Climate Resilience Program Associate  

Job Title: Climate Resilience Program Associate  

Status: Full-time, Non-exempt     

Reports to: Climate Resilience Program Director 

Applications Due: Position will remain open until filled 

About Community Environmental Council: 

CEC is a fast-paced nonprofit based in Santa Barbara and serving the California Central Coast, with a reputation for positive social change and community engagement. Since 1970, CEC has incubated and innovated real life environmental solutions that directly affect the region.  

With its current focus on promoting rapid and equitable solutions to the climate crisis, CEC is known for organizing the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival, advancing 100% renewable energy goals, and developing campaigns to #gosolar, #driveless, #driveclean #ditchplastic, and #rethinkfood. CEC’s primary objectives are to 1) Achieve carbon zero communities; 2) Promote nature-based solutions to draw down legacy emissions and 3) Protect against unavoidable climate impacts.  

The CEC team is a highly committed and energetic group, with an internal culture that values collaboration, ongoing learning, and innovation.   CEC seeks to activate people of every age, race, ethnicity, and economic status in community planning, political action, personal behavior change, and climate leadership.  

Visit www.CECSB.org and www.facebook.com/cecsb to learn more about our work and history.   

About the Position:  

CEC is seeking a new associate to help strengthen communities and protect vulnerable populations in the face of climate change. With increasing fire, drought, heat and sea level rise threatening our social, economic and environmental wellbeing, CEC’s climate resilience program is taking a ‘whole community’ approach that centers equity and justice, empowers all people, and builds capacity to protect the Central Coast from climate impacts. 

The Climate Resilience Program Associate will support the development and growth of CEC’s emerging Climate Resilience Program and will report directly to the Climate Resilience Program Director.  This program will build off the top climate resilience ideas and solutions identified during a recent series of roundtables and community listening sessions. To learn more about the Climate Resilience Roundtables visit: 

https://cecsb.org/programs/community-programs 

The Program Associate will work with diverse stakeholders from local government, technical assistance providers, non-profits and community-based organizations. Responsibilities include researching climate impacts (such public health impacts from extreme heat) and identifying successful solutions in other regions (such as urban cooling projects). Additional responsibilities include planning and initiating public opinion surveys, stakeholder interviews and other data collection tools.   

The ideal candidate will possess communication, outreach and network development skills and embrace the principles of equity, inclusion and justice. 

Job functions and Responsibilities: 

• Conduct qualitative research on climate threats, potential actions and resilience strategies. 

• Develop presentations, reports, surveys and other storytelling methods for general audiences. 
• Assist with design and organization of small group convenings and/or webinars on climate-related topics. 
• Plan and facilitate stakeholder engagement and outreach meetings or events and build positive working relationships with new and existing partners.  
• Develop recommended actions that build climate resilience and address specific climate threats, particularly for vulnerable populations. 
• Assist with identifying new grant opportunities and developing grant applications in collaboration with internal and external partners. 

• Help track grant requirements from state/federal agencies, private foundations, and other funders. Tasks include invoicing, reporting and tracking deliverables. 

Key Qualifications and Skills: 

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field such as environmental science, public health or urban development and planning. 
• Two or more years of professional work experience, preferably in environment, public health and safety, emergency preparedness, social justice, government planning or policy, or a related field. 
• Familiarity with climate-related issues such as sea level rise, wildfire, heat, drought, water supply, or climate change adaptation and resilience concepts. 

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including interpersonal networking skills, public speaking, and relationship building. 
• Outgoing self-starter with a demonstrated ability to motivate internal teams and external stakeholders.   
• Residence or network in Ventura, Santa Barbara and/or San Luis Obispo counties.  
• Proficiency with standard online business platforms (i.e., Microsoft Office, GoogleDrive). 
• Bilingual fluent in English and Spanish is desirable but not required.     

• Commitment to CEC’s mission and programs. 

Job Status and Compensation:   

• 40 hours/week    
• Non-exempt position   
• Salary commensurate with experience 
• Benefits include: 

• Two weeks paid vacation, 10 paid holidays, and an additional paid week off between Christmas and New Year’s Day  

• Health, dental, vision, life insurance  
• Optional retirement plan with employer match up to 3% of salary (after a qualifying period) 

• This position will be based out of our office in Santa Barbara, California 

To Apply: 

Applications will be considered until the position is filled. To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume (pdf) with an email subject line that indicates “Climate Resilience Program Associate” Application to:  

Natalie McGuire 

Assistant to the Executive Director & Board Liaison 

officeadmin@cecmail.org   

CEC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate based on gender identity, sexual orientation, race, nationality, or physical ability.