Special Assistant to the Director for Climate Adaptation (Planner 5G)

Salary: $78,049.00 - $163,455.00 Annually
Location : Largo, MD
Job Type: Probationary FT
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: 08149
Department: Department of the Environment
Division: SustainEnerg
Opening Date: 03/26/2024
Closing Date: 4/9/2024 11:59 PM Eastern
Nature and Variety of Work
Come join our team!
Located minutes from downtown Washington, DC Prince George's is the perfect vibrant community to live, work, and play!
We are Prince George's Proud!
Located in the heart of the Baltimore/Washington, DC Metro corridor, Prince George's County in Maryland borders Washington, D.C. and is just 37 miles south of the city of Baltimore. Encompassing almost 500 square miles, with over 900,000 residents Prince George's County has an urban atmosphere that provides a scenic and peaceful place to live, work, and play.
The Prince George's County Government Department of the Environment is seeking qualified applicants to fill a Special Assistant tothe Director for Climate Adaptation (Planner 5G) position, grade G29, within its Sustainability Division.
About the Position:
This is a management-level, professional and administrative position for planning and program development and coordination within the Department of the Environment's Office of the Director. The incumbent will direct the preparation of a climate action implementation plan for the county and direct the development of Climate Adaptation programs as identified by this plan. Also, the incumbent will be the principal liaison between the Director and internal staff, county agencies and county leadership.
The Special Assistantfor Climate Adaptation coordinates activities focused on helping the county to prepare for and respond to climate change. The incumbent will guide and coordinate the Prince George's County Climate Action Implementation Task Force's activities related to developing strategies which focus on implementing the county's Climate Adaptation goals. This individual will manage a consultant team which has been hired to assist the Director and the Prince George's County Climate Action Implementation Task Force with development and execution of a climate action implementation plan. The Special Assistantfor Climate Adaptation facilitates and convenes meetings of the Prince George's County Climate Action Implementation Task Force and of other climate action-focused groups, as directed.
The incumbent will manage consultant service contracts, supervise subordinate staff, participate in working groups, track and report progress, direct preparation of a climate action implementation plan and subsequent plan updates, direct the presentation of plans and programs to internal and external stakeholders, participate in development and pursuit of climate-related grants, support and develop climate action webpage content, facilitate inter-agency collaboration and provide information on climate action and environmental programs to the community.
Examples of Work
What You'll Do:

• Plan, organize and host Prince George's County Climate Action Implementation Task Force meetings to include tasks related to developing meeting agendas, facilitating meetings with county staff and staff for the Task Force's non-government representatives, preparing meeting materials, securing presenters, coordinating logistics and assisting with meeting facilitation.
  
• Supervise a professional planner and support personnel.
  
• Support Task Force working groups, when needed, by fostering group discussion and helping such groups to stay on track with meeting the Director's and Task Force's expected deliverables.
  
• Lead inter-agency coordination on development and delivery of resource materials and services supporting preparation of the climate action implementation plan and out year plan assessments and updates.
  
• Support requests for consultant services proposals and manage climate planning consultant contracts.
  
• Track contract milestones and ensure reporting requirements are met and payments are made on time.
  
• Develop, implement, promote, and coordinate county climate action programs and projects including adaptation activities, conservation and natural area management and community climate action education efforts.
  
• Plan, develop, and coordinate program meetings, discussions and assignments to include the compilation of briefing documents and presentations.
  
• Manage consultant services task orders and agreements
  
• Coordinate with consultants and county staff on planning, production and delivery of communications outputs.
  
• Communicate and respond promptly to queries from staff, Task Force members, consultants etc.
  
• Respond to requests for assistance and information regarding complex and sensitive issues.
  
• Prepare, and direct preparation of reports, position papers, and briefings to assist the Director ensuring that provided information is accurate and relevant.
  
• Provide research assistance to Director and draft narrative reports for Director.
  
• Track and report crucial performance markers, metrics and goals.
  
• Provide liaison support and representative coverage on behalf of the Director and Department at critical meetings and County engagements.
  
• Develop and promote events for the public that focus on solutions to climate change issues, leverage partnerships with other organizations.
  
• Collaborate with DoE's Public Information Officer to develop educational and promotional materials for the Task Force's and Department's climate work as needed.
  
• Performs other tasks and duties assigned, which may not be specifically listed in the position description but are within the general, occupational category and responsibility level associated with the employee's class of work.

Qualifications
What You'll Need:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's Degree in public or business administration or a related field urban and regional planning, environmental studies, economics, energy policy, urban studies, housing and community development, public health or closely related field,
  
• Plus a minimum of four (4) years of responsible professional planning/program development experience in the area of Government Operations and Programs.
  
• At least two (2) years of supervisory experience.

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience working with or within governmental organizations.
  
• Excellent written communication skills with close attention to accuracy and detail.
  
• Good verbal communication skills and interpersonal skills (to deal with partners at all levels, external bodies and the community) and ability to work effectively as part of a team.
  
