Project Specialist, Climate Emergency

Staff - Non Union

Job Category
M&P - AAPS

Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Administration, Level A

Job Title
Project Specialist, Climate Emergency

Department
Leadership | UBC Sustainability Initiative

Compensation Range
$5,622.33 - $8,081.00 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date
May 1, 2024

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

Apr 30, 2025

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary

The UBC Sustainability Hub builds on UBC's position as a leader in campus sustainability, and works to reinforce the University's goal of providing an exceptional learning and research-rich environment that advances global citizenship and a civil and sustainable society.

 

In response to UBC’s Climate Emergency Declaration, the Climate Emergency Task Force (CETF) produced a report with 9 strategic priorities and 28 associated recommendations that span the community, academic (teaching, learning, and research) and operational dimensions of the university. Climate justice is a core theme woven throughout the Report.

 

The UBC Sustainability Hub, in partnership with the UBCO Provost Office, has the role of convening, coordinating and tracking implementation of the CETF strategic priorities and recommendations. The entire Sustainability Hub team is embedding CETF priorities into their work plans and programs.

 

Currently, one Project Specialist leads the development and implementation of a monitoring, evaluation and learning framework to track progress on CETF report implementation. We are seeking an additional Project Specialist to work on the following climate emergency priorities:

• support Sustainability Hub program managers embed CETF recommendations in their programs
• organize campus-wide collaboration for the annual Climate Emergency Week
• identify potential on- and off-campus partnerships for Sustainability Hub programs to advance climate justice
• support the Climate Equity Action and Resilience (CLEAR) project to link UBC students and research to community groups and residents in Vancouver‘s Downtown Eastside with partner and stakeholder communication, and, hiring/supervising students.

This is a cross-functional term position that will support CETF Report implementation to ensure coordinated, coherent, measured change in priority areas in a manner that engages members of the community and key leaders across institutional units on both campuses.

Organizational Status
Reports to the Senior Director of the Sustainability Hub. Works in close collaboration with the Sustainability Hub team, as well as with faculties and units across campus.

Work Performed

- Lead the design and execution of initiatives aimed at improving collaboration, enhancing reporting capabilities, and facilitating effective knowledge exchange. These efforts are to directly contribute to the advancement of the CETF's reporting mechanisms and overall project progress.

- Draft reports summarizing information from stakeholders and others on relevant project and evaluation data, background materials, and briefing notes for senior Sustainability Hub staff, UBC leadership, and other stakeholders as needed. 

- Collaborate in the development of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework for the climate emergency at UBC. This may include activities such as indicator development, data collection, developing campus contacts on climate emergency priorities, and maintaining an accurate database of projects, programming, and initiatives taking place on campus or in planning stages that feed into the Climate Emergency implementation plan.

- Develop and manage various knowledge exchange activities such as a speaker series, webinars and workshops to disseminate, translate and mobilize climate emergency work to inform academic and practitioner bodies of knowledge and action to advance climate action and identify gaps for addition action that could benefit from university partnership.  

- Manage the Sustainability Hub’s work on the CLEAR project, including:

• organizing a Speakers Series
• connecting UBC student groups to assist with community partner activities
• liaising with the UBC Learning Exchange staff, community partners, and other stakeholders
• collaborating in the expansion of the CLEAR network

- Perform other related responsibilities as needed.  

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The incumbent is expected to operate with a high degree of maturity, while working under broad guidelines. The consequence of error in this could be very serious for the University as it concerns the public image and profile of UBC and the Sustainability Hub’s climate work. Poor decisions or lack of tact, diplomacy or sensitivity in dealing with faculty, students, staff and external partners, could potentially result in missed opportunities, damaged relationships and loss of credibility for the University.

Supervision Received
This position works independently and with considerable latitude under the general direction of the Senior Director within established project parameters. This position determines priorities as necessary and makes authoritative decisions on a daily basis. Work is reviewed against the achievement of specific goals and objectives.
Supervision Given
May manage student research and program assistants. Provides advice and recommendations to program managers and other unit staff.
Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree preferred, including but not limited to, climate change, public policy, geography, social justice and equity, and planning.
• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Experience in project planning, management, assessment, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Experience in partnership-building and public engagement processes in complex environments.
• Experience working with community input and culturally sensitive and/or confidential information.
• Experience reporting on complex topics related to sustainability and climate change required.
• Experience planning and coordinating large-scale events, an asset.
• Ability to translate broad goals and vision into action plans and priority projects in short-term and long-term timelines.
• Substantive knowledge of climate justice required.
• Candidates should identify with UBC's vision and values outlined in Place and Promise including mutual respect and equity, advancing and sharing knowledge, academic freedom, public interest, excellence and integrity.
• Excellent, proven interpersonal and intercultural, oral and written communication skills and organizational planning abilities.