Salary Range: 55K – 62K

Position Description

Background: The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans is seeking to fill the position of the Regional Urban Waters Partnership & Policy Manager. The Regional Urban Water Partnership Manager role will facilitate the development and strategic direction of the Urban Water Ambassador Program for Southeast Louisiana and build out a policy platform for the region. As part of this role, the RUWPP Manager will help convene partners across the region to develop a comprehensive watershed planning strategy to support federal coordination between local and state agencies, nonprofits, community-based and advocacy organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders. The purpose of this role is to improve watershed planning across parish boundaries to reduce flood, heat, and drought risks, build power across parishes and increase capacity, especially for and with disadvantaged communities. Simultaneously, we seek to address policy and legal barriers that may prevent or reduce the effectiveness of climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. In all, we seek to improve the overall quality of life for residents living in Southeast Louisiana, and create more healthy, sustainable, and thriving communities living through the current climate crisis.

About The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans 

The Water Collaborative (TWC) is the regional leader in urban water management and climate adaptation strategies. We create unique and necessary methods to the world's most pressing issue, water, through collaborative working groups, interdisciplinary approach, and multi-objective problem-solving. Our mission is to build a diverse network for all who are impacted by flood risk through a focus on equitable practices to help communities sustainably live and thrive with water. We believe everyone has a role to play in stormwater management, water justice, climate change adaptation, and mitigation. TWC brings design professionals, urban planners, non-profits, social enterprises, neighborhood associations, elected officials, and concerned citizens together to create smarter and unique opportunities for collective thinking on innovative and practical models of water resilience and justice. 

What Do We Do? 

▪ Education - Before we can inform policy, we must inform residents.  The Water Collaborative focuses heavily on educating residents across Greater New Orleans, the Gulf Coast Region and beyond about flood solutions, resources, workforce development, water affordability and access, pertinent research, and much more. Using a diverse membership base, TWC pools, prioritizes, and redistributes information to the public daily through multiple programs. 

▪ Policy - TWC works with city, state, and federal elected officials and agencies to support their understanding of urban water management and water justice to further comprehensive policy measures and support the urban water sector's growth and sustainability. Utilizing a diverse membership base and coalitions TWC consistently creates policy recommendations while advocating for specific measures to support the urban water sector and community members' needs.  

▪ Equity: Water does not care about race, gender, color, or creed. As an organization, TWC believes equity is the core of water management and must be intentionally incorporated into all aspects of our work. TWC seeks to ensure equitable policies and measures are included in water management, and the most vulnerable communities receive resources for sustainable development. TWC believes that all water management should be rights-based - it should be clean, affordable, accessible to all, and treated as a public source that provides vital nourishment and acts as an agent of joy for all. 

About The Urban Waters Federal Partnership

The Urban Waters Federal Partnership comprises 15 federal agencies and 28 nongovernmental organizations working collaboratively in 19 designated locations to help urban and metropolitan areas, particularly those that are underserved or economically distressed, connect with their waterways and work to improve them. Ambassadors serve as coordinators, facilitators, navigators and reporters, providing support in both strategic planning and project/program execution. The Ambassador plays a variety of key roles and responsibilities, making the position critical to a partnership’s accomplishments. The Urban Waters Ambassador serves as a driving force in community efforts to enhance the environmental and economic benefits of clean, safe, accessible urban waters. Ambassadors work with government, businesses, nonprofit organizations and other partners to better address the needs of individual communities, maximizing expertise and resources to protect health, improve the environment and strengthen local economies. 

Specific Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Map and understand the watershed needs, challenges, and opportunities for the Greater New Orleans area. 

• Identify core stakeholders and power holders in the space who can and will support or determine local watershed and management projects. 

• Convene meetings and conference calls, being proactive and inclusive to ensure all partners and community-based organizations have a seat at the table.

• Report on the progress and outcomes of the partnership, including local success stories, barriers and best practices. (Reports may take various forms, including annual reporting, web updates, participation on conference calls, newsletters, blogs, weekly reports to the National Coordinator, etc.)

• Develop a partnership communications plan co-developed with strategic partners. 

• Implement, refine and update the annual partnership workplan that reflects the needs of communities, and economic development, while improving quality of life. 

• Connect and facilitate federal resources to local and state needs in collaboration with the local partnership.

• Identify and share existing federal tools and resources available for local projects. 

• Track and monitor current and existing urban water management projects. 

• Planning and logistics for all related events

• Act as a liaison between community members, organizations, and decision makers. 

• Meet with all types of stakeholders to understand and collect quantitative and qualitative data on their perspectives regarding proposed policy measures and other related topics that could inform the long-term impact of the watershed plan.  

• Attend pertinent City Council, Parish, and legislative meetings across Southeast Louisiana.

• Build relationships with state legislators and state agencies.

• Advocate for water and environmental policies in Louisiana, which may include speaking at public hearings and public meetings.

• Write briefs, memorandums, and other materials on state and local policies that impact water resources and water management.

• Work with the Executive Director and the Policy & Research Director to understand the complexities, nuances, and best practices surrounding the policy measures. 

Minimum/Preferred Qualifications 

• 3-5 years of years minimum experience in strategic planning and community development.

• Knowledge of and/or experience in community advocacy, engagement, planning and urban planning.

• Knowledge of and/or experience working in diverse sectors, including public, private, nonprofit and community-based sectors.

• Knowledge of local and or state government and political decision-making processes related to urban and community issues and economic development.

• Experience developing and analyzing proposals, grant programs and requirements; identifying opportunities; and organizing and managing varied work programs.

• Capable of effectively communicating and documenting accomplishments.

• Willingness and enthusiasm to participate in agency-wide teams, committees and special assignments, and/or other duties as assigned.

• Willingness to be imbedded in the community, cultivating relationships with partners and potential partners.

• Skills in working with various stakeholders to achieve creative solutions.

• Ability to find connections and build strong working relationships with communities, other agencies, nonprofit organizations, partners and stakeholders.

• Exhibit strong de-escalation facilitation strategies and tactics and ability to work through a Kingian Nonviolence Lens.

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with other individuals and groups.

• Strong educational/training and presentation skills

• Demonstrated analytical, interpretive and problem solving-skills; ability to synthesize information from a wide variety of sources.

• Strong understanding of climate change, environmental justice, intersectional environmentalism, and critical race theory preferred but not required