Assistant Director, Texas Extreme Weather Adaptation Policy Lab

Job Posting Title:

Assistant Director, Texas Extreme Weather Adaptation Policy Lab

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Hiring Department:

Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

Purpose

The LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin seeks an Assistant Director for the Texas Extreme Weather Adaptation Policy Lab. The Assistant Director will report to the Director and participate in the development of policy-focused activities that increase the resilience of Texas communities to increasingly extreme weather events.  

Most important among these activities is the development of an annual Texas Extreme Weather Adaptation Leadership Academy. The Texas Extreme Weather Adaptation Leadership Academy trains local public officials and community leaders on how to adapt to the extreme weather events that are likely to impact their communities. The Academy will focus weather hazards that include: 1) extreme heat, 2) drought, 3) wildfires, 4) flooding, as well as 5) coastal flooding and erosion. For each hazard, the academy will prepare public and community leaders to understand: 

A. The predicted severity of specific extreme weather impacts on their community

B. Which populations within their community are most likely to be affected by those impacts 

C. Actions that families, businesses and governments can take to increase their resilience

D. A roadmap for improving community-scale policy adaptation

E. Which local, state, and federal programs provide technical and financial support

F. How to apply for and participate in these local, state, and federal programs 

A second activity of the Lab will be the creation of the hazard-specific policy advisory committees. Each committee will be comprised of experts from the research, private, nonprofit, and public sectors who are motivated to share their expertise with community and public leaders who seek to increase community resiliency. These advisory committees will also assist in the development of Leadership Academy trainings.     

A third activity of the Lab will involve bespoke, project-specific advising on community-specific extreme weather policy development and planning. For example, in the first year of the Policy Lab, there is an opportunity to support the City of Austin as it undertakes an impact assessment as well as a multi-hazard policy adaptation road map. These projects will serve as case studies for future use within the Leadership Academy. 

Responsibilities

• Assist in coordinating the Extreme Weather Leadership academy under supervision of the Director.

• Assist the Director in creating specific impact assessments and adaptation projects for local government.

• Communicate with scientists involved in making climate projections of extreme weather impacts for state and local leaders and planners.

• Assist the Director in coordinating with university researchers and public agency experts who focus on policy strategies for increasing local resilience to extreme weather impacts.

• Oversee teams of graduate student employees.

• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree

• At least 1-2 years of experience with public policy program coordination and implementation.

• Experience with proposal writing and public policy coordination.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree

• Experience with resiliency policy and planning for extreme weather hazards

• Experience with proposal writing.

• Experience with organizing training courses and scheduling speakers.

• Experience in coordinating with scientists, university researchers, and public agency experts on data products and policy strategies

• Experience dealing with specific impact assessments and adaptation projects for local government

Salary Range

$75,000+ depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Occasional after hours, weekend and holiday work may be required.

• Some travel in Texas, nationally and/or internationally may be required.

• Standard office conditions

• This position is based in Austin, Texas.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV

• Writing sample