Working at the intersection of water, agriculture, and community, Palmer’s new Community Engagement Manager will have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful conservation work in Pueblo and southeastern Colorado. The goal of the CEM position is to increase Palmer’s community involvement in Pueblo, including communities that traditionally lack representation in the conservation and outdoor recreation spaces.

Palmer’s Pueblo-based Community Engagement Manager (CEM) position represents the opportunity to further conservation outcomes in Pueblo. This two-year, mid-level manager position, funded by a Great Outdoors Colorado Pathways Grant, will be based out of Palmer’s downtown Pueblo office.

Palmer Land Conservancy has worked alongside the Pueblo community for the last eight years to engage and connect the Pueblo community to local healthy food and empower the community to protect some of the most productive farmland in Colorado. As we continue our work in Pueblo by advancing opportunities for parks and trails throughout the region, the CEM will expand this work on multiple avenues, including reaching BIPOC and marginalized communities across Pueblo County.

The CEM has the potential for a wide-range of professional and career development opportunities in land conservation through mentorship by Palmer staff, opportunities to attend national, statewide, and regional conferences, and industry-related networking and training opportunities.

The Community Engagement Manager is a multi-disciplinary position with three core focus areas:

1. Community Engagement: Palmer is doubling down on its efforts to reach and involve more and diverse people in conservation through a unique community impact campaign. With a new environmental documentary, MIRASOL, Looking at the Sun, as the centerpiece of the campaign, the CEM will help produce film screening events in southeast Colorado, build upon existing, and develop new, community and conservation partnerships, and assist with promotion and outreach for the film.

2. Healthy Local Food Agricultural Heritage: This position will be responsible for expanding and enhancing Palmer's programs and events related to protecting local food and the region's agricultural heritage. Projects will include the partnership on Fuel Farm, a 1-acre urban farm in downtown Pueblo that is a project of Fuel & Iron Development, whom Palmer has partnered with for the last two years. Additionally, the CEM will work with Palmer's communications team to help produce new regional food guides that build off of the success of Palmer's Southern Colorado Food Guide, to help connect more people to their local food resources and farmers across the state. The CEM will assume leadership of Palmer's annual “Bike the Bessemer” event, helping to bolster agri-tourism in Pueblo County, and seek new event opportunities that promote agriculture and local food. The position will also work in partnership with other community organizations, such as the Pueblo Food Project, to help reduce barriers to healthy food by helping to identify and develop new events and programming.

3. Outdoor Recreation: Palmer's strategic plan has set a goal of protecting five new parks and open spaces in the next five years and developing land-based community engagement programming to complement Palmer’s on-the-ground conservation work. This position will work closely with Palmer's land acquisition team to help identify and evaluate conservation opportunities for new trails, parks, and open spaces in Pueblo. The CEM will play a key role in developing relationships within the to better understand the needs and goals for outdoor recreation in the community.

Job Qualifications

• Interest in learning about and promoting land conservation, agriculture, water, local food, and outdoor recreation.
• A willingness and excitement to engage a variety of demographics in land and water conservation.
• Project or event management, or similar experience, with an ability to take initiative, manage multiple tasks, have strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to a team environment and a collaborative approach to working on projects.
• Excellent and creative verbal, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Spanish bilingual preferred.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced working environment.
• Proficiency with some or all of the following or similar software a plus: Microsoft Office Suite, Slack, and basic office communication channels (e.g., email).
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and be willing to travel for events or other work-related activities - travel expenses will be reimbursed.
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule with some evening and weekend hours for events, especially in the summer months.

Palmer Land Conservancy's 5-year strategic plan, Land for Life, explicitly states that people are at the center of our work. The new CEM position will have a focus on deepening and broadening Palmer’s community understanding, engagement, and programming in Pueblo. Palmer highly encourages applications from candidates who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and others who identify as nonwhite, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA2S community, to apply for this position.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 403(b)
• 403(b) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to Commute:

• Pueblo, CO (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Pueblo, CO: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person