Local recruitment: Watershed Community Engagement Coordinator

Urban Tilth

Richmond, CA, USA 🇺🇸

Urban Tilth, a Richmond (CA)-based non-profit, is seeking a Community Engagement
Coordinator to guide the continued growth of our Watershed Restoration Program. We are currently in the process of expanding on our successful community engagement model – which builds relationships between West Contra Costa County residents and the natural spaces around them – by offering free residential installation of water conservation systems for Richmond residents, as well as gathering community feedback on how green infrastructure (e.g. bioswales) in cities can build community pride and resist gentrification. We are looking for a candidate with experience in environmental stewardship, strong communication skills, and a deep desire to serve the Richmond community, to help grow these new program areas and deepen Urban Tilth’s bonds with West County residents.

Program Description:
Urban Tilth’s Watershed Restoration Program (a.k.a. ‘Basins of Relations’) trains young adults from the Richmond community to steward urban ecosystems and to understand their relationship to land through a social and environmental justice framework. The Basins of Relations Training Program is a paid apprenticeship which supports young people of color from West Contra Costa County as they begin careers in environmental stewardship. Our 6-person Watershed Restoration Field Crew employs exceptional graduates of the training program and provides contracted restoration services for neglected urban waterways, in partnership with local landowning agencies. Our community engagement events further build relationships between local residents and the natural spaces within their community, creating community pride that is essential for achieving desired ecological outcomes and building a sense of place. The ultimate goal of the Watershed Restoration program is to empower residents of Richmond, North Richmond and San Pablo by providing local, green-collar, career-based employment opportunities, and to affect positive ecological change that benefits both human communities and our watershed.

About the position:
The Community Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for building relationships with community members and other community-based organizations in Richmond and San Pablo, hosting events that bring community members together in support of natural spaces in Richmond (creeks, greenways, gardens, etc), and making community members aware of the resources Urban Tilth can offer. Within our new water conservation program, the CE Coordinator will be responsible for reaching out to community members (knocking on doors, attending community meetings, visiting community centers) to let residents know about the opportunity to have these water conservation technologies installed for free. When community members show interest, the CE Coordinator will be responsible for following up with these residents, scheduling installation times in collaboration with our Watershed Restoration Field Crew, and making sure all questions are answered.

As part of our community feedback gathering process along the Richmond Greenway, the CE Coordinator will be responsible for organizing 5-6 events that celebrate community assets, educate community members about the form and function of green infrastructure projects, and gather feedback on how these projects might better serve the local community. Furthermore, the CE Coordinator will be responsible for organizing, recruiting volunteers for, and hosting our large annual volunteer events: MLK Day, Earth Day, and Coastal Cleanup Day. All of our events include a blend of: education about how community members can take care of natural resources (soil, air, water) in their community, fun family-friendly activities, and restorative tasks that make a measurable positive impact on ecosystem health (e.g. picking up trash, planting native plants). For these events, the CE Coordinator will be asked to create a budget in advance, gather supplies, lead and implement the event, document the event with photographs and surveys, and submit the documentation in the proper locations.

Furthermore, the CE Coordinator may be asked to complete administrative tasks that ensure the long-term sustainability of the Watershed Restoration Program. This work is funded through contracts that require diligent data collection and excellent communication to coordinate with stakeholders. The Coordinator must also share the story of the program through social media postings (on UT’s page) and monthly reports.

Finally, the CE Coordinator will also have the ability to work with the Watershed Restoration Field Crew for regular creek workdays around West County, under the supervision of the Field Crew Manager. The CE Coordinator will be asked to participate in all activities with the Field Crew on these workdays, featuring tasks like native plant propagation, invasive species removal, native plant identification, erosion control, trail maintenance, development of educational materials and signage, trash removal, and soil bioengineering.

Required qualifications:
● Experience in environmental stewardship, knowledgeable on issues like climate change,
drought, environmental justice, and ecosystem restoration.
● Basic understanding of water conservation techniques (laundry-to-landscape greywater,
water catchment, drip irrigation).
● Experience landscaping with native and drought-tolerant plants.
● Valid driver’s license.
● Experience and comfort working within communities of color.
● Excellent public speaking and communication skills.

Preferred qualifications:
● Ability to identify California native flora and fauna.
● Bilingual Spanish
Position responsibilities include:
● Advise residents on the benefits of water conservation, recommend installation of water
saving systems where appropriate, follow up with interested residents, make sure all
maintenance tasks are completed.

● In collaboration with UC Berkeley and SF Estuary Institute, lead a community feedback
gathering process to guide the design of future green infrastructure projects for the
neighborhoods surrounding the Richmond Greenway.
○ Host 5-6 community events where community assets are celebrated, natural
spaces are cared for, and information is shared in both directions – residents to
scientists and scientists to residents.

● Organize, recruit residents for, and implement regular monthly volunteer events at our
Creek sites.
○ Host and implement large quarterly community events, including MLK Day,
Earth Day, and Coastal Cleanup Day.

● Maintain partnerships with land-owning agencies (City and County, etc) and community
organizations to make sure events run smoothly and are well-attended.
● Create a budget prior to each event and submit it to the program director to gain approval
for funding before the event.
● Rigorously document events using sign-in sheets, taking pictures, providing post-surveys
to participants, and completing monthly and annual program reports etc.
● Track programmatic data, keep a record of community contacts, record number of
attendees at events, log all work completed.
● When necessary, participate in Field Crew workdays on local creek sites, and contribute
to all tasks relevant to the site at hand, including, but not limited to: native species
propagation, invasive species removal, erosion control installation.
● Be organized, punctual, responsible, an excellent communicator and a stellar role model.
● Create and maintain relationships with stakeholders, organizations and individuals.
● Deliver presentations at annual board staff retreats and strategic planning meetings.
● Attend all Urban Tilth staff meetings and annual retreat.
● Continuously deepen your own understanding of the concepts integral to this program,
including creek restoration, hydrology, environmental justice, native plant identification,
critical race theory, etc.

Compensation
● 40 hrs/week, 100% time position
○ Exact hours of work are somewhat flexible to meet candidate needs, but typically our workdays are 9am-5pm M-F, with occasional weekend events.

● Paid at $25/hour
● Benefits include: 40 hours paid vacation, 7 paid holidays and paid Winter Break from
Dec 22nd – Jan 2nd, 40 hours of annual paid sick leave, and medical, dental and life insurance benefits and wellness fund benefits.

Contact
Those interested should send a resume and cover letter to employmentwts@urbantilth.org
Please include ‘WTS Community Engagement Coordinator’ in the subject line. If you have questions concerning the position please contact nathan@urbantilth.org.

We are hoping to have this new hire begin work on July 3rd, 2023, but this start date is
negotiable.


POSITION TYPE

ORGANIZATION TYPE

EXPERIENCE-LEVEL

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