PROJECT BACKGROUND & DESCRIPTION

 Building Healthy Communities (BHC) is a 10 – year initiative of The California Endowment that cultivates assets in communities to improve health status and equity for all residents. East Salinas is one of the fourteen place based sites within BHC that is looking at values and practice changes across systems (schools, health care, land use, justice system) and supporting community leadership to redefine health and identify solutions that are relevant to East Salinas. BHC supports the design of communities that are safe, healthy while promoting community wellness and healthy economic opportunities.

East Salinas BHC (ESBHC) Collaborative is supporting local efforts to engage and develop the leadership capacity of community residents and system leaders to make positive changes in their community. ESBHC has a distinguished track record of facilitating community engagement opportunities and incorporating community voice into policies and decisions that impact their lives. The principle driver of this work is seeing residents as assets, not just recipients of services. ESBHC partners are engaging community based organizing, supporting resident leadership and development, and developing effective community engagement and outreach strategies that are healing-informed, culturally rooted and encompass a health and racial equity lens.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Land Use Project Coordinator is committed to developing a working knowledge on land use related issues including but not limited to: economic development, housing, transportation, parks and open space, and local politics to involve different partners in the community to move a health equity agenda with a policy or systems change outcome. The Land Use Project Coordinator will lead the Land Use Action Team. East Salinas Building Healthy Communities (ESBHC) has found success in the development of teams directly correlated with the energy, interest and the emergence of opportunities. It is important to note this position may be modified into another area of focus depending on the interest of the Action Team. The core functions of the BHC Hub include supporting the rest of the BHC Collaborative and its partners; given the role of the hub this position will also provide support to other ongoing projects as needed. This position reports directly to the BHC Hub Manager.

PRIMARY JOB FUNCTIONS

• Play a leadership and coordination role in ESBHC Land Use Action Team
• Cultivate working relationships among government agency staff, elected officials, residents, and any other relevant stakeholders in the community
• Track the progress of community leaders and systems leaders
• Build capacity and facilitate engagement of ESBHC partners and residents in land use decision making processes
• Conduct on-going research and analysis of local, statewide, and national policies impacting ESBHC priority land use issues in Salinas and Monterey County
• Serve as a local leader for race and health equity as a member of the East Salinas Building Healthy Communities Initiative

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB

• Leadership in the Land Use Action Team
  • Help to uphold the goals and vision of the team
  • Chair meetings of the team and provide follow-up communication on decisions, next steps, and tasks
  • Lead coordination and logistical functions of the team
  • Serve as liaison between ESBHC and land use stakeholders
  • Maintain active communication between members of the team and collaborators
  • Help to develop strategy and tactics to advance the goals and vision of the team
  • Work to build consensus among team partners
  • Attend ESBHC staff meetings and professional development trainings
  • Provide regular progress reports to the Action Team and relevant stakeholders on developments within the land use work being carried out
• Strategic Relationships
• Build the bridge between system leaders, collaborative partners and residents
• Participate in land use related trainings, events, and conferences as needed, and represent ESBHC
• Conduct external communications regarding ESBHC events and initiatives as needed
• Cultivate working relationships with a diverse set of land use stakeholders in Monterey County and beyond
• Tracking Leadership Progress
  • Develop and maintain systems for tracking leaders progress along a set of benchmarks towards the founding of a Collaborative for land use decision-making with a health equity lens
  • Communicate progress of leaders to the Land Use Action Team
• Research and Analysis
• Conduct on-going research and maintain a working knowledge of land use policies and practices at the local, statewide, and national levels
• Develop outreach and education materials, including but not limited to: handouts, matrices, presentations and briefings on policy and best practices
• Offer analysis to support shift towards equitable land use planning and decision making
• Leadership for health and racial equity
  • Participate in BHC/TCE events, trainings and activities
  • Represent the East Salinas community and ESBHC at events, on decision-making tables, and in the media
  • Engage a framework for understanding and disrupting structural bias and inequities and actively apply it to your work in the community and within the field of land use

REQUIREMENTS

• 1+ years of experience facilitating meetings and/or workshops
• 1+ years of experience coordination of projects
• 1+ years working with community members and with systems leaders
• Active knowledge and interest in land use issues

SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Bilingual English and Spanish
• Basic computer skills (Microsoft Office, Google Applications, social media (FB, twitter, Instagram))
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects
• Flexibility of schedule, ability to work some nights and weekends
• Friendly communications skills in person and over phone
• Active listening skills, including the ability to summarize or articulate key points
• Ability to give, receive and incorporate constructive feedback
• Ability to translate complex information to diverse audiences

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The employee should be able to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and hear, use hands, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to walk.
• Able to lift 30 pound box and carry it 100 feet; push a hand truck/ dolly with a load of 150 pounds a distance of 100 yards; and access items on shelves in files located 0 to 60 inches above the floor.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Benefits: Benefits include Medical and Dental. We also provide competitive vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays. Benefits are available when employee completes introductory period and meets eligibility.

How to Apply: Please submit a cover letter, resume and names with contact information of 3 job references to AndreaBHC@actioncouncil.org.

Application deadline: April 10, 2016