Community Engagement Coordinator

Community Engagement Coordinator

Posted: February 18th, 2025

Application deadline: March 17th, 2025, position open until filled

Location: Eugene-Springfield (Expected work in the Upper Willamette watersheds)

Status: Salaried, exempt position (1.0 FTE, 40 hours/week) Pay: $48,000-52,000 

Benefits: Health insurance plan (medical and dental), generous paid time off, 10 paid Floating Holidays, & 403(b) retirement plan company contribution after 1 year

Desired start date: May 1st, 2025 (some flexibility)

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We believe that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is essential to the success of the Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council. We recognize that we are working within an inherited system built and founded on colonization and systemic racism. This system does not benefit everyone equally, so we are committed to doing the work of DEI every day. We strive to build relationships and understanding by connecting to communities, which include Indigenous peoples, People of Color, and different socio-economic groups. We believe that these relationships will build co-created values, beliefs, ideas, & leadership that will help the watershed & communities become more resilient and able to adapt to changing environments.
 

Position summary

The Upper Willamette Stewardship Network (UWSN) & Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council (MFWWC) seek a compassionate, skilled, dynamic individual to join our team as the Community Engagement Coordinator. This position will play a key role in collaboratively developing strategies for communication and outreach for large scale initiatives with partner organizations in the UWSN and has considerable opportunity for growth. We understand the essential role that effective communication plays in collaboration and the importance of cultivating community, shared purpose, relationships, and trust. This position exercises strong judgment and professional experience in planning and implementing strategic communications for an array of UWSN initiatives including: Urban Waters Partnership, Working Lands Program, large scale restoration initiatives (floodplain and uplands restoration), general UWSN community building, and MFWWC engagement activities. The Community Engagement Coordinator will work with program staff to build relationships within the Upper Willamette region and across UWSN organizations through thoughtful and timely communication related to UWSN initiatives and issues. This dynamic and collaborative position is based at the MFWWC in Springfield, Oregon and will include travel within the Upper Willamette Basin.

 Essential Functions

• Collaboratively develop high quality, inclusive communication materials, both written and visual
• Coordination across multiple organizations and stakeholder groups, including local government and nongovernmental organizations
• Integrate into projects a personal and/or professional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including exploration of power and privilege. Bring a willingness to self-reflect and experience discomfort in collaborative and transformative conversations
• Strategically plan and implement projects across short and long timelines
   

Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council – 10%

Support communication strategies for the MFWWC’s Regional Education and Restoration Programs, lead newsletter development and support council events
 

Upper Willamette Stewardship Network – 60%

Lead and facilitate the UWSN Outreach and Communications Project team; develop a community building and communications strategy for the UWSN; create & coordinate a quarterly newsletter and shared partner events calendar; plan meetings, trainings, and events; support the Working Lands Program’s engagement of local farmers; work with restoration partners to develop shared communications around regional prescribed burning and floodplain restoration initiatives; other activities to support our regional community of conservation professionals including coordination and facilitation of community building events and Network meetings and gatherings
 

Urban Waters Partnership – 30%

Lead shared UWP communications strategy development and implementation; lead and facilitate the UWP Outreach Committee; website and communication materials development; and other outreach,  training, and community building activities with local partners, utilities, cities, and businesses. 
 

Desired Qualifications

• Experience as a communications professional developing and implementing marketing campaigns and communications strategies (including gathering information, writing and producing materials, presenting information to the public, and facilitating effective communication)
• Excellent communication, writing, and copy-editing skills
• Willingness to learn and adapt, experienced problem solver who can take strong initiative
• Demonstrated success in multimedia storytelling and ability to engage and capture the attention of a variety of specific target audiences
• Experience leading and working collaboratively in diverse teams
• Professional training or life experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Experience with and commitment to working with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Familiarity with media applications and web-based tools such as Canva, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Zoom, Google Suite, and Dropbox and an ability to learn and integrate new technologies and platforms for storytelling  
• Valid Oregon driver’s license, reliable personal transportation (work-related travel reimbursed), and willingness to occasionally work early mornings, evenings, and weekends

We believe that white supremacy culture disproportionately impacts the most marginalized people in society — including Black people, Indigenous people, People of Color, people from working class backgrounds, women and LGBTQ+ people. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.

The Upper Willamette Stewardship Network is committed to working with communities to care for land and water in the Upper Willamette. The Upper Willamette geography is defined by the Middle Fork and Coast Fork Willamette, the McKenzie and the Long Tom Watersheds and encompasses the west slope of the Cascades Range and the east slope of the Coast Range. The Willamette River basin supports rich native fish, wildlife, and plant communities and culturally important and stunning natural areas. For more information on our Network’s model and approach see here: newnetworkleader.org &  SSIR Roadmap 

To Apply

Please submit a 1-page cover letter, resume, and writing sample in pdf format to Executive Director Dov Weinman at dov@middleforkwillamette.org. All emails and application materials should have “Community Engagement Coordinator - applicant last name” in the subject line.

The first review of applications will begin on March 17th. A first round of virtual interviews for qualified candidates will take place during the week of March 24st. Our hiring team may request references or a second round of interviews as needed. We strive for equitable hiring practices, including using the same rating system and interview questions for all candidates, providing interview questions in advance, and considering a wide range of experiences to meet qualifications.