Community Engagement Associate

Location: Fairfax County, Virginia

Important Note: Applications will not be considered If you do not currently reside in Northern Virginia.

Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS) seeks a Community Engagement Associate who shares our passion for local climate action and climate justice. FACS was recently engaged by the Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) to lead the Faith-based and Non-profit Community Climate Pilot to accelerate implementation of the Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP). The goals of the Pilot will require extensive engagement with faith communities  in Fairfax County to lower the carbon footprints of their facilities. This position will report to FACS’ Executive Director. 

Community Engagement Associate Duties: 

We are already working with faith communities through our “Power of Faith” campaign at the regional level. The Power of Faith campaign is highly replicable and has engaged the commitment of many faith communities in our services area. More than 80  congregations have expressed interest in reducing their facilities’ carbon footprints and FACS has been in contact with them. We have a strong team of government, technical, finance, board members, and partners ready to launch our efforts to reach many more communities.

The Associate will work exclusively within Fairfax County. To fully engage with FACS, a congregation must sign a Memorandum of Understanding. A priority will be congregations in low-income neighborhoods.  

Specifically, the Community Engagement Associate will: 

• Engage and secure signed MOU with faith communities in Fairfax County. 
• Work with congregations that have signed the MOU to submit applications to subsidize Level 2 Energy Audits through the County’s Energy Conservation Assistance Program.
• Help congregations to set up Energy Star data management systems. 
• Advise congregational leads on energy service vendors and funding sources.  
• Work collaboratively with the OEEC Pilot Manager and understand county government processes.
• Coordinate with the FACS team. 

Required Qualifications: 

We encourage you to apply if you are passionate about addressing climate change and pursuing climate justice and are able to manage multiple, competing demands under tight deadlines. Your application package should demonstrate, at a minimum, that you have strengths in these areas:

Experience – 1 to 3 years of experience in community engagement. 

Communications - You must be an experienced communicator in various formats. Ability to use Zoom, the Google Suite of products, project management software, and schedule online meetings is a must. 

Education - A bachelor's degree, equivalent work, or lived experience is required for this position. 

Location - You’ll need to attend meetings and events in person in Fairfax County.

References - If you’re a final candidate, we’ll talk to two or more of your colleagues.

Compensation and Benefits:

This position has a salary range of $51,000 - $54,000 a year, depending on experience. We offer an excellent benefits package that includes health, vision, and dental care; contributions to a retirement plan, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Full-time employees receive  three weeks of annual leave and 12 days paid sick leave per year.  Additionally, FACS follows the holiday schedule of the Fairfax County, Virginia government. Mileage will be reimbursed at the IRS standard mileage rate. This is a full-time, 40 hours/week position. There may be occasions when the role may require availability for work after hours and weekends and this will be reflected in adjustments to workday schedules. 

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender reassignment, citizenship, immigration status, protected veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under applicable federal, state or local law.

About Us:

FACS is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that advances local solutions to the urgent moral challenge of climate change by harnessing the power of Northern Virginia’s faith communities, and others who share our values.  We have earned respect through persistent advocacy, outreach, and education in an effort to reduce carbon pollution and achieve environmental justice. 

Based in Fairfax County, Virginia, we have active Hubs in Alexandria City, Arlington and Loudoun Counties, the Central Shenandoah Valleys, and Montgomery County, MD. Our Hubs work with elected officials and senior government leaders in local governments and public schools. 

Since our founding in 2013 by a handful of friends concerned about climate change, we have grown into a network of 200 Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and Unitarian Universalists, and other faith communities, with 2,900+ supporters. To learn more, visit our website at faithforclimate.org  

How to Apply:

If you’d like to join our team as FACS Community Engagement Manager, apply with a cover letter and resume to executivedirector@faithforclimate.org. 

We offer an excellent benefits package that includes health, vision, and dental care; contributions to a retirement plan, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Full-time employees receive three weeks of annual leave and 12 days paid sick leave per year. Additionally, FACS follows the holiday schedule of the Fairfax County, Virginia government. Mileage will be reimbursed at the IRS standard mileage rate. This is a full-time, 40 hours/week position. There may be occasions when the role may require availability for work after hours and weekends and this will be reflected in adjustments to workday schedules.