strategies.
• Recruit, schedule, and engage individuals, families and groups to participate in coalition partner activities. Must be able to solicit and respond to community input — including phone calls, emails, and social media engagement — in a timely manner, while maintaining a relational and respectful tone.
• Generate outreach materials to aid in community engagement and coordinate professional language translation of materials and interpretation services, as needed.
• Regularly attend and support coalition partner and FOT events, often on evenings and weekends.
• Coordinate community feedback processes that directly assess and enhance target community engagement. This will include developing and administering community surveys in partnership with coalition members, as well as facilitating focus groups, community listening sessions, or other feedback mechanisms to be defined.
• In the final 3-4 years of the grant, supervise part-time/seasonal community engagement staff.  Option to supervise intern(s) in any year of grant.
• Assist with grant planning and reporting.

General Tasks

• Attends expected FOT trainings and workshops, staff meetings, and retreats. May attend coalition partner staff meetings, retreats, as appropriate.
• Actively supports the advancement of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion efforts at FOT and at coalition partners
• Helps implement FOT’s Strategic Values and incorporates these values throughout their work
• Follows organizational guidelines to keep office workspace, tools, lots and work vehicles in good condition
• Contributes content for TreeMail and FOT social media channels, as needed
• Adheres to FOT’S safety protocols and upholds a safe working environment
• Submit accurate records of time and expenses weekly
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Community outreach and engagement: Demonstrated experience implementing community outreach and engagement efforts, recruiting volunteers, hosting or supporting community trainings, or other community engagement initiatives.
• Strong, respectful, people-centered communication skills: Enjoys speaking with others, and is comfortable doing so at public events and in small and large groups.
• Demonstrated commitment to prioritizing the needs of under-resourced communities with cultural sensitivity (awareness that cultural differences and similarities between people exist without assigning them a value).
• Interested in learning and growing with an organization that prioritizes justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, exploring trauma-informed support, and decolonization.

• Effective project management: Continually tracks and manages multiple tasks while regularly reprioritizing based on changing scenarios, coalition members’ needs, new deadlines, etc.
• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively while also exercising initiative to take the lead on implementing projects and tasks (with supportive supervision).
• Has the ability to lift 25 lbs (loading and unloading canopy/tables for outreach events).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Fluent or proficient in any language(s) in addition to English
• Personal experience living, working, attending school, or worshiping in East County
• Coalition or partnership experience: Experience participating as an active partner in a diverse coalition of organizations, industry groups, or similar networks or partnerships
• Experience with webpage, graphic design, or customer relationship management tools, in particular: Salesforce, WordPress,  Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or InDesign.
• Experience supervising and mentoring others from a wide diversity of backgrounds and experiences.
• Knowledgeable of, or a desire to learn about, environmental justice, trees, native plants, or urban forestry.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a resume (limit 2 pages total) and cover letter to [email protected] by Wednesday, July 17th, 11:59 pm. Please reference the position title, Community Coordinator, in the subject line. References may be requested at a later date. In the cover letter, please address the following elements: 1) why you are interested in this position, 2) personal or professional experience with community engagement within under-resourced communities, and 3) any relevant skills and experience not listed in your resume.

Friends of Trees recognizes that not everyone has equal access to the benefits of trees and healthy urban green spaces based on racial and socioeconomic status, and we are committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive environment. Candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply. FOT provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identification, national origin, age, disability or genetics.