Clean Air Advocate

Environment America; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Environment America seeks a Clean Air Advocate to mobilize public support for reducing air pollution and protecting health. The role emphasizes grassroots organizing, coalition building, and engaging communities through events, media content, and policy advocacy.

You will develop strategic messaging, write reports, and collaborate with volunteers and staff. Travel and evening/weekend work may be required. Boston or DC base.

Qualifications

• Passionate about the environment and grassroots organizing to win campaigns.
• 2+ years of advocacy or organizing experience; advanced degrees may count.
• Excellent writing and public speaking; experience with traditional and digital media a plus.
• Creative, strategic thinker; able to solve complex problems.
• Well-organized; able to manage multiple legislative and administrative proposals.

Responsibilities

• Build powerful coalitions across organizations and constituencies.
• Organize webinars, community events and public meetings.
• Recruit and work with volunteers; tell their stories.
• Write reports, fact sheets, news releases, op-eds, and website content.
• Help shape program priorities through policy development and messaging.
• Advocacy: lobby, testify at hearings, and engage lawmakers.
• Fundraise: write grant proposals and donor outreach.
• Grow our team by recruiting interns and supporting staff.

Skills

Public speaking

Written communication

Grassroots organizing

Advocacy

Project management

Job description

Environment America is seeking a Clean Air Advocate to build broad public support for reducing air pollution that needlessly threatens public health and the environment. Despite the availability of cleaner alternatives, we are still using old, dirty modes of transportation, heating, power generation and more that leaves millions of Americans with air that is unhealthy to breathe. Moreover, the insatiable demand for more energy - especially from data centers - is extending the life of coal plants, which release particulates, mercury and other pollutants into our air.

Key responsibilities:

Environment America’s Clean Air Advocate will work with our state and national staff to raise visibility and organize support for policies to dramatically reduce air pollution. This position requires excellent judgment and discretion and the ability to oversee significant projects. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Build powerful coalitions: Reach out to a broad range of organizations and affected constituency groups across the political spectrum to demonstrate support for our goals, including unlikely allies who might agree with us on one issue, even if we disagree on other issues. Represent Environment America in existing national coalitions.
• Organize events: Organize webinars, community events and public meetings, including events that connect the public to opportunities to learn more about our air quality and how best they can act to protect our environment and public health. Recruit organizations and members of the public to attend and participate.
• Recruit and work with volunteers: Identify and work with volunteers who want to do more and tell their stories about how air pollution has affected their communities.
• Media and communications: Write reports, fact sheets, news releases, website articles, op-eds, and other forms of communication to get our message in the media and heard by decision-makers and the public. Represent Environment America with reporters.
• Help shape program priorities: Participate in policy development, research and messaging to determine our priorities and policy positions for clean air.
• Advocacy: Present a compelling case to decision-makers for strong action on the environment through lobbying, testifying at hearings, and producing powerful written materials. Develop collaborative relationships with legislators and congressional staff on both sides of the aisle and federal agencies to advance our policy goals.
• Fundraise: Write grant proposals, build relationships with foundation staff, and raise money from individual donors to bring more resources to our campaigns.
• Grow our team: Build our team by recruiting and managing interns and participating in staff recruitment efforts. Potential to train and oversee staff.

Qualifications:

You are:

• Passionate about the environment and using the power of grassroots organizing to win campaigns.
• A campaign advocate or grassroots organizer with at least 2 years of advocacy or organizing experience. Advanced degrees may count toward experience.
• An effective communicator with excellent writing and public speaking skills. Experience getting traditional and digital media coverage in previous work is a plus.
• Creative and effective at solving complex problems; a strategic thinker who can take advantage of new opportunities.
• A connector and good listener with a track record of bringing people together around a common goal; willing and interested in working with people who think differently than you.
• Well-organized and able to work on multiple legislative and administrative proposals at once.
• Able to travel regularly and be motivated to work when needed, which may sometimes be in the evenings and on weekends.

Additional helpful experience:

• Experience with an environmental or public health advocacy organization, or federal, state or local government, is a plus but not required.
• Fundraising experience, particularly in grant-seeking from charitable foundations.

Compensation and Benefits

The target annual compensation for someone with 2-5 years of relevant experience is $41,750-$46,000. Candidates on the lower end of directly relevant experience should expect to be on the lower end of this range; candidates on the higher end of relevant experience are likely to be on the higher end of this range. Environment America offers an excellent benefits package. Our benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents, time off, a commuter benefit program, a 401(k) plan with employer match, parental leave, long term disability insurance, and may include needs-based student loan assistance. We also offer an excellent training program and opportunities for advancement.

Location:

This position could be based in Boston, MA or Washington, DC.

About Environment America

Environment America has one mission: to protect the natural world.

We advocate ideas and actions to guide our country onto a greener, healthier path. Our network of 30 state environmental groups promotes clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife and open spaces, and a livable climate. Our members put grassroots support behind our research, public education, advocacy and litigation.

Nothing is more important to our future than facing this fact: Infinite economic growth on a finite planet is neither wise nor possible. We must shift from deplete to preserve, from disposable to sustainable, from "never enough" to "enough." Together, our staff, members and other supporters are committed to winning changes that allow nature to thrive and our children to live healthier, more enriching lives.

Our Mission and Values

Environment America is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a new future and a strategic approach to change. Visit https://environmentamerica.org/core-values/ for things you should know about our network when you apply.

Please do not use AI to help draft your cover letter or responses to our application questions. We want to know how you think and write.

Environment America is an equal opportunity employer.