Specialist, Environmental Finance Center (EFC)

SPECIALIST, ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTER (EFC)

Grade: 3
Salary Range: $60,897 – $70,031

*Senior Specialist salary range: $74,598 – $79,166

About Delta

Delta Institute is a Midwest-focused, environmental nonprofit whose mission is to collaborate with communities to solve complex environmental challenges. Our work is organized into distinct initiatives that move our mission forward, clearly define our work, and articulate impact. The programs functional hive strives to successfully address the challenges and creatively assist in sustainable solutions. The program hive staff focuses on the implementation of projects in Delta’s three initiative areas: Resilient Agriculture, Nature-Based Climate Solutions, and Sustainability & Support Services.

To achieve our vision of a thriving region, we partner with communities, governmental organizations and agencies, businesses, nonprofits, and universities throughout the Great Lakes and Midwest. We are multi-disciplinary systems thinkers. We understand that the issues around food, water, air, energy, and waste are all connected. Further, we have multiple leadership-level projects that will be incepted in the year ahead. Now is an exciting time to join us, so that together we positively advance key outcomes in the Midwest.

• Adaptive
• Cooperative
• Equitable
• Passionate
• Pragmatic
• Transparent
• Tenacious

Specialist, Environmental Finance Center (EFC)

Position Specifics

The EFC Specialist will assist with the overall implementation and coordination for Delta’s U.S. EPA Region 5 Regional Water Infrastructure Environmental Finance Center. The position will provide strategic, technical, programmatic and analytical support. The Specialist will coordinate with the EFC Administrator and provide support for the successful oversight and management to Delta’s staff and partners assisting with the implementation of direct technical assistance to communities across US E.P.A. Region 5 in planning for, applying for, and implementing Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) projects. The Specialist will work directly with communities and provide drinking water and wastewater infrastructure technical assistance.

The Specialist will also support the Administrator in coordinating closely with U.S. EPA Region 5 and HQ staff, State SRF staff, other regional and national EFCs, municipalities, and other stakeholders. The Specialist will coordinate with functional hive staff to ensure the delivery of high-quality, on-time, and on-budget work scopes. The Specialist collaborates with the Administrator and other staff on a consistent basis to identify organizational issues for continuous improvement and impact. The Specialist is accountable for delivering high quality water infrastructure technical assistance on time and within budgetary and programmatic requirements.

The EFC Specialist should be at home tackling difficult environmental and social problems with often unclear paths to success or take iterative approaches with a long-term goal of seeking solutions to larger social and environmental issues. They will also need to be comfortable working by themselves, with multiple types of personalities, on tight deadlines, in ambiguous and circuitous circumstances, and have an overall positive outlook on the change that can happen in the world. The Specialist should operate with a perspective of continuous improvement andwill be expected to provide and accept feedback, welcome and adapt to change, challenge the status quo and be committed to the success of others.

As part of a truly multidisciplinary organization, the EFC Specialist will also interface and support other projects that require unique skills and knowledge; and, have a knack translating complex ideas to a variety of audiences both internally and externally.

More information on Delta’s Environmental Finance Center can be found here: https://delta-institute.org/epa-region-5-water-infrastructure/.

The Program You’ll Work Within: Sustainability & Support Services

Impact Statement: Our Sustainability and Support Services are designed to respond to invitations in community-led planning efforts and provide direct technical assistance to public and private sector partners, which include a wide array of sectors in which Delta has sizable experience. We forecast that by 2025 Delta will work with more than 250 partner communities while securing $40M in external investment and creating 100 practical tools, resources, strategies, and public plans.

Our Approach: Delta Institute prides itself on being responsive to the needs of its partners and responding to what they define as being the most important goal, activity, project, or taking a new approach to improving their local environmental and economic outcomes. We have decades of experience moving sustainable priorities forward in creative and innovative ways.

Delta supports our partners and their self-defined sustainability goals through our Sustainability and Support Services, designed to align the needs of our partners with the skills and expertise of our staff to contribute where most helpful. Beyond Sustainability & Support Services, this role will also provide technical assistance and implementation support to our Resilient Agriculture and Nature-Based Climate Solutions.

