Principal Environmental Policy Planner

Principal Environmental Policy Planner - Open Position Announcement

Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD)

88 Broadway, Taunton MA / Hybrid Work Environment

Agency Website: www.srpedd.org

Environmental Department Home Page: www.srpedd.org/environment/

Position Summary

SRPEDD’s Environmental Planning Department is seeking a proven project leader to advance our work program, contribute to agency goals, and engage in the work of enhancing environmental quality and resilience across Southeastern Massachusetts. More information about SRPEDD, the Regional Planning Agency serving 27 municipalities in Southeastern Massachusetts, can be found below the announcement, and on the agency website provided above. 

Posted at the Principal Planner (PP1) level, this position is designed for a serious candidate with real-world experience in the environmental or land use planning field, with specific expertise in environmental legislation, policy frameworks, and compliance requirements, after graduating with their MA/MS in the field or urban planning, regional planning, environmental science, urban ecology or a related field. The Principal Environmental Policy Planner will play a key role in bylaw updates, regulatory compliance, and intergovernmental agency coordination. SRPEDD’s office is located in Taunton, Massachusetts. Per our hybrid office policy, employees are physically in the office an average of two days per week. The Environmental Department has a consistent group in-office day on Tuesday, during which we have our weekly staff meeting.

Under the supervision of the Environmental Planning Manager, with potential tasks also to be completed for the Transportation Planning Manager and/or Comprehensive Planning Manager, the Principal Environmental Policy Planner contributes to the diverse work program of a busy and growing Regional Planning Agency.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The Principal Environmental Policy Planner works with the Environmental Planning Manager and colleagues to design projects, set deliverables and deadlines, and review work products. The Principal Environmental Policy Planner acts independently as creative and technical lead on numerous plans, civic engagement efforts, and other work products. The position is responsible for acting as the main point of contact for communities in one sub-watershed but will be engaged in projects throughout the SRPEDD region. The position’s work program requires an understanding of the principles, practices, and methods of environmental planning and related technical assistance across the Environmental Department’s seven main programmatic areas: (1) stormwater management; (2) floodwater management; (3) open space & recreation planning; (4) air quality; (5) climate change mitigation and climate change pollution reduction; (6) climate change adaptation; and (7) brownfields cleanup.

POSITION-SPECIFIC ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Independently leading the development and implementation of regional environmental policies, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations to water quality, land use, climate resilience, and habitat conservation.
• Leading technical authorship on policy documents, reports, and presentations related to environmental planning and policy advocacy.
• Developing and maintaining working relationships with local stakeholders, intergovernmental agencies, and Federal and State regulators.
• Reviewing projects and environmental impact reports for consistency with local and state environmental protections and policy and preparing formal comment letters for regulatory review processes.
• Collaborating with internal teams to integrate policy recommendations into SRPEDD’s planning projects, ensuring alignment with best practices in environmental protection and climate adaptation.
• Serving as a technical liaison between SRPEDD and other state and federal regulatory bodies (i.e. EPA, MassDEP) on issues related to policy and regulatory compliance.
• Leading public engagement efforts for policy advocacy, including organizing and participating in public meetings, workshops, and hearings.
• Developing and implementing strategies to influence environmental policy, advocating for policies that enhance environmental protection and community resilience.
• Monitoring changes in environmental regulations and legislature that impact SRPEDD’s projects and providing timely updates and strategic recommendations to staff and stakeholders. • Leading the development of regional policy frameworks for water resources management, climate change adaptation, flood mitigation, and land conservation.
• Drafting and reviewing inter-municipal agreements (IMAs) and other collaborative agreements to address regional environmental challenges.
• Leading and managing several planning projects, including but not limited to low-impact development, stormwater management, water pollution control, watershed plans and studies, open space and recreation plans, targeted restoration studies, regional studies and plans, and civic engagement efforts, among others. • Providing technical support and training to municipal staff and volunteers related to the identification and prioritization of natural resources and landscapes, habitat and natural resource preservation, land protection strategies and methods, habitat restoration techniques, low-impact development, green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, land use planning, project development, and grant writing, among other relevant areas.
• Preparing local, state, and federal permit applications for habitat restoration and other related environmental projects.

OTHER GENERAL PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assisting municipal staff and volunteers with local project management and participation in the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Green Communities Designation and Grant program.
• Assisting on other Environmental Department projects, such as climate resilience, climate pollution reduction planning, SRPEDD’s Regional Resilience Plan, hazard mitigation planning, and other projects that may arise in the future.
• Delegating tasks to junior staff in collaboration with the Environmental Planning Manager and the broader Environmental Planning team.
• Developing project scopes and budgets and preparing grant applications for environmental policy initiatives.
• Representing SRPEDD in public meetings, workshops, and stakeholder engagements on water resources and watershed planning issues.
• Collaborating and managing contracts with external partners, including state and federal agencies and local municipalities.
• Managing contracts with external partners, including municipalities, state agencies, and consultants, ensuring that projects adhere to environmental policies and standards.
• Independently scheduling and presenting work at public meetings.
• Taking notes and assisting in setting agendas for project team meetings.
• Constructing and updating web pages in WordPress. • Creating flyers, social media posts, and press releases in support of public outreach efforts.
• Completing frequent, high-quality GIS work within ESRI software (including ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, ArcGIS Online), Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office products).
• Providing data analysis, interpretation, and effective graphic and verbal data presentations. The preparation of effective PowerPoint presentations is a required skill.
• Creating graphic designs and producing maps, diagrams, icons, charts, and figures for a variety of projects using Adobe Creative Suite (especially InDesign) and Microsoft Office products.
• Responding to internal data requests on an as-needed basis.
• Completing fieldwork as required and responding to internal data requests.
• Assisting the Environmental Team in tracking major events in SREPDD’s jurisdictional area.
• Frequent travel to events and meetings throughout the region is expected; therefore, the candidate is expected to have a valid driver’s license and/or a means of transportation.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reporting on and monitoring project contracts as assigned.
• Assisting with the preparation of invoices for specified contracts.
• Assisting with reporting for state and federal grant programs.
• Overseeing SRPEDD contractors and developing content for procurement documents.
• Representing the Environmental Department at external meetings with project partners and internal meetings with the SRPEDD Commission and its Committees.
• Working collaboratively to arrive at constructive solutions as part of a team.
• Communicating effectively with internal staff, including participation in weekly staff meetings and time-blocking sessions.
• Participating in internal team meetings, providing updates on policy developments, and coordinating efforts across different departments. • Contributing to regular conversations about the Environmental Program’s work culture.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Qualifications:

The following combinations of education and work experience are required to be considered for the position:

Education and Experience:

• MA/MS in Urban or Regional Planning, Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, Public Policy, or a related field.
• At least 3-5 years of relevant work experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with or strong interest in natural resource management, environmental impact analyses, environmental policy, regulatory project reviews, ecology, habitat assessment, and/or environmental monitoring and data collection. 

Requirements and Deadlines for Applications

Please send a cover letter and resume by email to Michelle Tinger, Assistant Director of Environmental Planning, at mtinger@srpedd.org.

Work samples (consisting of maps, short writing samples, presentations, etc.) and professional references should be submitted along with the application. These materials will be reviewed as part of the initial selection process,

SRPEDD is an Equal Opportunity employer. The position is open until filled.