Emerald Network Project Manager

Emerald Network Project Manager Job Description October 2022

What we’re looking for:

LivableStreets seeks a thorough, passionate, and thoughtful project manager to advocate for greenway connections, work with partners to build strong coalitions, and help broaden awareness around the Emerald Network’s priorities.

Who we are and what we do​:

For 17 years LivableStreets has been transforming Metro Boston’s streets by advocating for innovative and equitable transportation solutions that are safe, affordable, and enjoyable – making our community more connected and livable (via transit, housing, and greenways) for everyone. LivableStreets is on a committed path to becoming an anti-racist organization, and we are seeking an individual who will uphold these values and embed anti-racism at the heart of their work.

In 2015, Livable Streets launched the Emerald Network, a vision that builds on Boston’s greenways to create a seamless 200-mile greenway network across metroBoston. Learn more at www.emeraldnetwork.info.

What the Project Manager will do:

Reporting to the Program Director, the Project Manager will have both internal and external facing responsibilities, ranging from assisting on to managing projects like the DOT Greenway, Columbia Road, and our Charles River Area Projects, to help steward coalitions that advance the Emerald Network’s mission, and sustaining relationships with community, municipal, and agency partners.

The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, willing to learn on the go, and able to independently manage multiple complex projects. They are a good listener, able to empathize with a variety of community challenges and lived experiences, and have strong design and research skills with expertise across active transportation, transit, and the environment. The Project Manager should be aware of and/or committed to learning about anti-gentrification and anti-racist practices. This position will begin mostly remote with some in-person work to support public meetings and community walk/ride-alongs. The Project Manager will occasionally work outside regular 9-5 hours, including 2-3 evenings a month for work-related meetings, events, and public presentations.

Primary responsibilities include:– Expanding engagement efforts and working directly with Boston-area communities to improve transportation and housing access for all. Examples of these efforts include:
– Creating and maintaining maps related to the Emerald Network and its projects
– Managing key projects within the Emerald Network by coordinating local organizations and community residents
– Attending public meetings as well as internal and external coalition meetings
– Coordinating outreach and supporting communications, including but not limited to writing comment letters and blog posts
– Strengthening working relationships by providing technical assistance for and with community organizations, community leaders, and city & agency staff in their efforts to connect with communities and further elevate the Emerald Network’s priorities

Other responsibilities include:
– Maintaining the Emerald Network links database, list of project partners, and progress reports
– Representing LivableStreets at public events, meetings, and with the press
– Collaborating with the Program Director to cultivate effective partnerships, including foundation, corporate, and donor support
– Working with our Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Diversity Fellow to create a Greenways Playbook, an instructive resource exploring how to build public green spaces in communities
– Collaborating with staff to produce written and digital external communications, including regular newsletters, social media posts, website updates, and other communication tools

Day-to-day, this looks like:
– Responding to emails from other advocacy organizations, funders, and non-profit groups to coordinate work towards common aims.
– Organizing, hosting, and executing events that bring people together to workshop ideas for our priority projects, such as the Charles River, DOT Greenway, and Columbia Road.
– Meeting with leaders (political, community, environmental, etc) to hear their stories, concerns, and goals. Support these leaders in a way that promotes the creation or improvement of non-vehicular networks.
– Collaborating with governmental organizations, such as the City of Boston’s transportation planners or the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s Community Engagement team, to offer suggestions, ideas, and feedback we have heard from communities.

To be successful in this job, you should…:

Have previous professional experience: You have experience in the fields of housing, land use, urban planning, transportation, landscape architecture, public health, environmentalism, or government. You have a minimum of 3 years of professional or lived experience with demonstrated leadership managing groups of people and/or initiatives/programs. Whether or not you are currently local to the area, you are familiar with Metro Boston regional planning issues. You have strong written, visual, and verbal communication skills. Fundraising and/or previous non-profit campaign management experience is a plus.

