Program Specialist - Greenprint Partners

Greenprint Partners is seeking a Program Specialist based in Chicago, IL to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to connect property owners across the country with green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) incentive programs, gather meaningful input from residents and stakeholders using inclusive outreach strategies, and work with a dynamic and growing interdisciplinary team. This position reports to Laura Burke, Manager of Climate Programs, and is part of Greenprint’s Equitable Planning team. The ideal candidate brings a passion for working collaboratively with community members and landowners to help define and achieve their stormwater goals, is a strategic thinker and self-starter who can cohere structure and action from ambiguity, and is experienced with outreach and engagement practices.

Who we are

Greenprint Partners is a women-owned and led planning and civil engineering firm that believes every community deserves to be served by infrastructure that is sustainable, resilient, and equitable. Headquartered in Chicago, our team of mission-driven planners, civil engineers and community engagement professionals support climate resilient, equitable infrastructure development from the earliest planning phases through design, construction and long-term maintenance. We also leverage our on-the-ground experience to provide technical assistance to our municipal partners, helping them equitably scale investments in sustainable water and transportation infrastructure while sharing insights and best practices with industry peers. Learn more about our services and approach at www.greenprintpartners.com.

Working in the field of infrastructure and design, we recognize the historic inequities that have been designed into the fabric of our cities and are committed to doing our part in changing the status quo. Creating more equitable communities and recognizing the strength in diversity is a core part of our work at Greenprint Partners both internally and externally. We believe our work is best fulfilled when our workplace reflects a diversity of perspectives and lived experiences in regards to race, ethnicity, economic circumstance, religion, gender, and ability. We have an enduring and evolving commitment to inclusion in our organization’s culture, values, and behaviors to ensure that all of our team members’ voices are heard and respected. We encourage people with lived experiences and diverse perspectives and identities to apply including people of color, people from working class backgrounds, people with disabilities, women, and people who hold LGBTQIA+ identities.

Greenprint Partners is proud to be a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and a certified B-Corporation.  

General responsibilities:

In this role, you can expect to…

• Support the development and implementation of equitable climate resilience and green infrastructure programs, strategies and plans for municipalities, counties, and water utilities;

• Work in strong partnership with clients, community-based organizations, property owners and residents by providing technical expertise and guidance that suits their individual needs, concerns and priorities;

• Build and maintain trusting relationships with clients, partners, property owners, and stakeholders to ensure successful project execution and client satisfaction;

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including other planners, engineers, landscape architects, and communications professionals to develop integrated GSI and climate solutions;

• Develop and conduct community outreach and engagement activities to raise awareness and build support for GSI and climate resilience initiatives;

• Support the development of content for relevant reports, presentations and other deliverables for clients and stakeholders, at the direction of project and program managers; and

• Research and apply for grant applications and project proposals on behalf of partners to secure funding for green stormwater infrastructure and climate resilience projects.

While your work and project portfolio will evolve over time as you grow professionally and as Greenprint grows as a company, during the first year you can expect to support projects and initiatives such as…

• Providing assistance to 60+ schools in the State of Vermont during the construction of their stormwater management projects;

• Helping to drive forward an approach to equitable GSI siting as well as advance landowner participation in a GSI incentive program for a major city in Wisconsin; and

• Supporting engagement with underserved communities to inform climate resilience projects and plans across the country. 

Desired Experience and Characteristics

If you are passionate about climate resiliency, planning and equitable infrastructure but do not meet every single criteria, we encourage you to still apply and articulate what you bring to the role and to Greenprint's work and culture in your cover letter! 

• Type of experience: Ideally 3-7 years of relevant experience in program and/or project management, environmental planning, physical planning, community organizing, sustainability or a related field. Previous work experience in government or consulting roles is a plus.

• Project management: The ideal applicant will be inclined toward project management responsibilities, and will possess excellent organizational skills, a demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously, orientation toward project deadlines, and the ability to work effectively both independently and in a team.

• Analytical skills: Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. High level of comfort working with data and representing data visually. Emerging or demonstrated ability to interpret and draw conclusions and recommendations from data.

• Outreach & engagement experience: Demonstrated ability to work with a wide variety of partners and develop creative tactics to reach stakeholders and keep them engaged throughout a project’s lifespan. Passion for elevating the role of community members in decision-making processes.

• Communication skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences. Ability to communicate effectively both in person and when working remotely.

• Interpersonal skills: Effective interpersonal and listening skills and the ability to build and maintain relationships with clients, partners, stakeholders, community-based organizations, property owners and residents.

• Commitment to equity: Passion for equity and environmental justice, navigating diverse stakeholder perspectives and priorities and centering the needs and desires of historically underrepresented communities.

• Commitment to learning and growth: A learner’s mindset, sense of intellectual curiosity and tendency toward constructive self-reflection are essential for success in this role.

Additional characteristics sought in this role include:

• Commitment to planning, designing and delivering sustainable infrastructure that is shaped by the priorities of the communities it serves, within the context of regulatory requirements, client objectives and budgetary constraints.

• Desire to work in a diverse community of colleagues committed to collaboratively embedding equity throughout the organization.

• GIS and analytical skills as well as data visualization and presentation skills.

• Experience with grant writing and/or expertise in funding sources that may be applied to stormwater infrastructure.

• Willingness to travel domestically.

Compensation & Benefits

The base salary for this position will be based on qualifications and years of relevant experience and ranges from $66,560 - $85,280. In addition to base salary, all Greenprint staff participate in our discretionary annual bonus program.

Greenprint offers a competitive benefits package, including comprehensive medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance benefits; 401K plan w/ company contribution; paid parental leave; tuition reimbursement; pre-tax transit benefits; and 12 company holidays.

About Working at Greenprint Partners

Greenprint Partners offers a flexible, fast-paced, demanding and fun work environment. We find that the people who thrive here are “doers” who enjoy taking ownership of their projects and working as a team to strategize, iterate, and execute quickly. We believe strongly that we’re in it together, and we see each new team member as a long-term investment in our shared future. Successful Greenprint employees are empathetic listeners and collaborators that are excited to use their professional skills to make a direct impact on people and the environment. We are proud of our company values:

• We are driven by mission,

• We pursue shared prosperity,

• We go big,

• We think holistically,

• We succeed and fail as a team, and

• Diverse viewpoints matter. 

We are deeply committed to investing holistically in the personal and professional development of all our staff as well as maintaining a positive and fun work culture. This includes:

• Funding for continuing education and memberships in professional networks;

• Regular diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging training that empowers our team to be equity practitioners both internally and externally;

• Bi-weekly all staff meetings that foster information sharing, connection and continuous learning;

• Team building activities that engage both in-person and remote staff;

• Annual staff culture and engagement surveys;

• An annual all-staff retreat.

We seek to foster a flexible and self-directed work environment that is accommodating of our team’s

individual circumstances while staying attuned to meeting the professional expectations of our team,

clients, project partners and community partners. Greenprint maintains a consulting industry standard 40-hour work week, but offers flexible working hours and a flexible PTO policy, built on a culture of proactive communication with supportive managers and team members.

We celebrate the many perspectives and lived experiences our growing team brings to our internal culture and our external engagement with clients, partners and community members, and are actively engaging our entire staff in co-creating our always evolving culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We acknowledge and welcome our staff members who hold many different identities, both visible and invisible. We are proud to be a team that is majority women, and includes members with diverse racial, ethnic, and immigrant identities, religious and political beliefs, generational perspectives, LGBTQIA+ identities, disabilities, and first generation educational experiences.