Strategic Partnerships & Climate Policy Lead

at  University of Minnesota

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS in relevant fields, including but not limited to public policy, business development, climate science, environmental or conservation sciences, or similar and at least six (6) years of experience.
• Experience building and maintaining strategic relationships with corporations, philanthropists, and local, state and federal governments and elected officials.
• Experience leading consultant teams in the design and delivery of projects and deliverables.
• Experience working on developing partnerships and alliances specifically to address key climate change issues and impacts and implementing adaptation and resilience strategies in Minnesota and/or the Midwest.
• Experience leading and supporting complex, multi-organization collaborations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience working in diverse teams, being able to collaborate respectfully with staff of various educational and cultural backgrounds, and ability to appropriately navigate complex team dynamics.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters degree in relevant field, including but not limited to public policy, business development, climate science, environmental or conservation sciences, or similar and at least eight (8) years of experience.
• Research and policy development and analysis experience, especially related to climate adaptation and resilience, or similar policies.
• Experience working with public agencies, or local, state, or federal agencies on partnership and policy development.
• Experience with Minnesota’s climate adaptation landscape including state and federal interactions and opportunities for climate adaptation and mitigation partnerships, funding, and implementation.
• Experience with climate planning and implementation at local, state and/or county levels and partnerships and resources needed to implement such plans.
• Experience directing the design, delivery, and evaluation of climate adaptation and resilience planning and/or programming.
• Experience recruiting and mentoring a diverse workforce.

The University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) is hiring a Strategic Partnerships & Climate Policy Lead to help lead the growth and strategic development of the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP), a joint climate services program of CFANS and Extension. The successful candidate will work with MCAP to help Minnesota prepare for the impacts of climate change with a focus on identifying, developing, and sustaining strategic partnerships and alliances across key sectors across Minnesota and the Midwest and collaborate with MCAP leadership to accelerate delivery of targeted climate adaptation and resilience research and programming needed to serve diverse partners and sectors in evidence-based climate risk management, planning, and decision-making.
The Strategic Partnerships & Climate Policy Lead will bring in-depth experience and expertise in climate adaptation and resilience planning and decision-making at local, state, and federal levels and a background in the landscape of local, regional, and federal climate policies and regulations. Successful candidates will have a comprehensive understanding of key climate change issues and impacts and actionable adaptation and resilience strategies for communities in Minnesota and the Midwest as well as the strategic alliances and partners needed to realize these solutions.. This role will collaborate closely with the MCAP leadership team and leverage their expertise and networking strengths to help grow and implement MCAP’s adaptation and resilience research and Extension programming to ensure MCAP is providing needed climate services across the region. The Strategic Partnerships & Climate Policy Lead will work closely with the MCAP Director to identify strategic partnerships and alliances and help identify funding and business development opportunities needed to sustain MCAP into the future. In this leadership role, this position will also work with the Extension Program Leader to provide leadership support to Extension educators and staff on the strategic development of climate partnerships, policy and planning-related research and resources needed to support MCAP’s Weather Ready Extension program development and delivery.
About MCAP
The University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP) is a joint program of University of Minnesota Extension and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. MCAP conducts cutting-edge climate and adaptation research and develops climate-focused Extension programs with the goal of accelerating the implementation of effective, equitable adaptation across Minnesota and the Midwest. MCAP actively partners with state, federal and local governments, the private sector, non-profits, tribal nations, community organizations, and individuals as they seek to manage their current and future climate risks.
Strategic Alliances
Responsible for forming strategic alliances to create mutually beneficial partnerships. Negotiates partnership terms that maintain the institution’s brand integrity and value while leveraging the resources of alliance partners.

Support strategic growth and sustainability of the MCAP program (40%)

• Identify, analyze, cultivate, form and sustain relationships with politically, socially, culturally, and economically diverse people and organizations to advance the delivery and reach of MCAP’s research and Extension climate services program.
• Work with the Director to develop and maintain strategic alliances and relationships with partners, funders, donors, and collaborators across Minnesota, the Midwest, and nationally.
• Serve as a conduit between external partners engaging in various forms of climate adaptation and resilience work and the MCAP program with a focus on prioritizing and maintaining strategic alliances.
• Support MCAP Leadership team with fundraising efforts of the organization including grants, contracts, philanthropy and other forms of business development.
• Assist the Director in engagement and communication efforts with state and federal agencies and elected officials.
• Collaborate with other leadership team members to drive innovation in climate planning approaches and build new opportunities for research and programming in alignment with MCAP’s strategic mission.

Contribute to the strategic growth and management of MCAP’s climate services research and Extension programs with a focus on climate planning and policy (40%)

• Collaborates with partners on projects and initiatives. This will include Identifying and managing innovative collaborative projects with strategic external and internal partners to advance the delivery and reach of MCAP’s research and Extension programs with a focus on climate planning and policy.
• Leverage climate policy, business development, and adaptation content expertise to help MCAP implement successful climate services strategies, including through ongoing research and the development of trainings, programs, and resources that support the integration of climate data and information into planning, policies, financing, and decision-making at local and state levels.
• Lead special projects and contracts with external partners and consultants with a focus on content development and delivery related to climate policy, climate planning (e.g. climate adaptation planning, comprehensive planning), and climate economics.
• Coordinate communications with partners and ensure all deliverables are met according to the partnership agreements.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to MCAP researchers and Extension staff on program development and content related to climate policy, planning, and implementation.
• Model leadership on projects through strong expectation management, direction, and delegation; and foster ownership and commitment in others.

Contribute to the leadership of MCAP (20%)

• Contribute as an active member of the MCAP leadership team.
• Represent the organization with external and internal stakeholders and potential partners.
• May be assigned to technical or governance committees as defined by leadership and the needs of the center.
• Work with the Director and Associate Directors to develop strategic plans and performance metrics to measure progress and document the successes of the program with a focus on partnerships and strategic alliances.
• Support engagement and operations of the MCAP external Advisory Board.
• Participate in fundraising, including the development of funding proposals and donor/funder engagement.
• Provide strategic leadership in the planning and hiring of new MCAP staff.