The South Carolina (SC) Sea Grant Consortium (Consortium), in partnership with the SC Office of Resilience (SCOR), is seeking an experienced professional in community engagement, resilience planning, and/or government planning for the position of Coastal Community Resilience Planning Specialist.
The specialist will assist in the development and implementation of the SC Resilient Coastal Communities Collaborative Program, a resilience planning initiative that will span several communities in the Salkehatchie River Basin of South Carolina.
The planning specialist will produce community vulnerability assessment reports with community-identified solutions and help coordinate flood risk reduction adaptations for waterways that cross county and municipal boundaries to minimize negative impacts on downstream communities.
Job Responsibilities
The Coastal Community Resilience Planning Specialist will engage with community representatives, government staff, elected officials, local community or neighborhood leaders, and representatives of community-based organizations on local and regional resilience planning needs, ensuring inclusion and representation during the planning process. The Planning Specialist will additionally be responsible for analyzing and synthesizing planning documents and developing best practices for use in coastal South Carolina communities.
Objectives
- Build resilience planning capacity in the Salkehatchie watershed and the southeast region of SC
- Assist coastal communities in adaptation planning for climate and weather hazards.
- Provide resources to and support coastal decision makers for the evaluation and planning for the impacts of climate and weather variability and coastal change.
- Facilitate coordination of Consortium activities with SCOR.
- Contribute to SCOR and Consortium resilience education and outreach activities.
Job Duties
- Develop community engagement strategy to understand flood-related problems and concerns in the Salkehatchie River Basin.
- Gather and analyze resilience plans and studies conducted by municipal, regional, state, and federal organizations, synthesizing best practices.
- Conduct a review of existing datasets, plans, and studies that cover the Salkehatchie River Basin in order to inform a watershed-level planning effort.
- Develop a community planning guidebook based on project objectives.
- Develop methodology for prioritizing communities to assist with local resilience planning with priority given to low resourced, environmentally vulnerable communities.
- Assist in the implementation of the planning guidebook in select communities, working with consultants and community representatives to develop risk and vulnerability reports and planning documents.
- Serve as a conduit to resilience practitioners in the region.
- Coordinate a Community Action Team including diverse, knowledgeable stakeholders to work actively to guide project team activities.
- Generate a watershed resilience plan, synthesizing community plans into a single document with combined vision and goals for the entire watershed.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, climate science, risk communication or related fields and 2 years of related applied or professional experience.
- Demonstrated ability to build partnerships and communicate, collaborate, and work effectively with diverse groups of internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience with local government systems and participatory democracy.
- Ability to interpret scientific research for non-technical audiences.
- Capacity to design and implement effective engagement strategies for a variety of audiences.
- Capacity to effect change in local communities and organizations through climate and resilience planning and adaptation engagement exercises.
- High level of analytical, organizational, and planning skills.
- Ability to work independently and as a part of a team.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Fluency in computer and communications technology.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in urban planning, climate science, risk communication or related fields and 5 years of related applied or professional experience.
Location, Work Hours, and Travel
This position is based in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Normal Consortium business hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. However, work beyond regular business hours, including evenings and weekends, may be necessary to complete the requirements of the position. Travel throughout the state and region is necessary. A valid driver’s license is required.