• Passion for making a difference in the field of climate change and environmental justice.
  
• Experience in grant management and making grant applications.
  
• Strong personal organizational skills (working to deadlines and under pressure, prioritizing workload, multi-tasking, and the ability to be adaptable and flexible in a challenging environment).

EACH APPLICANT MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION WHICH CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE ABOVE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION.
Additional Information
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: Upon selection, the candidate must:

• Meet all training and performance standards and demonstrate proficiency as required by the agency.
• Wear and use agency protective apparel and equipment in the performance of their assigned duties.
• Participate as an "Essential" employee in the department's snow and ice control program and other emergency or special activities as assigned.

DURATION OF ELIGIBILITY: Candidates will be selected from a temporary register of eligible candidates, which will become effective approximately four (4) weeks after the closing date. Once a selection has been made, the register will expire.
ELIGIBILITY TO WORK: Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, an employer is required to hire only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers. Applicants who are selected for employment will be required to show and verify authorization to work in the United States.
This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S., only after an offer has been accepted and the Form I-9 is completed. For information on E-Verify, or if you believe the County has violated its E-Verify responsibilities, please contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at 888-897-7781 or visit their website at dhs.gov/e-verify.
ONLY ONLINE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
Internal Applicants: If you are a current Prince George's County Government employee and seeking a promotion, in accordance with Section 16-200 of the Personnel Law, you have the right to appeal a rejection rating within five (5) working days of receiving a rejection notice. Union employees should refer to their respective collective bargaining agreement and/or union representative for their grievance procedure.
Prince George's County Government is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
Committed to Diversity in the Workplace
General Plan Information:
The Prince George's County benefits plan year is from January 1 to December 31.
A spouse (to include a same sex spouse) can be added to the health benefit plans. A marriage certificate and social security number is required to add a spouse.
Children under the age of 26 are eligible for coverage under the health benefit plans. This includes stepchildren and children of the same-sex spouse. A birth certificate(s) and social security number(s) is required to add a child(ren). If you are only adding the stepchildren or child(ren) of a same-sex spouse, you will need to submit a marriage certificate. You will also need to submit the birth certificate of the child(ren) and your spouse must be listed as a parent.
The premiums for health benefits are deducted on a pre-tax basis with the exception of Long-Term Disability, Extra Life Insurance and Voluntary Benefits (Short-Term Disability, Whole Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident Insurance, Cancer Indemnity, Hospital Indemnity Protection, Accident Indemnity Plan, Supplemental Dental and Group Legal Services).
New employees must enroll in the County's health benefit plans within thirty (30) days of the hire date.
The effective date of the health benefits coverage is the beginning of the month following a waiting period of forty-five (45) days from the date of hire.
After enrolling in the County's benefit plans, employees may only make changes to the plans either during the open enrollment period, which occurs annually (usually each October), and/or during the year, due to a family status change (i.e., marriage, births, divorce and adoption).
Employee Benefits
Prince George's County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Prescription/Dental/Vision Insurance Coverage (part time employees are eligible for medical insurance if they work 15 + hours, per week)
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long & Short-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Dependent Care Assistance Program
  • Health Care Flexible Spending Account

Paid Leave (Annual, Personal, & Sick)

13 Paid Holidays

Retirement Benefits

• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
  • Employer Contribution Rate-11.71%
• Supplemental Pension Plan
  • Employee Contribution Rate (Pre-Tax)-3.48%
• 457(b)
• 403(b)

Employee Discounts

Employee Assistance Program

Voluntary Benefits

• Critical Illness
• Whole Life Insurance
• Accident Insurance
• Legal Services

For additional details, please visit:
01
I acknowledge and understand that the responses to the supplemental questions must reflect the information provided under the "Work Experience" section of the application. My responses will be used to determine whether or not I possess the minimum qualifications for the position.

• Yes
• No

02
Which best describes your level of education completed?

• High School Diploma or G.E.D
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• Doctorate/PHD
• Other

03
Do you possess a Master's degree in Urban/Regional Planning, Environmental Studies/Science, Public/Business Administration or closely related field?

• Yes
• No

04
How many years of experience do you have in professional planning/program development in government operations and programs?

• No Experience
• Less than 2
• 2-3 years
• 4-5 years
• 6-7 years
• 8 or more

05
Describe in detail your experience performing professional and administrative work in planning and program development. Include the name of the employer(s) where work was performed. This experience must also be described in the "WORK HISTORY/EXPERIENCE" section of this application. DO NOT TYPE "SEE RESUME". If no experience, enter "N/A"
06
Do you have at least two (2) years of supervisory experience?

• Yes
• No

07
If you answered "Yes" to question "Insert Number" please explain your experience as well as list/dates of employment with your answer. Answers such as "See Resume" will not be accepted.
08
Do you have experience with preparing and developing Climate Adaptation and action plan...