Conservation Outreach Specialist

Hamilton County • Noblesville, IN

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

Incumbent serves as Conservation Outreach Specialist for the Soil and Water Conservation District for Hamilton County, responsible for providing conservation outreach, assisting and supporting conservation education programs, promoting and enhancing community involvement with natural resource conservation, and assisting staff in providing technical assistance as needed. This is an outreach position first and foremost. We spend a lot of time helping residents understand conservation and connecting them with programs and resources that can improve their property and our community. You don't need to be a conservation expert on your first day—we can teach that. What we're looking for is someone who enjoys working with people, communicates well, and is excited to learn. A successful candidate will be comfortable representing HCSWCD in the community. You'll spend time staffing booths at festivals and community events, giving presentations, answering questions from residents, and building relationships with partner organizations. Some evenings and weekends are part of the job, but they also provide some of our best opportunities to connect with the public. As you become familiar with our programs, you'll take ownership of several important outreach efforts. This includes coordinating our quarterly e-newsletter, helping manage our website and social media, and implementing our new Conservation Academy, a community education series designed to help residents better understand conservation and local environmental issues. We're a small team, so everyone pitches in where needed. Some days you'll be writing a newsletter article or updating the website. Other days you might be loading event supplies, setting up displays, coordinating volunteers, or helping someone identify the right program for their property. We value people who are adaptable, dependable, and willing to jump in. Above all, we're looking for someone who is organized, takes initiative, and enjoys making complex topics understandable and approachable. If you like meeting new people, solving problems, managing projects, and helping your community, we think you'll find this to be a rewarding position.

Requirements

• High school diploma or HSE and a minimum of two years of experience with education/ outreach programs, conservation methods/ implementation, or natural resource, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and to prepare reports.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other county departments, homeowner associations, stakeholder groups, SWCD Board, related agencies/departments, and the public, including being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities, and disabilities.
• Ability to learn and understand the basics of SWCD policies, procedures, and legal requirements; natural resource, conservation planning, plant sciences, soils, water quality practices, farm operations/management, urban agriculture, gardening, pollution prevention, and storm water management; and ability to apply this knowledge to projects and programs.
• Ability to properly operate software programs and standard office equipment such as calculator, computer, copier, printer, fax machine, and telephone.
• Ability to count, compute, and make arithmetic simple calculations.
• Ability to prepare news releases, informational packets, displays, plan/present educational programs, and workshops with ability to speak comfortably in front of large/small groups, and all ages on topics of conservation.
• Ability to file, post, mail materials, and maintain accurate records.
• Ability to understand, memorize, retain and follow oral or written instructions.
• Ability to work alone with minimum supervision.
• Ability to work with others in a team environment, and maintain appropriate, respectful interrelationships with co-workers.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of department information/records according to state requirements.
• Shall comply with all employer/department personnel policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.
• Ability to work on several tasks at the same time, often under time pressure, and complete assignments effectively amidst frequent distractions and interruptions.
• Ability to occasionally work extended, weekend and/or evening hours, and occasionally travel out of town for meetings and training, sometimes overnight.
• Ability to drive work truck, education trailer, or equipment within county and across the state.
• Possession of a valid Indiana driver's license and demonstrated safe driving record.

Nice To Haves

• Enjoys meeting people and building relationships in the community.
• Comfortable speaking with individuals, leading presentations, and representing HCSWCD at public events.
• Strong written communication skills and an eye for clear, accurate, and engaging content.
• Organized and able to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently while collaborating with a small team.
• Adaptable and willing to pitch in wherever needed.
• Curious, eager to learn, and interested in conservation and serving the public.
• Experience with social media, website editing, newsletters, event planning, graphic design, or environmental education is helpful but not required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates and implements youth and adult conservation education programs, workshops, community events, field days, and educational initiatives for audiences of all ages.
• Coordinates assigned outreach and education programs from planning through implementation and evaluation, including scheduling, logistics, communications, partner coordination, and program improvement.
• Exercises independent judgment in organizing work priorities, coordinating projects, communicating with partners and the public, and recommending improvements to District outreach efforts.
• Develops and maintains relationships with community organizations, local governments, schools, homeowner associations, nonprofit partners, and volunteers in support of District programs.
• Promotes conservation practices, including assisting with newsletters, articles, and informative brochures, developing displays, exhibits, and curriculum on natural resources, and establishing and promoting the use of outdoor laboratories.
• Assists with development/fulfillment of outreach programs with publicity, news articles, and at public functions.
• Plans, coordinates, and represents the district at community outreach events, public meetings, educational programs, volunteer events, and partner activities.
• Updates department website, social media presence, publicizing office activities and programs, press releases including posting public events information as needed.
• Assists with the preparation and management of grant-funded outreach and education projects, including grant proposals, reporting, tracking deliverables, and documentation.
• Answers telephone and greets office visitors, providing information and assistance, and responds to natural resource inquiries or directs inquiry to appropriate staff or partners.
• Assists staff in providing conservation technical assistance and information to landowners/users about conservation practices.
• Assists other SWCD personnel with programs as needed.
• Collects and evaluates program participation and outreach metrics, prepares reports, and recommends improvements to increase program effectiveness and community engagement.
• Prepares/submits monthly narrative of activities for SWCD Board, making a written report, oral presentations, and comments as appropriate.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Limited remote work may be available after training and once the employee has demonstrated the ability to work independently.
• Training on programs, services, and conservation topics.
• Encouragement to pursue training, conferences, certifications, and networking opportunities.
• Increasing ownership of programs and projects as new skills and experience are developed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED