New Orleans Community Support Foundation — Outreach and Partnership Fellow

This position is part of the NOAA Coastal Resilience Fellowship Program, supporting the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge (CRRC) projects. The fellow will support the project: Enabling Meaningful Progress for Water Equity and Resilience Through the Greater New Orleans Regional Water Plan.

Host Organization: New Orleans Community Support Foundation
Location of Position: New Orleans, Louisiana 
Duration of Position: Two years (June 2025-June 2027)
Annual Salary: $42,000
Benefits: Medical insurance, 11 paid federal holidays per year, 15 paid personal days per year, professional development training, travel funding, relocation allowance

Work Environment: 

The Greater New Orleans Foundation and the New Orleans Community Support Foundation are located at 919 St. Charles Avenue in a LEED–certified building with green infrastructure incorporated into the courtyard and parking lot. The office space is comfortable and welcoming, and the fellow will have a dedicated workspace with computer, extra monitor, printer, and basic office supplies. Like all foundation staff, the fellow will be expected to work from the office three days per week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) and is welcome to work from the office anytime. Occasionally, in-office tasks and meetings will occur on Wednesdays and Fridays. The fellow will be expected to join weekly Programs team check-ins, staff meetings (lunch provided), and monthly Programs team meetings. Because of the fluid and evolving nature of work at the foundation and on this project, the fellow may, from time to time, be asked to work outside normal business hours (e.g., attending evening events, facilitating evening workshops) or take on other assignments not covered in this position description.

The foundation is an inspiring, engaging, challenging, thought-provoking, diverse, and dynamic place to work and advance your career. We pride ourselves on investing in high-quality staff members and encouraging success by allowing individuals the opportunity to both contribute and enhance their skills and talents as well as to share their unique perspectives as we address community challenges. Our workplace environment nurtures a diverse team and results in a broad base of staff knowledge and talent.

The fellow will be collaborative, proactive, detail-oriented, and motivated and will provide excellent internal and external service to colleagues and partners. The fellow will be part of the Programs team and supervised by the director of environmental programs. 

The Greater New Orleans Foundation’s environmental programs envision a region with equitable climate adaptation and mitigation projects that center Black, Indigenous, people of color, and other people most impacted by climate change. We wish to see vibrant and climate-resilient neighborhoods. We work to establish strong partnerships between government, business, and nonprofits that effectively center those most impacted by planning decisions. We aim to ensure long-term funding from various sources is allocated with a racial equity lens and flowing towards climate adaptation and mitigation.

Fellowship Position Description:

The fellow will be the outreach and partnership specialist for the EMPOWER project, with specific responsibilities focused on research, facilitation, event planning and implementation, and communications and outreach. Tasks will be further refined based on interest, experience, and capacity of the fellow and could include:

Research

• Research best practices and messaging for general education and promotion of equitable and resilient green infrastructure, as well as green infrastructure policy research and analysis, to support report and materials development
• Facilitate accessibility and use of the Regional Knowledge and Data Directory (to be developed over the course of this project) in collaboration with the Tulane ByWater Institute fellow  through outreach, communications tools, and partner trainings 

Facilitation

• Support facilitation of the communications subcommittee, a major element of the regional resilience collaborative, including agenda development support, meeting management support, note-taking and follow-up, and individual work
• Gain facilitation and leadership experience over the course of the two-year fellowship

Event Planning and Implementation

• Provide support for full collaborative meetings, including room design and setup, materials development, A/V support, facilitation, etc. 

Communications and Outreach

• Support development and maintenance, with the subcommittee and contractor, of the project website
• Produce regular correspondence (newsletters, blogs, etc.) to communicate the collaborative’s progress to members and the public
• Support development of multimedia approaches to outreach and storytelling, including photography, videography, graphic design, social media, etc., to share the work of the collaborative and its members
• Track partner engagement in the collaborative and various subcommittees and provide support for recruitment
• Attend organizing committee meetings and support collaborative leadership activities
• Act as a thought partner in the overall strategic functioning of the regional resilience collaborative and this initiative 

Fellow Portfolio Development:

By the end of the two-year fellowship, the fellow will have developed and supported development of a number of deliverables for their personal portfolio, including:

• EMPOWER Collaborative Website
• Basic green infrastructure outreach and educational materials
• Newsletter and blog archives
• Multimedia storytelling vignettes
• Green infrastructure adaptive management policy manual (credited contributor)

Anticipated Travel:

The fellow is anticipated to travel regionally for partner meetings, capturing stories from the field and supporting communications subcommittee meetings in different places throughout the region. There will also be professional development opportunities that may require domestic travel (i.e., conferences, trainings) beyond the peer-to-peer sharing event in 2027. Extra travel support can be provided by the foundation, as needed or appropriate. 

Desired Qualifications:

The fellow should have experience in strategic communications and marketing, hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, and possess a minimum of 1–2 years professional experience in the field. The fellow may demonstrate experience in some of the following:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to simplify and effectively communicate complex topics
• Commitment to promoting environmental justice, racial equity, and community-led climate solutions
• Demonstrated cultural competence—either through professional or lived experience—for working closely with and centering equity with racially, economically, and intellectually diverse partners
• Ability to facilitate collaborative group efforts toward shared goals and agreed-upon outcomes
• Expertise in providing excellent customer service to internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to work with diverse stakeholders, including vendors, nonprofit leaders, board and committee members, and foundation partners
• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Microsoft Office, and the ability to quickly learn and utilize new technology
• Highly detailed-oriented professional approach to task completion
• Ability to make clear and timely decisions within an area of responsibility
• Ability to seek support and direction, with receptiveness to feedback, and willingness to learn 

Graphic design, photography, videography, or strategic social media skills and experience are a plus. Local and regional knowledge, with a connection to the Greater New Orleans area, is a strong plus.

Every team member at the foundation is expected to demonstrate:

• Honesty, integrity, professionalism, politeness, and courteousness
• High energy and a positive attitude
• A dedication to quality and accuracy
• An ability to work well with coworkers, especially in a small office environment
• An ability to fulfill their job requirements with minimal supervision
• Good oral and written communication skills
• A commitment to personal growth and development

Fellow Mentoring:

The fellow’s mentor will be Dan Favre, the foundation’s director of environmental programs, who is lead personnel on this project. Dan has a deep background in grassroots organizing, coalition-building, and strategic communications as well as staff management, coaching, and mentoring.

To apply, please upload the following materials in one PDF file:

• Resume (two-page limit)
• Statement of interest, where the candidate describes what they hope to gain from the fellowship experience and what they can contribute. Candidates should also highlight any connections to or special interests in the region, including Indigenous or local knowledge and relevant life experiences (500-word limit).
• Unofficial academic transcripts to show coursework (or joint services transcript for veterans)
• Two professional or academic references (names and contact information)