Outreach and Education Program Officer

UST Logistical Systems; Annapolis (MD); Hybrid; USD 64,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

401K retirement savings

Vacation days

Sick days

Personal days

Compensatory time

Holidays

Professional Development fund

Job summary

The Chesapeake Bay Trust in Annapolis, Maryland, seeks a Program Officer to support the Outreach and Education Team by administering grant programs and initiatives that advance environmental literacy across Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The role involves guiding applicants through proposals, reviews, and grant agreements, building partnerships with educators and community organizations, and reporting outcomes to funding partners and the public.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of demonstrated experience and a track record of success with supporting, coordinating, or implementing environmental education, environmental literacy, or related programs and initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Support administration of Outreach and Education team’s grant programs focused on environmental education and regional literacy.
• Sustain collaborative partnerships with non-profit, state, federal, and community partners to support grant programs.
• Develop and refine Requests for Proposals and program materials.
• Advertise across Maryland and Chesapeake Bay watershed to identify potential applicants and assist them in applying.
• Guide applicants through the proposal process including sustainable practices and contractor management.
• Facilitate analysis and review of program applications received by the Trust.
• Prepare grant summary reports and analyses for committees, funders, and the Board of Trustees.
• Administer awards, prepare grant agreements, assist awardees with project issues, and manage payments and reports.
• Support awardees throughout projects and report outcomes to funding partners and the public.
• Develop professional development activities and participate in conferences, seminars, and publications.
• Advance recommendations from DEIJ advisory committee and internal action team.

Skills

Environmental education

Partnerships

DEI/community engagement experience

Project management

Budget management

MS Office (Excel/Word/PowerPoint)

Independent & collaborative work

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Chesapeake Bay Trust (the Trust), a non-profit grantmaking organization, seeksa qualified candidate to serve as a Program Officer on our Outreach and Education Team. The Program Officer will support the Outreach and Education team’s programmatic work through administering grant programs and initiatives that focus on advancing environmental literacy across Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The Program Officer will support the Environmental Education Program (https://cbtrust.org/grants/environmental-education/), Youth Environmental Education Program (https://cbtrust.org/grants/youth-environmental-education-grant-program/), and several other initiatives focused on advancing regional environmental literacy. This role provides an opportunity to contribute to a regional mission, connecting people with the resources to advance environmental literacy in Maryland and the watershed.

An individual in this role will support applicants as they develop project proposals, oversee proposal reviews, compile grant award agreements, manage awards, help awardees throughout their programs, and use the Trust’s online award-making system. Beyond program administration, individuals in this position will have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with educators, community organizations, and other partners working towards environmental literacy across the Chesapeake Bay. A successful Program Officer in this role will be a trusted resource to applicants and awardees helping them navigate challenges, maximize their impact, and serve their community.

The Program Officer will be expected to work a minimum of one to two days in-person at the Trust office in Annapolis, Maryland, during the initial probationary period, with the remainder of the time worked from a remote location. After a successful 6-month probation period, there will be an opportunity to reassess the number of in-office and remote workdays. The Program Officer will report to the Program Manager for Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development and be a key member of a 40+ person staff that supports the Trust’s core values of learning, science and innovation, engagement of our awardee community, diversity and inclusion, fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability.

About the Trust

Established in 1985, the Chesapeake Bay Trust uses grantmaking as a method to promote community-based participation in the restoration and protection of the natural resources of Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay region. In the past fifteen years, the Trust has doubled its grant‑making five times through new revenue from a wide range of partners, with current annual grant‑making over $25 million. The Trust currently allocates these grant funds through 350-400 awards per year to entities that apply through open, competitive calls for proposals as well as programs such as the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Support administration of the Outreach and Education team’s award programs focused on, but not limited to, environmental education and initiatives that advance systemic environmental literacy on a local and regional scale.
• Sustain collaborative partnerships with non-profit, state, federal, and community partners to support grant programs and initiatives.
• Support the refinement and/or development of Requests for Proposals and other program materials for programs managed.
• Advertise widely across the state of Maryland and Chesapeake Bay watershed (depending on the funding source) to identify potential applicants to the award programs, identify what help these applicants might need to apply and successfully complete a project, encourage them to apply, and provide help as they develop project ideas and proposals.
• Reactively, respond to potential applicants who have expressed interest in the grant programs, and aid with the application process including the incorporation of sustainable practices considering future climate change impacts, and management of contractors to provide technical assistance.
• Facilitate the analysis and review of program applications received by the Trust.
• Prepare grant summary reports and analysis for Technical Review Committees, funding partners, and the Board of Trustees.
• Administer awards that vary in size ($2,500 to potentially as large as $150,000), including preparing grant agreements and contracts, assisting awardees with project issues, reviewing status and final reports, approving payments, reviewing revision requests, and more.
• Work with awardees throughout their project to report successes, discuss and overcome any obstacles to the outcomes, where relevant, management of contractors to provide technical assistance for current or future awardees/partners, and report products to funding partners, the general public (e.g., in newsletters, on the website), and/or the Trust staff.
• Develop a suite of professional development activities, which could include participating in (and presenting at) conferences, at seminars, at symposia, and/or in publications.
• Advance recommendations received from the Trust’s external diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice advisory committee and the Trust’s internal action team.

Qualificationsand Skills:

• A minimum of three years of demonstrated experience and a track record of success with supporting, coordinating, or implementing environmental education, environmental literacy, or related programs and initiatives.
• Experience in establishing and maintaining partnerships with stakeholders, using strong communication and interpersonal skills to advance shared goals.
• Experience engaging and supporting under-engaged, under-represented, and/or historically excluded communities is preferred.
• Strong organizational and strategic thinking skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, balance short-term and long-term objectives, and think creatively to develop innovative solutions that increase program effectiveness and impact.
• Exceptional project and time-management skills, with the ability to meet deadlines and manage complex processes with attention to detail.
• Experience managing budgets and contracts, maintaining accurate financial and programmatic records.
• A high-level of proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of programs, especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, and the ability to learn and effectively utilize online grant-management systems.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.

If you have most of the qualifications and skills listed above plus a willingness to learn, you are encouraged to apply.

Salary and Benefits:

$64,000 to $70,000 with an excellent benefits package and opportunities for related professional development.

Benefits include:

• Health Insurance with choice of medical plan and prescription, dental, vision, and life and disability insurance options, along with flexible spending accounts
• 401K retirement savings program with match
• Starting at 10 accrued vacation days, 7 accrued sick days, and 4 personal days annually
• Compensatory time available for overtime hours worked
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Individual Professional Development fund

A successful candidate with less experience in some of the responsibilities listed above will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of this range. A successful candidate with more experience in the responsibilities listed above will be considered at a higher starting salary.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Our values guide us to create a workplace where everyone is respected and valued. The Trust strives to recruit, retain, and promote employees that reflect the communities we engage in our work Applicants must have a residential address in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, or Washington D.C and must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. The Trust does not participate in programs that require sponsorship for work visas. Our accessibility statement is available on our website at Accessibility Statement - Chesapeake Bay Trust.