Federal Legislative Conservation Campaigns Advocate for Environment America

Environment America is seeking a Legislative Advocate to promote our federal conservation policy agenda in Congress and to the Biden administration.

As our Legislative Advocate, you’ll work with our conservation team to advocate for:

• Strong safeguards for our oceans and critical species such as right whales and orcas.
• Permanent protections for our most vulnerable and significant beautiful places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Chaco Canyon and the Grand Canyon.
• Increasing and stabilizing funding for programs that protect endangered species.
• Preventing logging and development in old growth areas in our national forests.
• A strong and comprehensive environment first legislative agenda that includes strong vehicle emissions standards for cars, trucks and buses and other energy & transportation issues.

Environment America is a policy and action group with more than 2 million members and supporters spread across all 50 states. Our staff have been working for nearly four decades to promote national, state and local policies that put the environment first. For example, we’ve won policies that have resulted in more solar and wind power in 25 states, cleaner cars and power plants nationwide, and better protections for our rivers, streams, lakes and drinking water. With affiliates in 29 states, we run campaigns that not only raise awareness, but win results on the national stage, in states and cities, on the ballot and in the courtroom.

REPRESENTATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

Build a team:

• You will be part of a DC-based team of advocates and campaign staff to advance our policy goals. Advocates may serve as mentors or supervisors to less experienced staff.
• Participate in recruitment and make hiring recommendations for the DC team.

Represent Environment America and advance our strategy in Washington:

• Develop and advance our federal strategy on protecting the Arctic National Refuge, endangered species, preventing dangerous offshore drilling and other key issues. 

• Develop strong and collaborative relationships with federal agencies, partner organizations, coalitions, legislators and congressional staff on both sides of the aisle, and other stakeholders to advance shared goals.

• Seek out and identify policy opportunities related to our issue portfolio and make recommendations regarding policy positions and messaging.

• Work with your team to develop materials for lawmakers, the public, and the media to help advance our campaigns, including opinion editorials, press releases, letters to the editor, action campaign emails, fact sheets, bill summaries and policy briefs, regulatory comments, analyses, and presentations.

Fundraise from charitable foundations and individual donors to support our program:

• Meet with foundation staff and donors to pitch projects for funding.

• Work with your team to write and submit grant proposals.

QUALIFICATIONS

You are:

• An experienced campaign advocate, campaign staffer or grassroots organizer with at least 3 years of team building and/or coalition building.
• An effective communicator with excellent writing and verbal skills. Experience with traditional media or digital communications is a plus.
• Creative and effective at solving complex problems, a strategic thinker who can take advantage of new opportunities.
• A people person and good listener with a track record of successful access-building.
• Well-organized and able to work on multiple legislative and administrative proposals.
• Able to oversee significant projects and have excellent judgement and discretion.
• Passionate about nature, solving the climate crisis and using the power of grassroots organizing to win campaigns.

Additional helpful experience: 

• Experience in a legislative office within Congress, a state legislature, or with an environmental or public health advocacy organization is a plus but not required. 
• Fundraising experience, particularly in grant-seeking from charitable foundations.

LOCATION 

Washington, DC. For the foreseeable future, all of our staff are working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COMPENSATION

Target annual compensation for this position is commensurate with the relevant professional experience and/or advanced degrees that a candidate has. Environment America offers a competitive benefits package.

You’ll join a great team of dozens of organizers, advocates, lawyers, researchers, policy analysts, communicators and others with a record of winning hundreds of new laws and other policies that are making a real difference in people's lives. 

Environment America has an excellent training program. Our experienced trainers are experts in policy, campaign planning, fundraising and working with the media.

APPLY

To apply, fill out our online application on our website. Please address your cover letter to Kate Canada, Hiring Director. 

Environment America is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change. Visit our website for things you should know about our network when you apply.

Environment America is an equal opportunity employer.