Rock River Coalition is recruiting for a dynamic and detail-oriented outreach and communications specialist to join our team. The outreach and communications specialist will collaborate with Rock River Coalition staff to develop and implement communications plans, strategies, and materials aimed at enhancing engagement with our mission and will lead a range of events, both in person and virtual with a particular focus on urban forestry. The events, outreach, and communications specialist will play a central role in building a vibrant, inclusive, and productive Rock River Coalition community.
Rock River Coalition is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and provide opportunities for people of diverse interests to work together to improve the environmental, recreational, cultural, and economic resources of the Rock River Basin. Established over 25 years ago, the organization pursues its mission through citizen engagement.
POSITION: URBAN FORESTRY & wATER rESOURCES Outreach & Communications Specialist
Position Description: ​Rock River Coalition seeks an enthusiastic, detail-oriented person with a strong understanding of both science and communications to assist with communications, outreach, and event management efforts.
- Compensation: $22-$29 per hour depending on experience. Rock River Coalition offers benefits that include a health stipend and paid time off. This is a full-time (35 hr. a week) grant funded position. Current grant funding is available through 2026.
- This position is responsible for structuring their time but must be available for meetings during regular business hours and events that happen on weekends or evenings.
- Anticipated start date: May 26, 2025
- Location: Hybrid: Remote/Field/Office: The Rock River Coalition’s main office is in Jefferson, WI at 864 Collins Road. It is anticipated that this position would work primarily from an office in Beloit and from home. Some work will take place at our office in Jefferson, or at a TBD location in Madison.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Serve as Urban Forest Program Director (50%) (A majority of this project will take place in Beloit)
- Candidates should feel comfortable speaking about urban forestry, its benefits and its practical application to both professionals and newcomers.
- Candidates should be confident in demonstrating and overseeing basic tree care activities such as tree identification/inventory, pruning, planting, and mulching.
- Conduct community meetings, informational sessions, and site visits for planting groups to identify community needs, explain planting processes, property owner responsibilities, and technical advice about proper tree selection and tree planting process.
- Facilitate tree species selection, contractors, file permits, and material orders for tree planting projects.
- Create related outreach and educational materials.
- Train and supervise Beloit Fresh Start Participants and interns to conduct neighborhood canopy inventories, tree care, plantings and outreach.
- Assist in refining, developing, and innovating existing and future community engagement and tree planting initiatives.
- Lead plantings, workdays and events – coordinate tools, landscape materials, event registration, event communication, necessary permits, and post event reporting.
- Ensure volunteer and event tracking databases and up to date and accurate.
- Complete grant reports and reimbursement forms.
- Other duties as assigned.
General Outreach & Event Management (20%): Responsible for planning, arranging, and overseeing all aspects of event logistics.
- Coordinate bi-annual daylong basin wide conference: Identify planning committee members, schedule and lead planning committee meetings, develop marketing plan, recruit speakers, play a lead role in development and implementation of conference.
- Coordinate and implement up to three build-your-own rain barrel workshops annually.
- Coordinate waterside native plant restoration workdays.
- Coordinate other events as needed.
- Monitor and document event activities and data.
Other Communications (30%)
- Maintain and create content for Rock River Coalition’s website using WordPress.
- Work with staff to distill technical information in an easy-to-understand way.
- Be a resource to Rock River Coalition Staff and Board for written and presentation materials.
- Collaborate and brainstorm with teammates on themes, strategies, and content for communications and marketing to reach, engage, and grow various audience segments including environmentally-conscious citizens and young conservation professionals.
- Write press releases.
- Design monthly e-newsletter: Ensure e-newsletter is drafted with compelling and informative material and delivered each month in a timely manner to sustain engagement.
- Coordinate biannual paper newsletter.
- Develop flyers and brochures to inform and promote programs (e.g., webinars, trainings, river clean-ups) and projects (e.g., Stream Monitoring Map).
- Act as point person with print houses and vendors for majority of print projects.
- Develop the day-to-day social media plan (Primarily Facebook. Also YouTube, Instagram).
ESSENTIAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES
The successful candidate for this opportunity will have the following qualifications:
- Associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree in communications and/or water resources, forestry, environmental science or related.
- Ability to be responsible for planning and overseeing events from ideation through to completion.
- Excellent communication (written, oral, listening, interpersonal) and organizational skills.
- Exceptional writing and editing skills.
- Willingness to take on work outside the immediate job description.
- Ability to work both independently with little supervision and in a team environment.
- Strong command of Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and email marketing platforms.
- A passion for water resources, forestry and the environment.
- Demonstrated understanding of the value of inclusiveness and diversity in all its forms: racial and cultural, political, age, gender, economic, and social.
DESIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES
- Familiarity with the land and waters of the Rock River Basin.
Application instructions
Send a cover letter and resume to info@rockrivercoalition.org. Please submit two professional writing samples. Use the subject line, “Outreach & Communications Specialist.” References will be required for top applicants and will be requested when needed. We will start reviewing applications on May 18, but will continue to accept applications until the position is filled.
Rock River Coalition provides equal opportunity in programs and employment. Rock River Coalition does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, disability, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, arrest record or non-program related conviction record.
