Organization Overview

The system is rigged and the solution isn’t just to create more programs for people harmed by these unfair systems. The solution is to reimagine these systems to make our country fairer and more equitable for everyone — which means ensuring that the places where we work, live, play and pray tap into people’s universal drive for wellbeing, instead of undermining wellbeing for some and enabling it for others. That’s what we do. 

The Full Frame Initiative (FFI) is a social change nonprofit working toward a country where everyone has a fair shot at wellbeing — the needs and experiences essential for health and hope. We partner with a growing cohort of pioneering public systems, communities and nonprofits across the country to fundamentally transform the structures and beliefs that perpetuate poverty, violence and oppression. We are bold, mission-focused, creative and committed learners and are willing to use our passion, humor and hope to fuel change. Please visit our website to learn more.

Position Overview

Infrastructure and built environment projects have historically had deep, multi-generational impacts on the wellbeing of communities – with harms and benefits distributed inequitably. With massive federal dollars fueling accelerated reinvestment and also new building across the country through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, many projects have been deemed “necessary.” From safe drinking water and affordable broadband to cleaner energy and better roads and bridges, the underlying concept is not contested. It’s the how and sometimes the where that can and should be considered more carefully and equitably, with new and valuable insights into what shapes the public’s access to wellbeing. To do so reliably and rigorously, however, we need new tools, not just intent.

FFI and a growing community of allies believe that the resiliency of neighborhoods and communities can be meaningfully improved by making wellbeing the core design principle for deciding how, when, where and what to build, and whose voices would be consulted in that process. The Associate Director of Built Environment (a new position) will help lift up this framework and work in collaboration with our partners to advance structural change and impact the design of everyday community spaces. 

In 2022, FFI partnered with the Census Open Innovation Labs to create the Wellbeing Insights, Assets & Tradeoffs Tool (WIATT), a prototype that enables government decision makers and impacted communities to explore the potential impacts of a new infrastructure project on residents’ equitable access to wellbeing. In your first two years (2023-2024), you will help us take WIATT from concept to reality: leading a cohort of 3-5 beta sites across the country to demonstrate how residents, government decision-makers and urban planners can collaborate to adapt infrastructure investments in ways that advance equity and wellbeing. In addition to serving as the primary relationship owner for these significant projects, you will also partner with our digital team to refine the WIATT tool, create user guides and technical assistance for implementation, support a learning community across beta sites, and help shape FFI’s strategy for future built environment work. 

You will also expand FFI’s federal relationships and network of allies in planning and related professions, and will develop new partnerships to support other applications of a wellbeing orientation in the built environment beyond WIATT.

Deadline to apply is Wednesday, February 15, 2023 by 5:00pm ET

Position Details, Compensation and Benefits

Classification: Full-time, Exempt, 40+ hours per week
Location: Remote, United States
Pay: $99,000 to $130,000 annually
Travel Requirement: We anticipate four Beta sites in four cities around the country. While some work with sites will be virtual, on the ground presence will be essential. We anticipate 25%-50% travel in 2023 and 25%-33% in 2024
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with significant work with Chief of National Engagement and Partnerships and Chief of Strategic Innovation and Technology
Supervises: No current direct reports

Benefits Summary:

• Health Coverage: national medical coverage (75% of total monthly premiums paid by FFI),  national dental coverage( 50% of total monthly premium paid by FFI), and national vision coverage (24% of total monthly premium paid by FFI)

• Health & Dependent Care FSA, and HRA

• Annual Paid Time Off: 12 holidays, up to three days of service/civic engagement, up to 120 accrued vacation hours (increasing every two years), and up to 96 hours sick/personal leave

• Employer-paid life insurance, short-term disability and long-term disability 

• 403(b) retirement savings program

• Annual stipend for professional development

• 12 paid weeks for parental leave

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Partnership Strategy, Planning, and  Implementation (2023-2024 focused on WIATT; subsequent partnerships will be driven by the outcomes of WIATT)

  • Assume leadership of the strategy, design and implementation of local built environment partnerships to beta test WIATT, building durable and deep relationships, delivering outcomes and demonstrating significant impact. (FFI has funding to launch 3-5 city or rural partnerships within the U.S.). This includes, but is not limited to:

    • Project co-design with beta site community leaders and credible messengers to customize tools and survey, develop outreach strategy, and support survey administration and communication of process and results to communities. 

    • Support beta sites (government and community leaders) in community outreach efforts, data collection and analysis, results and insights communication, and adjustment of project plans to respond to WIATT insights and results. 

    • Work with government leaders to scope the project and productively partner with community, and use results to adjust project plans.

    • Support constructive partnership between government and community.

  • Lead development of implementation guides and other tools.

