The Broadband Community Planning Specialist will be part of a talented team of specialists and educators focused on outreach and educational programming development and delivery in broadband and community economic development. With over 50 years of working with Wisconsin communities, the Community Economic Development (CED) program engages stakeholders in building the capacity of our partners and performing outreach and research to identify best practices and discover new or emerging community economic development strategies.

The Broadband Community Planning Specialist will provide leadership and guidance for fostering community-driven broadband initiatives, empowering local stakeholders to actively engage in planning, decision-making, and implementation processes. This role focuses on building the capacity of communities to bridge the digital divide and achieve equitable broadband access through data-driven strategies and comprehensive planning efforts. Specific responsibilities include:

- Supporting the design and delivery of new and existing training programs, workshops, and resources to equip community members with the knowledge and skills needed to actively participate in broadband initiatives.
- Providing support for cultivating relationships with various stakeholders, including government entities, businesses, non-profits, and community organizations, to foster a collaborative approach to broadband planning.
- Providing outreach and educational materials related to leveraging resources through collaborating with community stakeholders, including anchor institutions such as libraries, schools, nonprofits, and local government, to identify existing resources and opportunities.
- Collaborating with community members to identify local champions who can advocate for broadband initiatives and mobilize support.
- Providing ongoing support and mentorship to community leaders, empowering them to mobilize resources and engage the broader community effectively.
- Supporting the collection, culling, and analyzing of primary and secondary data related to broadband planning efforts to inform evidence-based decision-making that translate data-driven insights into actionable plans for broadband deployment.
- Working closely with community leaders, local governments, county-based Educators, and other stakeholders to develop a comprehensive roadmap for broadband deployment.

• 10% Identifies, promotes, and maintains external partnerships to support the outreach program
• 20% Schedules and secures resources and communicates logistics in support of an outreach program
• 50% Delivers outreach program content and materials to community members
• 10% Researches, develops, and facilitates outreach program content and materials
• 5% Develops and evaluates curriculum and programs and provides recommendations for improvement
• 5% Leads the implementation of programs, policies, and procedures through oversight of day-to-day activities for program staff and student and community volunteers

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Required
Bachelor's Degree in community development, economic development, public administration, communications, or a related field from an accredited institution.

Preferred
Master's Degree is desirable.

Required:
- Ability to identify, develop and implement models for effective partnerships with community-based organizations, industry, government agencies, and the community.
- Demonstrated ability to engage in community outreach initiatives and collaboration at the local and regional levels.
- Ability to engage with culturally diverse populations in extension programs and activities.
- Experience in community engagement, capacity-building, or broadband planning initiatives.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and facilitation skills to engage diverse audiences effectively.

Preferred:
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and translate it into actionable plans.
- Knowledge of broadband technologies, digital literacy programs, and internet infrastructure is beneficial.
- Passion for promoting digital equity, bridging the digital divide, and empowering communities through broadband access.

Full Time: 100%

It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Ongoing/Renewable

Minimum $65,000 ANNUAL (12 months)
Depending on Qualifications
Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Benefits information can be found at (https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/).

These three positions will work together. Feel free to apply to any that interest you or that you feel match your skillset.
- 286743 - Broadband Community Planning Specialist
- 286747 - Broadband Partnership Specialist: https://jobs.wisc.edu/jobs/broadband-partnership-specialist-madison-wisconsin-united-states
- 286748 - Broadband Resources Procurement Specialist: https://jobs.wisc.edu/jobs/broadband-resources-procurement-specialist-madison-wisconsin-united-states

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. Please submit a cover letter referring to your related work experience and a resume detailing your educational and professional background. Your cover letter should communicate your interest in the position and how your skillset aligns with the role. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine who may advance to preliminary interviews.

Brandon Hofstedt
brandon.hofstedt@wisc.edu
715-928-0888
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Outreach Specialist(OE009)

A47-EXTENSION/ANRCD/COMM/CED/COMM EC DEV

Academic Staff-Renewable

286743-AS

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.