Federal Campaigns Director

Environment America; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 44,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) plan with employer match

Parental leave

Commuter benefit

Time off and training program

Job summary

Environment America in Washington, DC is seeking an experienced Federal Campaigns Director to lead our work defending environmental protections and advancing clean air, water, energy, wildlife and open spaces, with a livable climate as a core goal.

The role requires steering campaigns, building coalitions, and engaging with legislators and the media to advance policy priorities while developing a strong, collaborative team across the federal arena.

Qualifications

• Passionate about the environment and grassroots organizing.
• Campaign advocate, lobbyist or legislative staffer with 4+ years experience.
• Strong writing and public speaking skills; media coverage experience is a plus.
• Creative, strategic thinker who can solve problems and lead teams.

Responsibilities

• Guide and execute federal campaigns, including public lands and environmental protections.
• Lobby Congress and federal government to advance policy priorities and build bipartisan relationships.
• Build broad coalitions with diverse organizations to support campaign goals.
• Coordinate media outreach: press releases, op-eds, letters to the editor, and social media presence.
• Raise funds from foundations and individual donors to support campaigns.
• Recruit, hire, train, and manage advocates, associates, and interns.

Skills

Grassroots organizing

Campaign advocacy

Public speaking

Writing

Strategic thinking

Team leadership

Job description

Environment America has one mission: to protect the natural world. We’re hiring an experienced and creative campaigner to lead our work in Washington, D.C. to defend and win new protections for clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife and open spaces, and a livable climate.

Key responsibilities

Environment America’s Federal Campaigns Director will guide and execute our federal campaigns, including campaigns to protect public lands, stop plastic pollution, and more. This position requires excellent judgment and discretion and the ability to oversee significant projects. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Strategy: Develop and advance our federal policy agenda.
• Advocacy: Lobby Congress and the federal government on our policy priorities. Advocate for our positions and persuade decision‑makers to act, while developing collaborative relationships with legislators and congressional staff on both sides of the aisle.
• Coalition Building: Reach out to and work with a broad range of organizations and constituency groups across the political spectrum to demonstrate support for our campaign goals, including unlikely allies who might agree with us on one issue, even if we disagree on other issues. Run effective coalitions and earn respect as a leader in the environmental community.
• Media and Visibility: Get coverage for our campaigns and vision in the media and other channels in order to educate and motivate our supporters and decision‑makers. Write press releases, op‑eds, and letters to the editor; meet with reporters and hold press events; maintain an active social media presence for our campaigns.
• Fundraising: Earn support for our program from foundations and individual donors.
• Build the team: Recruit, hire, train and manage advocates, associates and interns to make more progress on our campaigns.

Qualifications

You are:

• Passionate about the environment and using the power of grassroots organizing to win campaigns.
• A campaign advocate, grassroots organizer, lobbyist or legislative staffer with at least 4 years of experience. We highly value organizing 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 team leader with a track record of recruiting people and improving performance, or the skills to do so.
• Effective at working with people who think differently than you in order to build broad support for our campaigns.
• Well‑organized and able to make plans for long‑term success across multiple priorities.
• A hard worker, willing to spend hours calling activists or monitoring middle‑of‑the-night Senate votes to win your campaigns.

Compensation and Benefits

The target annual compensation for someone with 4-8 years of relevant experience is $43,500-$60,000. 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: 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.