  • Create, lead and support a learning community across beta sites, sparking and driving action that aligns activities and accountabilities with change strategies. 

  • Partner with FFI’s digital team to inform the design, evolution and troubleshooting of WIATT’s tech platforms.

  • Strategically navigate relationships and processes within a variety of agencies, institutions and systems, relying on influence, not authority, to leverage action and change.  

  • Based on results of Beta (2023-2024), work with the CEO to move to national launch or alternative strategy. 

  • Constitute, lead and leverage advisory councils and other allies, continuing to deepen federal engagement and interest in WIATT.

• Build Momentum Around a National Movement

  • Serve as a key external face and voice socializing the concepts reflected in WIATT’s built environment and climate work at relevant meetings, conferences and events; in relevant publications; and on media platforms, influencing others to establish constituencies striving for equitable access to wellbeing and expanding the broader wellbeing movement.

  • Expand FFI’s networks, contacts, and visibility in built environment and climate, including supporting an identified consultant to co-lead a national meeting of 12-20 urban planners investigating the connection between wellbeing and community healing (spring/summer 2023).

  • Support WIATT and other built environment champions in creating change in their fields and spheres of influence, elevating them and their success and learnings. 

  • In partnership with the Communications team, strategically build national visibility and momentum across built environment and climate justice sectors through events, resources, proof points, public policy responses, partnerships and connections, and amplification of community demands.   

  • Utilize understanding of the flaws in the current built environment practices to inspire action and illuminate the transformative power of fixing systems not people. 

• Project and Team Management

  • Translate our strategy and high-level goals into action through project planning, design, implementation and outcomes assessment.

  • Ensure that beta testing of WIATT and other built environment projects are aligned with FFI’s core values, with a particular focus on equitable access to wellbeing and power shifting.  

  • Support integration of this partnership line across FFI’s general Partnerships and Engagement portfolio and familiarity with climate justice and built environment concepts across the organization.

  • Set work goals and oversee the budget.

  • Provide input into FFI’s overall strategy for wellbeing in the built environment.

• Other responsibilities as necessary to support a growing organization.

Qualifications

• Passion to drive transformational change – you are passionate that a wellbeing orientation can open up entirely new solutions, reduce inequity, and increase access to wellbeing. You are insatiably curious.

• Experience– you have 10+ years in the field, a graduate degree in planning, design, or other related area, and bring a depth of applied experience, connections, and knowledge from the public sector. You must have significant experience in partnering deeply with communities on visioning and planning (e.g., citizen planning), not simply government planning. You have an intricate understanding of built environment structures and institutions, the flow of resources into and out of communities, community leaders and decision makers, and can infiltrate and influence current and future work based on community priorities.  

  • Highly desirable:

    • Experience in/knowledge of climate justice and climate adaptation work.

    • Lived expertise.

    • Experience with community mobilization and organizing. 

• Excellent project management skills – you can move ideas to implementation, tracking and communicating progress and outcomes, trouble spotting and escalating, budget and relationship management, pivoting plans as necessary, and presenting key insights and learnings internally and with external audiences to create national level change and impact. 

• Skilled at building relationships and partnerships – you have a knack for building connections between the necessary individuals, organizations, and systems to impact change and prioritize wellbeing. You bring diverse and nationally expansive relationships and awareness of the field, and have credibility across traditional divides.  You are committed to, and have experience, partnering with and amplifying the voices and priorities of underheard individuals and communities, surfacing and supporting new leaders, and building bridges between systems, institutions, and communities to mobilize change.

• Nimble, delighting in responding to limited windows of opportunity - you are skilled at quickly sourcing and working with highly qualified partners, vendors, and staff to respond to emerging opportunities and needs, quickly launching new opportunities while maintaining momentum on long-term projects, goals, and strategies.

• Ability to design and implement a big-picture vision – you thrive in environments where you are both a strategist and implementer, leading a small team in a rapidly changing environment, relying on influence, not authority to leverage change.  You know when and how to develop tools, resources, events, articles, briefs, public responses, network connections, and partnerships to best effect change.

• Ability to work effectively in a virtual environment – you can build authentic relationships with diverse stakeholders while working remotely and are an expert in utilizing a variety of software and technologies to succeed, such as Google Apps, CRM, and project management software.

• Foundational knowledge of the history and realities of systemic racism, intersectionality and oppression in the United States – you have an understanding of how the U.S. has used the built environment to deepen inequities, and you bring fluency in the core precepts of diversity, equity and inclusion and can apply DEI skills in real-world situations while continuing to learn and grow personally and alongside FFI staff.

FFI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to diversity and value a variety of experiences. People from historically marginalized and oppressed communities or identities are strongly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.