Department:	Community Development Department
Job Title:	Energy Engagement Associate Planner
Job Code:	M588-740
Civil Service Position:	Non Civil Service position
Union Affiliation:	None
Hours Per Week:	37.50 wk (M 8:30am-8pm, T-Th 8:30am-5pm, F 8:30am-12pm) occasional evening/weekend events

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT:

The Community Development Department (CDD) is the planning agency for the City of Cambridge. Encompassing the Economic Opportunity and Development, Housing, Community Planning, Zoning & Development, and Environmental & Transportation Planning Divisions, CDD's mission is to foster a livable, sustainable, just, and equitable community. CDD engages and collaborates with community partners, other government agencies, businesses, and residents to make Cambridge a desirable place to live, work, learn, play, and innovate.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Energy Engagement Associate Planner will be a member of the Climate team in CDD's Environmental and Transportation Planning division (E&T). This person will manage the comprehensive outreach, education, and community engagement activities of the City's Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA). CEA focuses on equitable community and stakeholder engagement in the City's energy efficiency (EE), renewable energy (RE) and decarbonization programs.

The Energy Engagement Associate Planner will do innovative and collaborative work with the City's non-profit outreach and engagement partner and other partners, with a focus on renters, landlords, homeowners, small businesses, schools, community groups, non-profits, and the local utility company. This highly collaborative position facilitates equitable engagement and marketing of CEA's broad range of programs and builds partnerships between community organizations, advocacy groups, other city departments and other divisions of CDD. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Primary responsibilities will be in four main areas, plus related tasks as assigned:

Program Coordination

CEA has over ten programs and services to help our community increase building energy efficiency; understand and lower utility bills; reduce building fossil fuel use; and increase the use of renewable energy.  These programs are supported by many outside service providers.  The Energy Engagement Associate Planner will be responsible for managing and coordinating the services and activities of the outside organizations that serve our programs and reporting on the impact of their work. The incumbent will also oversee an energy efficient equipment grant program for businesses and affordable housing affected by COVID using federal ARPA funds.

Community Outreach

The primary mission of CEA is to equitably engage the community through robust outreach to make homes and businesses more energy efficient and use renewable energy to reduce their climate change impacts. Target stakeholders include low-and-moderate income residents, and language-isolated, environmental justice, and underserved communities. Community engagement tasks include outreach, community events and education in collaboration with community organizations, other City departments, and the CDD Community Engagement Team and Climate Leaders program.

Communications and Marketing

Engaging the wide-ranging community stakeholders in CEA's programs and climate change mitigation efforts involves producing robust, continuous, and evolving communication materials and using extensive communication channels for diverse audiences.  Communication and marketing tasks supported by external partners and the CDD Communications team include making and implementing outreach materials, managing CEA website content, and providing Energy Advising services to residents and small businesses.

Intern Management

CEA's programs can be supported by a CDD intern and outside fellowship and training program interns. The incumbent may hire, train, and supervise a part-time CDD intern throughout the year as needed to achieve CEA's goals or support grant administration needs.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essentials functions.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education and Experience

• Minimum of four (4) years of related experience and a related Bachelor's degree. An Associate's degree with six (6) years of related experience, a Master's degree with two (2) years of experience, or 8 years of experience in a professional capacity as a community organizer will also be considered.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Engage meaningfully with diverse stakeholders
• Perform grassroots community outreach and/or community based social marketing
• Strong knowledge of energy efficiency and renewable energy, including technologies and incentives
• Proactively lead multiple projects simultaneously
• Positive, professional attitude and capacity to adapt quickly
• Manage peer-level partner organizations and intern-level staff
• Communicate complex ideas simply in writing and speaking
• The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge of Massachusetts climate policy and programs, including Mass Save
• Proficiency in one or more other languages, such as Spanish, Amharic, Bangla, Portuguese, Haitian-Creole, and Arabic
• Ability to supervise intern-level staff, as needed to accomplish CEA's goals

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  Some outdoor work required for community engagement events and activities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essentials functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  Standard office environment with fluorescent lighting, computers, standard office equipment, and air conditioning. Moderate noise level with a shared workstation. Work involved is both indoor in a professional office setting and outdoors at community events. This position may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule under the City's Telework Policy depending on operational needs.

BENEFITS SUMMARY:  

• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Vacation and Sick leave eligible
• Sick Incentive Pay Eligible
• 3 Personal days
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Management Allowance, $2,700/year
• City employee transportation benefits (T-Pass reimbursement Bluebikes membership, EZRide Shuttle).

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

Internal applicants submit a job bidding form and 2 copies of both your resume and cover letter; external applicants submit both your resume and cover letter via email to employment@cambridgema.gov or to the Personnel Dept, Room 309, City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02139.  Fax 617-349-4312. Resume and cover letter requested by 12/29/22.  Position will remain open until filled. 

THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, SEX, RELIGION, AGE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISABILITY OR ANY OTHER PROTECTED CATEGORY. WOMEN, MINORITIES, VETERANS, MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. CITY OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS ARE ESPECIALLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. AUXILIARY AIDS AND SERVICES, WRITTEN MATERIALS IN ALTERNATIVE FORMATS, AND REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS IN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WILL BE PROVIDED TO QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES FREE OF CHARGE, UPON REQUEST. The City is committed to advancing a workforce culture of antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion.