PIRG Campaign Associate

PIRG; Maryland; On-site; USD 40,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Sick time

Vacation time

Commuter benefits

401(k) with employer match

Parental leave

Long term disability

Student loan assistance (needs-based)

Training program and advancement

Job summary

PIRG is seeking Campaign Associates to work on national campaigns or state campaigns, exercising discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance. They will build broad public support, organize events, and recruit volunteers and staff while engaging with coalitions and media to advance campaign goals.

Ideal candidates will have leadership experience, strong writing, public speaking skills, and a willingness to learn. Training on advocacy and organizing skills is provided.

Qualifications

• Entry-level candidates are encouraged to apply.
• We provide training on advocacy and organizing skills.
• Ideal candidates will have leadership experience and strong writing/public speaking.

Responsibilities

• Work with coalitions to gain support for campaign goals.
• Organize support, events, and recruit volunteers and staff.
• Earn traditional media and social media attention for the campaign.
• Lobby elected officials and coordinate strategy.
• Recruit volunteers and staff for the team.
• Run a grassroots campaign office during summer, meet fundraising goals and manage a team.

Skills

Leadership experience

Public speaking

Strong writing

Eagerness to learn

Organizing experience

Job description

Representative Responsibilities

Campaign Associates will work on a national campaign or work with one of our state organizations on state campaigns. This position requires exercising discretion and independent judgment in making decisions in matters of significance. Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Work with coalitions: Reach out to a broad range of organizations and affected constituency groups across the political spectrum to demonstrate support for our campaign goals.
• Organize support, hold events, and work with volunteers: Build broad public support for your campaign and recruit organizations and members of the public to be involved. Organize webinars, community events and public meetings to educate, persuade, and motivate.
• Earn traditional media and social media attention: Organize media events and write opinion pieces. Build a following on social media for your campaign.
• Lobby elected officials: Coordinate strategy with champions in Congress or in State Houses. Make a convincing case to legislators who are undecided on a particular vote. When a critical vote is happening on your campaign, work to demonstrate the support you’ve been building on the ground to help line up the votes needed to win.
• Recruit new people to your team: Help build your team by recruiting volunteers, interns and full‑time staff.
• Run a grassroots campaign office each summer:Run a campaign office for the summer, knocking on doors to raise money to support our campaigns, build our organization and membership, and help build critical and timely grassroots support to win key campaigns. Your responsibilities will include meeting your own fundraising goals and managing a team of paid staff. You may be assigned to a different office location for the summer and should be flexible to move.

Qualifications

Entry‑level candidates are encouraged to apply. Though we expect you to take on real responsibility and run with it, we provide training on advocacy and organizing skills, as well as oversight by an experienced advocate. Ideal candidates will have leadership experience, top‑notch writing and public speaking skills, an eagerness to learn, and be ready for a challenge. We value organizing experience, including building campus or community groups.

Compensation and Benefits

The target annual compensation is $40,000 (but compensation may range between $40,000 and $44,450 depending on location).

PIRG offers an excellent benefits package.

• medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents,
• paid sick time (60-72 hours/year depending on location),
• vacation time (accruing 10 days over year 1, 15 days over year 2, and 20 days over year 3 and thereafter),
• 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

PIRG has offices across the country with larger offices in Boston, MA; Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; Philadelphia, PA; Los Angeles, CA; Oakland, CA; Portland, OR; and Sacramento, CA. We are also hiring associates to work in Seattle, WA; Chattanooga, TN; Madison, WI; Tampa, FL; St. Louis, MO; Columbus, OH and Cleveland, OH. Please state your location interests on our application form.

We are hiring campaign associates for both summer and fall 2026 target start timelines.

About PIRG

PIRG is an advocate for consumers, advancing solutions to problems that affect our health, our safety and our well‑being.

Being a consumer advocate means being a champion for a marketplace that is not only honest and transparent, but also wastes less because it reduces, reuses and recycles more; prevents toxic threats to our health and safety; and considers the impact of new products and technologies on the next generation, not just the next quarterly earnings report.

The true North Star of a successful marketplace should not be the quantity of “stuff” we consume. It should be the quality of our lives.

Our Mission and Values

PIRG 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 https://pirg.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.

PIRG is an equal opportunity employer. PIRG will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.