What you’ll be doing:

Program Development and Implementation

• Assist with the implementation of Delta’s EFC program focused on providing direct technical assistance to communities
• Provide direct technical assistance to communities for Drinking Water and Wastewater project development and SRF application submittals
• Assist the EFC administrator in the development of business and operations plans to support the successful implementation of the EFC including tracking impact metrics.
• Coordinate with Delta’s staff and partner team on programmatic deliverables, budget and development
• Identify development opportunities to advance innovative new programs and services to achieve Delta’s mission through EFC activities
• Conceptualize and develop proposals and engage team members in proposal development to grow the impact of the EFC
• Manage and implement multiple technical assistance projects as necessary to ensure high quality deliverables and on time and on budget completion
• Assist and implementthe development of work plans with tasks, timeframes, milestones, resources, and dependencies
• Facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing across the programs team and entire organization
• Keep informed of key policies and environmental, economic and social conditions that affect the organization. Understand near-term and long-range plans and determine how to best be positioned to achieve the mission

Staff Collaboration

• Inspire, motivate and guide others toward goal accomplishments. Encourage and facilitate cooperation within the organization and with stakeholder groups
• Support an inclusive environment where diversity and innovation are valued and embrace a culture of continuous learning
• Create positive staff partnerships and model productive working relationships

Relationship Management

• Grow and maintain key professional affiliations in support of organizational and professional development goals
• Leverage talents and networks of staff, partners, and key stakeholders to build organizational support and growth
• In coordination with EFC administration, communicate and manage relationships with clients and stakeholders

Core Skillset

A Specialist performs program, administrative or organizational development-related tasks. Specialists are directed in their work on a day-to-day basis but manage large work projects with some guidance from Directors and Leads. Serves as liaison with clients and stakeholders and is responsible for ensuring timely communication, consistent workflow and high-quality deliverables. Specialists represent the organization at public events and also assist in raising funds to support the organization. Other core skillset attributes are:

• Work in a timely and collaboratively manner on multiple deliverables with internal and external stakeholders
• Identify and lead specific organizational initiatives
• Manage projects including direct project work, engaging partners and collaborators, reporting and project administration duties, and managing budgets
• Developing strategies that advance Delta and its mission
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Advanced knowledge of environmental and economic issues not only in the Great Lakes region but in the Midwest

What you’ll have:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in directly related to water infrastructure, public administration, sustainability, engineering, or equivalent field with Master’s degree desirable or equivalent experience.
• At least 5 years of direct project management experience in water quality and/or water quantity projects.
• Deep knowledge and experience working with municipalities, infrastructure projects, community stakeholders, and water utilities.
• Significant knowledge in State Revolving Fund programs with a preference towards experience of applying for, administering, and/or implementing DWSRF /or CWSRF funds.
• Strong record of accomplishment as an effective manager and a skillful, innovative leader capable of delivering results.
• Ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders including community groups, government agencies, foundations, corporate sponsors, and practitioner groups.
• Ability to create and nurture a culture of continuous learning, personal accountability, creative problem solving, and collaboration.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to motivate and inspire high performing staff teams, boards and committees, and partners.
• Knowledge of and a base of relationships with key stakeholders in the Great Lakes and Midwest.
• Integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed with demonstrated passion for Delta’s mission and commitment to working collaboratively with a leadership team.
• Be able to work in a fast-paced environment, manage multiple tasks and deadlines, and manage work in sometimes ambiguous situations.

Core competencies are the values and defined behaviors that we believe are central to the ability of every employee to do the work of the Delta Institute.  These core competencies are a combination of knowledge, skills and behaviors that are the mark of a good Delta employee.   Core competencies are a distinguishing characteristic of Delta employees for our clients, customers and stakeholders.  They are a visible demonstration of our shared values and are evident in how we work together.  Individuals can be at different levels of ability on a specific core competency which is why we measure ability each year and provide feedback and development suggestions.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Continually required to sit
• Continually required to utilize hand and finger dexterity
• Continually required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel or crawl
• Continually required to talk or hear
• While performing the duties of this job, the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
• The employee must occasionally lift and /or move up to 10 pounds

Delta offers its employees a competitive salary with a robust benefits package that includes generous paid time off, 401k, and medical, dental & vision insurance. Delta is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Please email application packet (one PDF) that includes the following:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• 2 examples of prior communications work, such as graphics, designed materials, newsletters, and/or other types of writing samples

All as one PDF to: careers@delta-institute.org
Subject line: EFC Specialist

No phone calls, please.