Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

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The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

U-M EEO/AA Statement

Department Summary

This position will be housed within the U-M Graham Sustainability Institute and report directly to the Sustainability Programs Manager. 

Deep collaborative engagement is the cornerstone of the Graham Sustainability Institute. Since 2006, Graham has catalyzed and facilitated collaborative opportunities for students, faculty, policy makers, practitioners, and communities to foster sustainable solutions at local to global scales.

Leveraging over 100 top-ranked University of Michigan (U-M) programs and a vast practitioner network, Graham integrates diverse expertise to tackle pressing sustainability challenges and achieve real-world impact.

Job Summary

The Sustainability Programs Coordinator will support sustainability culture and behavior change programs that contribute to the University?s carbon neutrality and sustainability commitments. This position will work closely with staff from across the U-M Ann Arbor campus and collaborate with sustainability staff from the University of Michigan's two other campuses in Dearborn and Flint. The Coordinator will have significant responsibilities for the day-to-day management of the U-M Ann Arbor Planet Blue Ambassador (PBA) program, which educates students, staff, and faculty members about sustainability initiatives and inspires them to get engaged and lead through personal action. 

Sustainability is, by its nature, evolving and changing. The position is expected to stay current in sustainability best practices in Higher Education and be responsive to innovative, new, and emergent technologies and pedagogy. The Coordinator will continuously adapt programming, strategy, and resources to the changing needs and opportunities of U-M's sustainability work.

Responsibilities

• Sustainability Engagement and Culture Change - 50%
  • Manage the daily operations of the U-M Ann Arbor Planet Blue Ambassador (PBA) program, coordinating with staff on the UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint campuses administering similar programs there.
  • Create and maintain sustainability education materials and resources for students, staff, and faculty, including online educational training.
  • Present trainings and facilitate workshops on sustainability best practices. 
  • Organize events, educational tours, and volunteer opportunities on sustainability themes.
  • Build relationships with units across campus to learn about their needs, share useful sustainability resources, and gather inspiring stories to share about their sustainability efforts.
  • Build and maintain relationships with the City of Ann Arbor and other external sustainability partners.
  • Evaluate opportunities for program improvement by staying informed on best practices and new opportunities in higher-education sustainability.
• Sustainability Communications - 20%
  • Serve as a first point of contact through the Planet Blue email account.
  • Maintain detailed knowledge of all sustainability efforts in order to share about them in a variety of outlets including newsletters, web pages, social media, and news articles in The University Record.
  • Write, edit, and publish blog posts around sustainability behavior change.
  • Collect, write, and edit relevant sustainability stories for the monthly newsletter.
  • Assist with development of graphics for events, newsletters, and signage on campus.
  • Evaluate the success of campus sustainability communications and recommend areas for improvement.
• Student Management and Advising - 20%
  • Manage the recruitment, hiring, training, and supervision of 1-3 student interns.
  • Write work plans and learning plans for student interns.
  • Serve as informal advisor to sustainability-focused student groups on campus.
  • Communicate with students to engage and receive feedback on programs.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - 5%
  • Integrate DEI learning into all sustainability programs and events, as well as into all messaging.
  • Ensure all programmatic efforts are supporting university-wide DEI goals and priorities, including accessibility.
  • Develop personally in DEI topics.
• Administration - 5%
  • Track program metrics and impact, and develop program reports.
  • Assist in managing program budget.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in field related to sustainability or education (can be waived if applicant has at least 4 years of professional experience with at least 1 year working with higher education institutions or working with students).
• Familiarity with sustainability concepts and best practices.
• Community engagement related experience.
• Strong communication skills with public speaking experience.
• Experience with collaborative projects and relationship building.
• Ability to work independently, set priorities, work simultaneously on numerous tasks, and meet deadlines.
• Well organized with experience using Google Workspace tools and Zoom.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong understanding of the links between sustainability, well-being, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Demonstrated ability to learn about new topics and synthesize information for a variety of audiences.
• Experience working across diverse stakeholders, including academics, students, and operations/facilities.
• Experience in environmental education, community engagement, or leadership development.
• Experience supervising and mentoring university students.
• Experience with program or project management.
• Experience with event planning and meeting facilitation.
• Experience with graphic design platforms (Canva).
• Experience with email marketing platforms (Mailchimp). 
• Experience with web content-management systems (Wordpress).
• Experience with web-based learning management systems (Canvas).

Work Location

This position will be located in Ann Arbor, MI, with the flexibility to work from home 2-3 days a week, as agreed upon with the supervisor. This position requires collaborating with stakeholders on the UM-Dearborn as well as UM-Flint campuses, so the ability to travel infrequently to Dearborn and Flint would be a plus.

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address:

• What about this position interests you? 
• What are your skills and experience that directly relate to this position?
• What do you think is the best way to inspire students to create sustainable change?