Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Outreach Specialist

State of Illinois•Berwyn, IL

4d•$75,000 - $85,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Illinois Power Agency is seeking a Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Outreach Specialist to support the growth of diversity, equity, and inclusion in Illinois’ expanding clean energy economy. Under the guidance of the DEI Partnerships Manager, the Outreach Specialist will lead the implementation of community outreach initiatives, coordinate stakeholder engagement and communications, and support partnership development to increase awareness of and participation in the Agency’s equity initiatives and renewable energy programs. This role will have a particular focus on engaging businesses and individuals from communities that have historically been excluded from economic opportunities within the clean energy sector. This position serves as one of the Agency's primary community-facing representatives, connecting job seekers, employers, community-based organizations, workforce development partners, educational institutions, and other clean energy stakeholders with Agency resources and opportunities. This position will also manage ongoing stakeholder communications, maintain relationships with outreach partners, and gather community feedback to inform the Agency’s equity initiatives. This is a field-based position requiring regular travel throughout Illinois, including overnight travel to conduct outreach and support community events, stakeholder meetings, conferences, and trainings. The ideal candidate is an excellent communicator and relationship builder with strong organizational and project coordination skills and a commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in Illinois’ clean energy economy. The Illinois Power Agency is an independent State Agency created in 2007 to develop annual electricity procurement plans and renewable energy procurement plans and to conduct procurement events to ensure adequate, reliable, affordable, efficient, and environmentally sustainable electric service for the default supply customers of Illinois electric utilities. The Agency also conducts procurements and administers programs that promote the development of renewable energy resources in accordance with the State Renewable Portfolio Standard. For more information about the Illinois Power Agency, please refer to: https://ipa.illinois.gov/.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, Social Work, or related field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
Three or more years of professional experience planning, coordinating, or conducting outreach programs and community engagement.
Excellent oral, written, presentation, and interpersonal skills with diverse audiences.
Experience in developing stakeholder communications/newsletters, presentations, outreach materials, or other resources for diverse audiences.
Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Experience implementing targeted outreach strategies to engage underserved or underrepresented communities.
Strong organizational and project coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Skilled in collecting, organizing, and reporting data, performance metrics, and feedback from outreach activities and stakeholder engagements.
Experience planning and coordinating meetings, events, trainings, or community engagement activities.
Proficiency using MS Office 365 applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Outlook.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an agile team environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in or knowledge of Illinois’ clean energy landscape.
Experience in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Experience with project management tools.
Interest in process improvements and cross-functional team work.

Responsibilities

Plan and implement targeted outreach initiatives engaging Equity Investment Eligible Communities (EIECs), Equity Eligible Persons (EEPs), Equity Eligible Contractors (EECs), other vendors and contractors, community-based organizations, workforce development organizations, educational institutions,+ industry associations, and other clean energy stakeholders to increase awareness of and participation in the Agency's equity initiatives and renewable energy programs.
Promote the Energy Workforce Equity Portal during outreach activities and assist stakeholders in navigating the website, enrolling eligible individuals as Equity Eligible Persons, and supporting clean energy companies, EEPs, and EECs access the website resources and information.
Represent the Agency at career fairs, community and industry events, stakeholder meetings, conferences, and other related events throughout Illinois.
Plan, coordinate, and facilitate outreach meetings, presentations, trainings, listening sessions, and informational events, both virtually and in-person.
Research, compile, and maintain information about workforce development programs, business support, technical assistance, small business financing, and other resources offered by partner organizations and state agencies. to support EEPs and EECs.
Coordinate the development and implementation of stakeholder communications (e.g. newsletters, announcements), including growing and maintaining stakeholder distribution lists, developing content, and leading outreach campaigns.
Collaborate with the DEI team, Communications team, and program teams to develop and enhance outreach collateral, resources, websites, presentations, and other materials related to the Agency’s equity initiatives and renewable energy programs.
Respond to inquiries and comments from external stakeholders regarding Agency equity initiatives, outreach activities, and renewable energy programs, referring technical and policy questions to appropriate staff when necessary.
Gather, document, and report feedback from EEPs, EECs, EIECs, and other clean energy stakeholders, identifying recurring needs, barriers, and opportunities for improvement, and share finding with the DEI Partnerships Manager, DEI Bureau, and program teams to increase equity and inclusion in the Agency's programs and procurements.
Assist with the coordination of the DEI Advisory Committee, including scheduling meetings, developing materials and resources, supporting meeting facilitation, tracking follow-up actions, and communicating with committee members.
Track outreach activities, stakeholder engagement, partnership development, and related performance metrics, and prepare reports, presentations, and summaries to assess progress and inform planning.
Participate in cross-functional teams to integrate equity considerations into Agency programs and initiatives.
Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.