job board

Opportunity Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you are an applicant and need ADA accommodations or other assistance, please contact Human Resources at hrrecruiting@nulloppco.org. For more information: https://www.eeoc.gov/know-your-rights-workplace-discrimination-illegal-poster

Interested in making a difference in your community while building a career? Join our Home Improvement Department as a Conservation Education Specialist. Apply today!

Opportunity Council’s Conservation Education program provides clients from Whatcom, Island and San Juan Island counties the tools, information and referrals to identify ways to conserve energy and water, save on residential energy and water bills, and improve indoor air quality, health and safety. 

The Conservation Education Specialist (ConEd Specialist) supports the success of Opportunity Council’s Conservation Education program by providing administrative functions such as database management, record keeping, and completing complex screenings to verify a household’s eligibility for services. The program is looking for candidates who want to use their administrative talents, eye for detail, and organizational skills to make a positive impact. 

We encourage candidates interested in community engagement to apply; The ConEd Specialist facilitates client participation in the program by connecting with the community through the organizing workshops, program marketing activities and other outreach. Similarly, the ConEd Specialist conducts home visits to assess homes for potential weatherization projects and provide educational resources to clients.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES: 

1. Provides in-office and in-home Conservation Education services to eligible community members in Island, San Juan and Whatcom counties.
2. Conducts visual assessments on homes for potential Weatherization projects.
3. Conducts screening eligibility interviews for Weatherization and Home Repair services.
4. Provides administrative services including conducting an intake to verify an applicant’s eligibility for services, reviewing completed applications to confirm eligibility, scheduling for their own home visits and workshops and maintaining detailed records across several databases.
5. Conducts program outreach and marketing activities to facilitate participation in programs for Island, San Juan and Whatcom counties.
6. Orders and coordinates refrigerator replacements and installs low-cost, no-cost conservation measures during Conservation Education home visits.
7. Provides leadership to Energy Assistance staff around Energy Assistance, Weatherization and Home Repair programs, including maintaining extensive and current knowledge regarding eligibility requirements for program clients.
8. Provides agency and community information and referrals.
9. Works collaboratively with Home Improvement Department production staff and Conservation Programs Coordinator to ensure that appropriate numbers of clients are served.
10. Performs a variety of moderately complex and administrative functions, including record keeping, database management, and related reports generation and assists with program and project development.
11. Conducts research regarding latest energy and water conservation techniques, practices, and information.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

1. Experience in administrative functions such as; record keeping and database management.
2. Must be proficient in word processing, spreadsheets, and database applications.
3. Experience working in adult education, anti-poverty work and/or energy-related work preferred.

Additional Requirements:
1. Must have valid Washington State Driver’s License or obtain by date of hire.
2. Must submit driving abstract (record) for last three years prior to start date and be insurable under Opportunity Council’s insurance policy.

Remote Work: Employee must meet department requirements to be eligible for partial remote work.

Essential Employee: No

Working Conditions: Work is generally performed in a fast-paced office environment. Majority of work centers on direct education and services to clients and procedures that require a high degree of confidentiality, tactfulness and respect for a clients from a diversity of economic and ethnic backgrounds. Position requires travel for home visits, community resource networking, meetings, workshops, speaking engagements and other job-related professional activities. Occasionally exposed to outside seasonal weather conditions, dust and/or loud noises such as sirens and traffic congestion. May be exposed to dusty, wet, muddy, poorly ventilated and occasionally unsanitary environments.

Benefits @ Opportunity Council

Opportunity Council offers the following benefits to eligible employees:

• Paid time off earned on an accrual basis (vacation, sick, personal holidays)
• Paid time off for wellness needs
• Employer-paid holidays (13 in 2023)
• Employer-paid HDHP and low-cost traditional health care options
• HSA and FSA, subject to plan terms
• Eligibility for Critical Illness coverage
• 403(b) retirement plan (5% employer contribution)
• Eligibility for health coverage for legal dependents
• Eligibility for employee/family dental and vision coverage
• Voluntary benefits such as life insurance, long-term disability, long-term care and personal legal services

Opportunity Council is a private, non-profit Community Action Agency serving homeless and low-income families and individuals. Our mission is to help people improve their lives through education, support, and direct assistance while advocating for just and equitable communities. For over 50 years we have offered a broad scope of services that range from addressing immediate and crisis-oriented needs (food, emergency shelter, eviction-prevention) to longer-term programs that promote self-sufficiency in our community (early childhood education, home weatherization). For more details, please visit our website at https://www.oppco.org.

Opportunity Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you are an applicant and need ADA accommodations or other assistance, please contact Human Resources at hrrecruiting@nulloppco.org. For more information: https://www.eeoc.gov/know-your-rights-workplace-discrimination-illegal-poster

Education and Experience Required:

• Experience in the construction or energy conservation field.
• Experience in one-on-one instruction or individual customer service.
• Experience in creating project budgets and reviewing financing options.
• Valid Washington State Driver’s License at time of hire.
• A three-year driving abstract must be submitted upon request and must be able to be insured under Opportunity Council’s policy for duration of employment in this position.

Skills and Abilities Required:

• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, manage time, organize projects, and maintain communications with work team.
• Innovation skills; ability to think creatively and independently to develop and implement new procedures or systems.
• Interpersonal skills; ability to work effectively with team members, contractors and clients.
• Training skills; ability to teach others.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including ability to use phone and computer applications and fillable forms, ability to verbally communicate verbally with socioeconomic and culturally diverse populations, and ability to present subject matter in an understandable way. 
• Ability to make budget recommendations to managers responsible for funding and approving budgets.

Remote Work: Work is performed on-site primarily in a home setting.

Essential Employee: No

Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily in a home setting. Work may be performed outdoors in all weather conditions, typically in an environment similar to a construction site. Frequently works in confined spaces, such as in attics and crawl spaces. May require working on rooftops and other potentially hazardous areas, such as around electrical wiring. May be exposed to dusty, wet, muddy, poorly ventilated and occasionally unsanitary environments. Requires frequent travel; occasionally requires driving in adverse weather conditions. Occasionally exposed to outside seasonal weather conditions, dust and/or loud noises such as sirens and traffic congestion.

Benefits@Opportunity Council

Opportunity Council offers the following benefits to eligible employees:

• Paid time off earned on an accrual basis (vacation, sick, personal holidays)
• Paid time off for wellness needs
• Employer-paid holidays (13 in 2023)
• Employer-paid HDHP and low-cost traditional health care options
• HSA and FSA, subject to plan terms
• Eligibility for Critical Illness coverage
• 403(b) retirement plan (5% employer contribution)
• Eligibility for health coverage for legal dependents
• Eligibility for employee/family dental and vision coverage
• Voluntary benefits such as life insurance, long-term disability, long-term care and personal legal services

Opportunity Council is a private, non-profit Community Action Agency serving homeless and low-income families and individuals. Our mission is to help people improve their lives through education, support, and direct assistance while advocating for just and equitable communities. For over 50 years we have offered a broad scope of services that range from addressing immediate and crisis-oriented needs (food, emergency shelter, eviction-prevention) to longer-term programs that promote self-sufficiency in our community (early childhood education, home weatherization). For more details, please visit our website at https://www.oppco.org.