Visiting Assistant Extension Educator in Land Use

About the role

The successful incumbent will develop and implement Extension programs to provide information, education, and technical assistance to community land use decision makers on a wide range of planning topics, including comprehensive planning, open space planning, conducting community resource inventories, economic development, affordable housing, resilience, and roles and responsibilities of land use commissioners. This work will include, but is not limited to: developing Extension education programs, tools and materials for land use decision makers and other audiences, including workshops (formal and informal), publications, and web information; evaluation of programs; and writing of grant proposals and project reports.

The incumbent will lead the Land Use Academy (LUA), a UConn CLEAR outreach program that focuses on basic and advanced training for land use commissioners. They will also work with the CT State Office of Policy and Management (OPM), the CT Chapter of the American Planning Association, CT Bar Association, and related agencies to identify and meet the needs of land use commissioners in complying with new mandated land use training requirements.

The incumbent will assist with efforts to connect undergraduate students with outreach to municipalities on land use and resilience issues; assist in developing and delivering outreach programs focused on natural resource protection, farmland protection and access, housing availability and other pressing issues; support and enhance access to online training courses, including required training by CT DEEP; and integrate the LUA training program with other CLEAR research and outreach programs, with the Connecticut Sea Grant program, and with existing and new partner organizations involved with training local officials.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement Extension programs to provide information, education, and technical assistance to community land use decision makers on a wide range of planning topics, including comprehensive planning, open space planning, conducting community resource inventories, economic development, affordable housing, resilience, and roles and responsibilities of land use commissioners.
• Lead the Land Use Academy (LUA), a UConn CLEAR outreach program that focuses on basic and advanced training for land use commissioners.
• Work with the CT State Office of Policy and Management (OPM), the CT Chapter of the American Planning Association, CT Bar Association, and related agencies to identify and meet the needs of land use commissioners in complying with new mandated land use training requirements.
• Assist with efforts to connect undergraduate students with outreach to municipalities on land use and resilience issues.
• Assist in developing and delivering outreach programs focused on natural resource protection, farmland protection and access, housing availability and other pressing issues.
• Support and enhance access to online training courses, including required training by CT DEEP.
• Integrate the LUA training program with other CLEAR research and outreach programs, with the Connecticut Sea Grant program, and with existing and new partner organizations involved with training local officials.

Requirements

Minimum qualifications include a Master’s Degree in land use planning, natural resources, environmental management, or related discipline; two years’ professional experience in a field related to land use planning, preferably as a town, regional or consulting planner; demonstrated experience with municipal land use issues, roles, and responsibilities; demonstrated experience with the connection between land use activities and sustainability; demonstrated communication skills, including public speaking and writing of educational materials; interpersonal skills; demonstrated experience working as a member of a diverse project team, as well as experience working independently; experience with standard office word processing, spreadsheet and internet browsing software.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working directly with local land use commissioners or other officials on community planning issues, including economic development, housing, resiliency, and natural resource protection;
• Experience in developing and delivering effective educational materials, workshops and presentations;
• AICP certified planner;
• Experience with land use planning and policy in Connecticut;
• Demonstrated experience in resiliency planning at the local level;
• Demonstrated successful experience in grant writing;
• Experience as funded project director/manager;
• Experience in teaching;
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems/geospatial technologies;
• Experience with Cooperative Extension or similar non-advocacy, research-based, educational programming;
• Experience with developing online training materials and courses.