Sign up for our newsletter

Job Openings

 

Regional Planner


Position Description
The Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) seeks a highly skilled and self-motivated individual for a full-time Regional Planner position to work with a team of dedicated professionals, municipal officials, and regional partners. This planner will work under the direct supervision of the Executive Director in support of regional plan development and strategic implementation, town plan and bylaw development, and the leadership and administration of special projects in support thereof. This is grassroots planning at its core, requiring the ability and enthusiasm to work directly with the public, volunteer planning commissions, and town staff persons. Knowledge of planning areas is necessarily broad, and includes land use and working landscape planning, community and economic development, natural resource and water quality planning, as well as transportation, hazard mitigation, climate resilience, and energy planning in a scenic and rural environment.


Immediate job tasks will include supporting NVDA staff with a major regional plan update, providing planning, bylaw assistance to local communities and guidance on their implementation. A good candidate must be able to independently manage multiple projects at any given time with NVDA staff support.


Candidates should be familiar with regional and municipal planning tools (regulatory and non-regulatory), and should have excellent writing, public speaking, meeting facilitation, inclusive public engagement, community organizing, project development and management skills, and grant writing experience. Familiarity with planning in small rural communities is a plus.


The ideal candidate for the position will have a degree in planning or a closely related field (including landscape architecture, geography, public administration, etc.) and 1 - 3 years’ experience in rural municipal and/or regional planning, or equivalent experience. A master’s degree in planning or a closely related field may be substituted for one year of required experience. Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience working with complex and cross-cutting issues.


The NVDA is the regional planning and economic development corporation for the 50-town, 3-county region of northeast Vermont. Our purpose is to assist the communities in our region with local governance and to work collaboratively with them to address regional issues. Our office is located in St. Johnsbury – a community with vibrant downtown. Our workplace is friendly and highly flexible in terms of both workday and location. We offer competitive compensation and excellent benefits, including health and retirement. The expected annual salary range for this position is $50,000 to 55,000+ depending upon experience.


Contact:
Please email a letter of interest and resume (with references and contact information) in a single pdf to David Snedeker, Executive Director at dsnedeker@nvda.net. This position will remain open until filled. No phone calls please. NVDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) Coordinator

Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA) seeks a detail-oriented Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) Coordinator to assist with the successful implementation of Act 172 in the Northeast Kingdom (NEK) in close coordination with Vermont Buildings and General Services (BGS), supporting MERP partners/vendors, and NVDA staff. The MERP Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing the scheduling and implementation details of the VT Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP) and will play a critical role in ensuring that our NEK municipalities have a competitive chance toward receiving $500,000 MERP implementation grants to help improve the energy performance and resiliency of their municipal buildings. The MERP Coordinator position is currently funded through June 30, 2028.


Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

MERP Grant Application & Implementation Assistance: The MERP Coordinator will support NVDA communities by gathering all relevant and available documents needed for MERP grant applications, building energy assessments, and supporting the implementation of approved municipal projects for weatherization, thermal efficiency and resiliency.


Energy Resilience Programming & Technical Assistance: The MERP Coordinator will provide technical assistance to covered municipalities. This may include guidance on energy issues or goals / resources and training. The MERP Coordinator will support communication and coordination with NVDA municipalities. This includes, but is not limited to: municipal education and outreach, scheduling building energy assessments strategically within the region, coordinating building resilience projects with multiple scopes of work and providing guidance during the project delivery and implementation process (i.e. planning, design, and construction).


This position requires excellent communication, organizational and time management skills. The ideal candidate must be able to prioritize tasks, handle multiple projects simultaneously and ensure that deadlines are met. The MERP Coordinator is expected to maintain accurate and up-to-date records of MERP schedules, grant timelines, and deliverables. Knowledge in building science & energy systems desired, as well as an understanding of, or interest in learning about, historic preservation and ADA building compliance. A strong interest in advancing energy justice and reducing energy burden is also desired. This position offers the flexibility to work from home or in the St. Johnsbury office. Attendance at in-person and night meetings will also be expected. Significant travel time is expected to NEK municipal buildings this fall/winter as MERP energy assessments are conducted. Valid driver’s license required.


The NVDA is the regional planning and economic development corporation for the 50-town, 3-county region of northeast Vermont. Our purpose is to assist the communities in our region with local governance and to work collaboratively with them to address regional issues. Our office is located in St. Johnsbury – a community with vibrant downtown. Our workplace is friendly and highly flexible in terms of both workday and location. We offer competitive compensation and excellent benefits, including health and retirement. The expected annual salary range for this position is $50,000 to 55,000+ depending upon experience.

NVDA believes that a diverse and culturally proficient staff are pivotal to creating an environment free of inequities. Successful candidates must be committed to working effectively with diverse community populations and expected to strengthen such capacity if hired. NVDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.


Contact:
Please email a letter of interest and resume (with references and contact information) in a single pdf to David Snedeker, Executive Director at dsnedeker@nvda.net. This position will remain open until filled. No phone calls please. NVDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.