Community Liaison Fellow

Community Liaison Fellow

Do you have the desire to create and deepen authentic relationships with community-based organizations, community leaders, and park agencies? POST is recruiting for a Community Liaison Fellow who will play a critical role in fostering and developing partnerships between community leaders and our organization, listening deeply to community needs and priorities, and enhancing our ability to create greater access to nature for more communities within our region.

Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) is offering a full-time two-year fellowship opportunity to support the creation of greater access to nature within our region. The Community Liaison Fellow will develop and nurture sustainable long-term connections between people and nature, centering underserved and historically excluded communities in our work to address inequities in access. The Fellow’s geographic focus will be the Southern San Mateo County Bayside communities of East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, and Belle Haven.
 

The Community Liaison Fellow will report to the Director of Relational Conservation and the Director of Culture, Equity, and Belonging to implement POST’s equitable access strategic pillar. The overarching thread between the work of these two teams is the desire to create and deepen authentic relationships with community-based organizations, community leaders, and agency partners. The Fellow will play a critical role in fostering and developing these relationships, listening deeply to the needs and priorities of these communities, and assisting POST in finding the intersections between community priorities and what POST can offer.

Half of the Community Liaison Fellow’s time will be dedicated to working closely with the Director of Relational Conservation to implement the Land Department’s emerging work and strategies in community conservation. The Fellow will recommend and implement a plan to engage the East Palo Alto, North Fair Oaks, and Belle Haven communities in co-created projects that connect nature to people and people to nature, advancing efforts that support POST’s Bay to Sea Trail. The position will also coordinate with the Director of Community Engagement and their team to utilize POST’s community engagement resources to support these strategies.
 

The Community Liaison Fellow will dedicate the other half of their time to working closely with the Director of Culture, Equity, and Belonging to further POST’s programmatic work engaging the Southern San Mateo County Bayside Communities. Continuing with the theme of developing and deepening authentic partnerships, the Fellow will recommend and implement programmatic offerings from POST, such as educational programs, community events, and other initiatives. The Community Liaison Fellow will serve as a public-facing representative and ambassador of conservation within the region, helping to align conservation and priorities with community values and priorities.

The Fellowship offers a two-year, full-time, paid position, working alongside full-time staff based out of POST’s Palo Alto office. POST’s position as a leader within the regional conservation field will offer the Fellow the opportunity to learn from a diverse array of colleagues, engage in a breadth of innovative projects and programs, and continue to develop their professional skills for a career in the field of environmental protection and community engagement.

This role is a unique opportunity to join one of the country's most successful land trusts and create more equitable access to the spectacular landscapes of the San Francisco Peninsula and the South Bay for the benefit of all.

POST is currently a hybrid workplace, and our policy regarding hybrid work schedules continues to evolve. We expect to maintain flexibility regarding schedules and hybrid working arrangements. The successful candidate for this job must live within a reasonable driving distance to POST lands on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay, as the job will require in person work in our local communities and at our office in Palo Alto, CA. The hybrid work schedule will be determined with the managers of this role.

In this role, the Community Liaison Fellow:

• Serves as a public-facing representative of POST and ambassador of conservation within the region, attending partner and community meetings and events and helping to align conservation values and priorities with community values and priorities.
• Engages a wide array of audiences, including youth and young adults.
• Fosters and develops authentic and strategic relationships with various stakeholders in the Bayside community, including partner organizations, community members and organizations, neighbors, and elected officials.
• Collaborates on the development of POST’s community listening process.
• Coordinates and participates in community meetings and input sessions to understand community needs and shared values and identify opportunities for POST to lead, support, and fund community-driven climate and access initiatives.
• Supports the development and owns the implementation of community conservation projects, emphasizing equitable access to nature experiences.
• Conducts inclusive planning efforts to ensure new parks, trails, and active transportation opportunities are co-created with local communities and represent the needs and cultures of the diverse people they serve.
• Cultivates relationships to advocate and build support for collaborative work, the Bay to Sea Trail, and a trail on the Dumbarton Rail Corridor.
• Coordinates implementation of project activities with internal staff, consultants, external partners, and funders.
• Provides administrative and project management support to the Director of Culture, Equity, and Belonging, including all equitable access pilot activities and programs. This includes developing communications for internal and external stakeholders, scheduling meetings with community partners and individuals, organizing partner convenings to share equitable access learnings, and carrying out other duties as assigned.
• Must be available to work some nights and weekends to attend and host community events.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• A minimum of 2 years of experience in community engagement work, as well as experience in youth engagement and curriculum development.
• A college degree in a relevant field or a combination of academic and life experience that reflects the skills and knowledge needed for fostering successful and positive community engagement experiences.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and effectively collaborate and communicate with diverse stakeholders.
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in community engagement, environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion, outdoor recreation, and conservation.
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing projects with minimal direct supervision.
• Familiarity with or deep interest in equitable public access planning, alternative transportation planning, and/or natural resource protection.
• A commitment to POST’s core values and our work in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with communities, landscapes, and local government of the Peninsula and Bayside communities preferred.
• Ability to handle multiple projects and relationships that are in various stages at the same time.
• Excellent organizational skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Spanish speaking and writing skills preferred.
• Priority given to candidates with second language abilities, especially Spanish, because many engaged groups will have participants for whom Spanish is a first language.
• Valid California Driver’s license and insurable driving record to facilitate attendance at external meetings and the use of POST vehicles.

 Physical requirements for this role include:

• Regular and accurate communication with others and completion of work tasks involving the use of phone, computer, web, and video technology, the ability to interact effectively with digital and printed materials, and to operate required job-related equipment.
• Ability to stand, walk various distances on paved paths or on uneven natural terrain while leading or facilitating groups.
• Ability to drive a vehicle for attendance at local meetings, or to more remote locations for occasional site visits.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 20 lbs. of equipment and supplies in the office or the field, specifically related to tabling at events or other event-related set up activities.
• Ability to tolerate exposure to outdoor elements and varying weather conditions when facilitating outdoor events.
• There are occasional duties that occur outside regular working hours.
• Reasonable accommodations will be made to allow a person to perform essential functions.

If you would like to apply:

Please write a cover letter telling us why you are a great match for this role. We are not able to give the same level of consideration to applications submitted without a cover letter.

STARTING SALARY RANGE FOR THIS POSITION:
$71,370-$79,300 depending upon level of skills and experience, plus excellent benefits including healthcare, retirement account contribution & matching, generous time off, paid maternity/paternity/family medical leave, excellent learning and mental/physical wellness programs, personal mobile/internet usage stipend, commuter benefits, and many more!

POST’s Core Values:

Nature Connects Us All: We believe that we are part of an interconnected web of life and that diversity of all types creates strength and resilience. In our work, we strive to protect and heal the ecosystems that support our collective well-being.

Act Today for the Long-Term: We take action today in ways that support our bold, long-term vision. We accept and balance the tension between the present and the future while staying true to our purpose.

Commit to Learning and Growth: We are creative, curious and courageous in our approaches and willing to change course when necessary. We learn from our successes and mistakes.

Care About How We Work: We believe all living things should be treated with dignity. We acknowledge the many injustices against people and nature. We are dedicated to strive for equity in our actions.

Honor Our Collective Strengths: We have the most positive impact when we work together toward a shared vision. We catalyze, collaborate and complement to support the best outcomes for all.

POST is an equal opportunity employer. We believe diversity and equity is central to our mission to protect open space in our region for the benefit of all. We are committed to creating an inclusive, values-driven workplace where all employees can thrive. Come join us!