CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AT CONCUR

 

CONCUR has carefully assembled a talented team of professionals to provide a range of environmental policy analysis, strategic planning and dispute resolution skills for our clients. Our work--which focuses on helping government, communities and businesses clearly understand how to protect limited natural resources--requires that members of the CONCUR team possess highly developed skills in two areas: environmental policy analysis and planning, and dispute resolution - including mediation and facilitation skills.

Current openings:

Associate

ASSOCIATE POSITION

CONCUR Inc., a leading environmental mediation firm, has a job opening for Associates to join our Berkeley office. CONCUR is a premier provider of services of environmental dispute resolution, policy analysis, and strategic planning. We pride ourselves on our dual expertise in the substance of environmental policy and the process skills of negotiation and facilitation. CONCUR's wide ranging portfolio of projects involves many of the most important environmental issues facing California, the West, and the U.S. as a whole. We currently have an extensive portfolio of projects in water resources, marine resources, and transportation. Depending on skills and experience, we expect the the Associate to be involved in all facets of CONCUR projects, including preparing for multi-stakeholder group dialogues, co-facilitating/mediating dialogues, facilitating small work teams, preparing key outcomes memoranda, writing draft and final multi-party agreements. As well, Associates are involved in CONCUR's strategic planning projects and in co-designing and co- teaching CONCUR training courses.


Desired Qualifications:
- Master's degree (or doctorate) in environmental planning, public policy, law, natural resource management or a related field;
- a minimum of 4-5 years of progressively responsible professional work in public policy dispute resolution, environmental policy/planning or a combination of similiar fields;
- strong knowledge of the laws, policies, and actors involved in California and western natural resource issues;
- background in natural sciences, and the use of science in public policy;
- demonstrated ability in skilled, competent group facilitation in a work group or large plenary setting;
- excellent public speaking and writing ability;
- knowledge of the theory of principled negotiation and mutual gains bargaining;
- strong project management skills and exceptional attention to detail;
- a strong interest in cross cultural and transboundary issues;
- ability to travel for short periods of time (usually 1-4 days);
- a commitment to doing consistently excellent work;
- flexibility and a good sense of humor.


Compensation: Negotiable.
Salary commensurate with experience and demonstrated expertise. Participation in 401(k) plan and group health plan.


Application Requirements:
1. Submit a letter of interest, addressing the desired qualifications listed above.
2. CV/resume
3. Scan our website, and develop a short statement detailing contributions the applicant could make to CONCUR's suite of ongoing projects.
4. Submit two writing samples: (a) a short 2-3 page memorandum that lays out policy options and choices for a current specific project relevant to our field; (b) an analytic paper of 7-15 pages that characterizes a current environmental issue. These need not be newly written documents; previously written documents on-topic are fine.

**ONLY COMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED**. Incomplete applications will not get a response.

Application Target Date:
Position open until filled (as of April 14, 2008).

Please submit your application to:

CONCUR, Inc.

Attn: Amy LeBlanc, Office Manager

1832 Second Street

Berkeley, CA 94710

(510) 649-1980 (fax)

amy@concurinc.net (PDF attachments only please). Please use the email subject heading "Application for Associate Position". Emailed applications are preferred but not required.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Career opportunities at CONCUR exist in the following four areas.

CONCUR ASSOCIATES

CONCUR Associates are expected to have earned a Masters Degree (or Doctorate) in environmental policy analysis, environmental planning, law or an equivalent field, and possess four to five years of experience in environmental policy analysis or environmental planning, and preferably, prior on-the-job experience as a mediator or facilitator. Superior verbal and written communication skills are a prerequisite for selection; strong knowledge of environmental law and policy in at least one supporting discipline (economics, public policy, natural sciences) is strongly preferred.

Once hired, usually after a national search and a rigorous evaluation and hiring process, he or she is trained in the CONCUR dispute resolution process for a period of about six months. After this training and coaching period - which may be shorter depending on the background, experience and personal attributes of the Associate - he or she steps into a project team as a mediator and facilitator.

