Sustainability & Facilities Assistant

Sustainability & Facilities Assistant

Micah 6:8 Mission | Sulphur, Louisiana

Reports to: Executive Director

Position status: Part-time; schedule and compensation to be established

Supervisory responsibility: None

Position Summary

The Sustainability & Facilities Assistant performs hands-on maintenance, ground care, animal care, equipment upkeep, and operational support for Micah 6:8 Mission facilities and The Commons @ Micah 6:8. The Assistant helps keep buildings, outdoor spaces, tools, production areas, sustainability systems, and demonstration projects safe, clean, organized, functional, and ready for community use.

This is an implementation and support position. The Assistant works from priorities, plans, budgets, and assignments established by the Executive Director. The position does not supervise staff, volunteers, interns, contractors, or temporary labor and does not independently approve purchases, select vendors, establish policy, or commit the organization to expenditures.

Facilities, Buildings & Site Maintenance

• Perform routine upkeeping, cleaning, minor repairs, and preventive maintenance at The Commons and other Micah 6:8 Mission facilities.
• Inspect buildings, fences, gates, storage areas, appliances, plumbing, hot-water systems, electrical fixtures, security cameras, internet lines, and related infrastructure for visible problems.
• Complete minor repairs within the Assistant’s skills and authorization; promptly report hazards, damage, repair needs, and work requiring a licensed professional or outside the Assistant’s skill set to the Executive Director.
• Keep work areas, storage areas, pathways, public areas, and production spaces safe, clean, orderly, and accessible.
• Maintain the Blessing Box area and support the upkeep of other community-use facilities and assets.
• Help prepare facilities for severe weather, freezes, hurricanes, flooding, power interruptions, and other emergencies according to organizational procedures.

Grounds, Gardens & Sustainability Systems

• Mow, edge, weed-eat, trim, mulch, water, and perform other routine groundskeeping.
• Maintain gardens, the permaculture orchard, greenhouse and propagation areas, pollinator habitat, pond, fencing, composting areas, and other outdoor demonstration projects.
• Assist with planting, harvesting, soil preparation, irrigation, pest monitoring, and seasonal garden and orchard tasks.
• Perform routine checks and upkeep of rainwater catchment, solar, composting, resilience, and other sustainability systems; report malfunctions or needed improvements.
• Support installation and maintenance of approved green-infrastructure and resilience projects.
• Help keep sustainability demonstrations ready for tours, workshops, volunteer activities, and public education.

Animal Care

• Provide routine feeding, watering, enclosure cleaning, bedding, and general care for animals at The Commons according to established schedules and procedures.
• Inspect fencing, shelters, water sources, feeders, and animal areas and correct routine issues.
• Observe animals for signs of injury, illness, escape risk, or unusual behavior and immediately report concerns to the Executive Director.
• Assist with preparation for extreme heat, cold, storms, and other weather-related animal needs.
• Maintain animal-care supplies and written care records as assigned.

The Commons Co-Op & Production Areas

• Set up, clean, maintain, and organize approved equipment and workspaces used for soap, bath and body, household-product, artisan, and other Co-Op production activities.
• Keep production areas sanitary, safe, functional, and ready for scheduled use.
• Monitor equipment condition, supply levels, storage, and waste-reduction practices and communicate needs to the Executive Director or designated administrative staff.
• Assist with workspace flow, production-day setup and breakdown, markets, pop-ups, workshops, and artisan events.
• Document maintenance or safety concerns and help carry out approved corrective actions.

Program, Event & Community Support

• Set up and break down tents, tables, chairs, canopies, displays, fans, educational stations, and other event infrastructure.
• Provide logistical and facilities support for Community Voices, Community Connections Sundays, Hands On Sundays, workshops, tours, summits, volunteer workdays, and outdoor educational activities.
• Demonstrate safe use and basic care of facilities, tools, equipment, gardens, sustainability systems, and animal areas when assigned.
• Work cooperatively alongside staff, volunteers, interns, temporary workers, and contractors without assuming supervisory authority.
• Refer volunteer assignments, performance concerns, scheduling decisions, and safety issues requiring direction to the Executive Director or designated activity lead.

Safety, Communication & Documentation

• Conduct routine visual safety checks and promptly report hazards, incidents, injuries, security concerns, animal issues, equipment failures, and property damage.
• Follow emergency, weather, incident-reporting, youth-safety, animal-care, sanitation, and volunteer-safety procedures.
• Maintain clear task lists, work logs, maintenance records, supply requests, and photographs or other documentation when required.
• Communicate progress, unfinished work, emerging needs, and recommended priorities to the Executive Director.
• Protect organizational property, confidential information, keys, access codes, and records.

Authority & Role Boundaries

The Sustainability & Facilities Assistant may:

• Carry out assigned routine maintenance, grounds, animal-care, setup, inspection, and documentation tasks.
• Make minor repairs and use supplies within established procedures and delegated limits.
• Pause unsafe work and immediately report a hazard or emergency.
• Recommend repairs, purchases, improvements, and scheduling priorities to the Executive Director.

The Sustainability & Facilities Assistant may not:

• Supervise, hire, discipline, evaluate, or terminate employees, contractors, interns, volunteers, or temporary labor.
• Independently assign or direct other personnel unless temporarily designated in writing as an activity lead by the Executive Director.
• Approve purchases, sign contracts, select vendors, commit organizational funds, or authorize major repairs.
• Create organizational policy, materially change facilities or programs, or speak on behalf of Micah 6:8 Mission without authorization.
• Perform licensed electrical, plumbing, mechanical, pesticide, veterinary, or other regulated work unless properly licensed and specifically authorized.

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to perform hands-on facilities, grounds, gardening, equipment, farm, maintenance, or related work.
• Ability to safely use common hand tools, power tools, lawn equipment, and personal protective equipment.
• Dependability, good judgment, attention to safety, and willingness to follow established priorities and procedures.
• Ability to work respectfully with community members, volunteers, staff, youth, and people from varied backgrounds.
• Ability to keep basic written or digital records and communicate problems clearly.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation preferred; required for any assignment involving organizational vehicles.
• Commitment to Micah 6:8 Mission’s community-centered, environmental sustainability, resilience, and justice work.

Physical & Working Conditions

This is an active, primarily on-site position involving indoor and outdoor work in Southwest Louisiana conditions. Duties may require standing, walking on uneven ground, bending, kneeling, climbing, reaching, using tools, working around animals and insects, and lifting or carrying materials. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with reasonable accommodation where required. Work must be adjusted or stopped during unsafe heat, lightning, severe weather, poor air quality, or other hazardous conditions.

Performance Expectations

• Assigned work is completed reliably, safely, and within agreed timelines.
• Facilities, grounds, animal areas, tools, and workspaces are consistently clean, organized, and operational.
• Problems and hazards are identified early and communicated promptly.
• Maintenance and care records are accurate and current.
• The Assistant works collaboratively, respects role boundaries, and uses organizational resources responsibly.