Resilience Fellow

About SBP

SBP, a leading social impact organization focused on disaster resilience and recovery, solves the challenges facing at-risk communities and scales impact with a proven model that brings the rigor of business and innovation to reduce risk, create resilient communities, and streamline recovery. By taking this holistic approach, SBP shrinks the time between disaster and recovery in three connected waysprepare, shape and build:

1. SBP prepares individuals, communities, and organizations to mitigate risk and speed recovery.

2. SBP shapes federal policy and system change and state and local disaster recovery programs to be more efficient and effective.

3. SBP builds resilient communities efficiently and effectively and shares our proven model and approach with others.

About the Massachusetts Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO)

The Federal Funds & Infrastructure Office (FFIO) has launched an ambitious inter-agency strategy for the Commonwealth to successfully compete for the historic levels of federal funding available from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the CHIPS and Science Act, and more. FFIO is responsible for tracking federal opportunities, facilitating the submission of successful applications for federal funding, and advocating on behalf of Massachusetts projects that advance key priorities, including infrastructure, jobs, economic competitiveness, affordable housing, clean energy, decarbonization, resilience, equity, and workforce development.

About the Governors Climate Office

The Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience (Climate Office) is charged with harnessing all the resources and authority available to the Governor and the executive department to advance the Commonwealths climate innovation, mitigation, adaptation, and resilience policies. The Office is led by the Climate Chief, who is appointed by and reports to the Governor and serves as an officer within the Governors cabinet.

Position Summary

The Resilience Fellow will be assigned to the Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO) and will work alongside the Massachusetts Governors Climate Office to:

• Understand current risks posed to communities by climate-driven weather extremes, with a focus on underserved areas, both urban and rural;
• This work will include identifying the most at-risk and repetitive loss communities as locations of focus;
• Understand current mitigation and resilience priorities, policies, and programs in Massachusetts;
• Support the organized and timely preparation of Commonwealth grant applications (and supporting documentation) with great attention to detail.
• Work with FFIO staff to strategically pursue applicable federal funding for municipalities at risk of or experiencing repetitive loss due to climate-driven extreme weather events, focusing on underserved urban and rural areas with limited municipal capacity;
• Coordinate with municipalities and key agencies to prioritize resilience and mitigation projects;
• Act as a capacity magnifier to local governments, amplifying resilience and mitigation priorities.
• Document efforts to create a replicable model for others to follow.

This is a two-year position in the SBP Resilience and Recovery Fellowship Program. At the end of the position, successful candidates may be considered for full-time employment.

Responsibilities

Achieve all goals and objectives set by SBP for the Recovery and Resilience Fellows Program in coordination and agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to include the following:

• Serve as a resilience champion to communities in Massachusetts with the greatest need, working with state, regional, and local stakeholders to secure a minimum of $5,000,000 in funding within two years for preparedness, recovery, resilience, mitigation, or climate adaptation projects to mitigate against future losses in a disaster.
• Successful project implementation will require a dynamic combination of human capacity, actionable projects, and streamlined access.
• The Fellow will accelerate investment by identifying available funding sources, including local, state, private, and philanthropic funds, to leverage federal funding opportunities.
• To be successful, the Fellow must understand regional and local risks, identify public and private stakeholders, review current applicable plans, and assess and document gaps.
• The Fellow must also be a skilled translator of opportunities, capable of building trust and generating options for action as local communities characterize their vulnerabilities.
• Create an opportunity for future employment in the community they serve through administrative grant dollars, identifying unique capacity investments, etc.
• Share the expertise of SBPs interventions (Build, Share, Prepare, Advise, and Advocate) with other nonprofits, municipalities, non-government, and volunteer organizations to increase capacity and efficacy.

Requirements:

• Interest in climate resiliency and an appreciation for how climate resiliency efforts require working with multiple federal agencies and policy areas.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of federal government issues, ideally with an understanding of these issues related to the Commonwealth.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, and draw valid conclusions from broadly defined situations.
• Ability to discern strategic implications of datasets, situations, or policies.
• Strong writing and organizational skills, excellent communication skills, and fluency with Excel, Microsoft Word, and Office.
• Ability to travel to towns across the Commonwealth.
• Knowledge of federal discretionary grant programs across subject matter agencies.
• Experience researching federal funding opportunities or policies related to federal funding opportunities.
• Comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly.
• High degree of integrity and forethought in their approach and can act transparently and consistently.
• Self-directed and works to achieve objectives.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects at once.
• Able to pass a Criminal History Check satisfactorily, including the sex offender registry, State Police, and FBI.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Performance Expectations:

The individual is expected to:

• Translate broad goals into achievable steps and top priorities.
• Model curiosity and positivity in the face of challenges.
• Be extremely driven with a strong work ethic and high energy level.
• Achieve key milestones and timelines.
• Align work performance with SBPs core values.
• Implement strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Troubleshoot challenges with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Help set and manage appropriate expectations.
• Convey a professional and positive image and attitude regarding the organization and the not-for-profit sector.
• Demonstrate commitment to continued professional growth and development.

Salary Range: $80,000K – $100,000K

SBP is building a diverse and experienced staff. The organization encourages multiple perspectives and experiences, supports a multicultural environment, and strives to hire and retain a diverse workforce that reflects the populations we work with and the communities where we work. Our hiring and business practices appreciate the strengths offered through different backgrounds.

SBP is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, disabled veteran status, or status as a member of any other protected group or activity.

It is the policy of SBP not to discriminate against any individual, person, or group on the basis of disability and the intent of SBP to address any complaints that may arise pursuant to Section 504.