As a CONCUR team member, all Associates take part in professional development courses, workshops and conferences to maintain and build their professional skill set and their understanding of the field of environmental dispute resolution. Associates typically work in teams with fellow Associates and either Dr. McCreary or Dr. Gamman and Senior Associate Bennett Brooks. After the appropriate period of time working successfully on projects, an Associate will assume Project Manager duties, in charge of the day-to-day details of managing a project.

CONCUR FELLOWS

In 1999, CONCUR initiated a Fellowship Program, selectively recruiting senior staff from public environmental policy or regulatory agencies to spend three to six months at CONCUR. During their tenure with CONCUR, Fellows participate in a range of project-related activities with our staff, including strategic planning sessions with clients, stakeholder analyses and conflict assessments performed at the onset of projects, contributing to CONCUR working papers and trainings and sitting in on mediated meetings of larger stakeholding groups.

The Fellowship Program is intended to strengthen professional relationships between CONCUR and environmental regulatory agencies, while providing an opportunity for agency staff to learn more about mediation and facilitation of large-scale environmental disputes.

PROFESSIONAL OFFICE STAFF

We depend on our professional staff members to help our offices and project-related activities run smoothly and dependably. Our Office Manager and Training Coordinator assist CONCUR project teams by carrying out responsibilities related to coordinating biannual professional CONCUR training courses at the University of California, Berkeley, providing accounting and financial management support and expertise and supporting the day-to-day operations of the offices.

INTERNSHIPS

CONCUR recruits interns from accredited graduate programs specializing in environmental policy analysis and planning to assist CONCUR staff in carrying out project-related responsibilities while learning about the field of environmental dispute resolution. We work with interns during a period of the academic year, and provide a stipend for longer summer internships. Past interns have been recruited from MIT, Cornell, Williams College, the University of Michigan, the University of California and California State University campuses.

INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION

This is a two to three-month appointment with a minimum commitment of 20 hours per week. An extension in time is possible. This internship provide a diverse set of experiences, including observing several high stakes negotiations on complex natural resource issues.

If you are a Master's Graduate or require a final short-term placement to complete your Master's degree, we welcome your application. A stipend will be paid; we prefer candidates who have matching funds from their university.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Project Support
Assist principal and project associates with preparation of agendas, confict assessments, technical briefing papers, and other materials used at mediation sessions and facilitated dialogues. Assist with compilation and synthesis of results of mediated and facilitated dialogues.

Research
Conduct discreet research tasks in support of ongoing projects, as needed. Co-author on working papers and manuscripts aimed at building best practices in environmental policy dispute resolution.

Training Course Support
Contribute to curriculum, including case studies and simulations. Contribute to promotion and marketing of CONCUR's professional development courses in environmental mediation which are offered to the general public, local government, and state and federal agencies, including development of teaching notes and identification of case studies. Assist with training course enrollment, registration, and other course logistics.

Administrative Support
Contribute to general office operations, including phones, correspondence and mailings, email, file management, data base updating and other organizational tasks.


QUALIFICATIONS
Master's Degree preferred; will consider Master's candidates and exceptional candidates with Bachelor's Degrees only. Excellent communication, analytical, speaking and writing skills. Prior professional office experience, including computer proficiency (we are a Mac-equipped office). Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, HTML and FileMaker Pro a plus. Dual knowledge of environmental policy and natural science desirable. Interest in and knowledge of principled negotiation and mutual gains bargaiing a major plus. Research work on environmental or related issues, familiarity with government agencies, water policy or land use issues are desirable, but not required.

Compensation:
Hourly, depending on experience.

Office Location:
The vibrant West Berkeley neighborhood; Peets and 4th Street are just two blocks away.


Application Requirements:
1. Submit a letter of interest, addressing the desired qualifications listed above.
2. CV/resume
3. Writing sample: a short 2-3 page writing sample with subject matter relevant to our field or characterizes a current environmental issue.

THE INTERN POSITION IS CURRENTLY FILLED.