Have technical experience (or be willing to learn): You have some familiarity in a combination of the following: ArcGIS, other mapping software, and Adobe Illustrator/InDesign. If you are unfamiliar with these programs, you have a comfort in self directed learning. Skills communicating in other languages (e.g. Spanish, Creole) is a plus.

Enjoy building relationships: You enjoy connecting with people, particularly people with lived experiences different from your own. You enjoy cultivating and maintaining relationships through consistent meetings, formal and informal conversations, and amplifying community voices to those in power. You have been told that you are a good listener.

Be open to new ideas: You are inspired by the possibility of creating new systems, processes, and environments. You are willing to challenge your personal perceptions and ideas and remain open to new modes of being. You acknowledge that all people contain expertise, even when they don’t have a fancy professional title.

Have the ability to do many things, as well as the confidence to ask for help: You feel comfortable taking initiative, thinking across disciplines, and creatively resolving problems. You have the ability to execute a number of diverse projects simultaneously, but also know when to ask for help. We believe strongly in teamwork.

Foster a commitment to anti-racism + social justice: You are open to and curious about both professional and personal anti-racism work. Even if you are early in your anti-racist journey, you understand that your own identities color how you see the world and how this may effect LivableStreet’s goal to advocate for equitaible communities. You understand that decisions about highways, funding, the location of public space, and the access to affordable housing have had racist histories and are up to the challenge of building towards just communities.

Take care of yourself: Advocacy work requires a great deal of emotion, passion, honesty, and hard conversations. You understand what you need to recharge and prioritize your own well-being. You help LivableStreets cultivate an environment of hard work balanced with rest and restoration, by respecting our “Forever Fridays” (half day Fridays all year long!) and making use of vacation time.

This is a full-time, exempt position with an annual salary range of $60 -70K. Benefits include health care, dental care, a transportation stipend, paid vacation, and a commitment to professional development.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and references to abby@livablestreets.info by Monday, October 24th. Early applications are encouraged.

LivableStreets is an E-Verify employer.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY
LivableStreets is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from all backgrounds. People with multiple marginalized identities are strongly encouraged to apply, including people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. LivableStreets does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, medical condition (including pregnancy and/or genetic characteristics), mental or physical disability, veteran status, marital status, weight, height, linguistic characteristics (such as accent and limited English proficiency, where not substantially job-related), citizenship status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

APPLICATION TIMELINE
To ensure we find the right candidate and honor your time, we will conduct an applicant search in up to three rounds after review of resumes.

Send the following to abby@livablestreets.info:
Cover letter explaining why you are right for this position
Resume
Three professional references
Applications due: Monday, Oct 24, 2022
Candidates will be notified if they are moving to round one by: Friday, Nov 4, 2022

Round One
We would love to learn more about you. You will participate in a 30 minute phone call with our Deputy Director or Content + Culture Manager where we will ask questions about your experience and interests.
Date: Thursday, Oct 27 – Friday, Nov 4, 2022
Candidates will be notified if they are moving to round two by: Tuesday, Nov 8, 2022

Round Two
Spend some time with the LivableStreets team, virtually. This will include a small group interview with the whole team where we ask you to discuss your skill set and experience related to the position. At this time, with your permission, we will also reach out to your professional references.
Date: Thursday, Nov 10 – Wednesday, Nov 23, 2022
Candidates will be notified if they are moving to round three: Wednesday, Nov 23 – Dec 5, 2022

Round Three (as needed)
You may have the opportunity to meet with the Program Director one-on-one. This session will allow for deeper conversations about details/day-to-day operations of the position, and a chance to ask any lingering questions. We may ask you to complete a small written assignment to demonstrate your skill set.
Date: Monday, Nov 28 – Monday, Dec 5, 2022
Candidates will be notified of the final hiring decision by: Friday, Dec 9, 2022
Expected Start Date: Monday, Dec 19, 2022 – Monday, Jan 9, 2023

Location: ZOOM. LivableStreets Alliance Office, 70 Pacific Street, Cambridge MA, 02139