Campaign Organizer - Providence, RI

Clean Water Fund will be hiring a grassroots organizer to coordinate the public outreach and policy development for our Rhode Island campaigns. This organizer will work with youth, non-profit organizations and community groups to build support for municipal and state campaigns.

Clean Water Fund (CWF) is a national non-profit research and education organization that promotes the public interest on issues relating to energy, water, waste, toxics and natural resources. CWF’s top goals include building support for environmental health issues, and empowering citizens to create real grassroots power to make democracy work. CWF’s programs build on and complement those of Clean Water Action, with which CWF shares some staffing and office space. Clean Water Action has over 40,000 Rhode Island members and 1 million members nationally. Please see our website at www.cleanwaterfund.org or www.cleanwateraction.org.

The Campaigns

Clean Water Fund's priority campaigns in Rhode Island include Don't Waste Rhode Island and the Diesel Pollution Initiative.

The Diesel Pollution Initiative is working to reduce the unnecessary health risk of exposure to diesel emissions which lead to asthma, lung and heart disease, cancers and climate change. The average lifetime cancer risk from diesel soot for Providence County residents is 330 times higher than the acceptable risk level determined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the metropolitan area ranks among the worst 6% of all U.S. counties for health risks posed by diesel pollution. Since 2005, Clean Water has coordinated the RI Diesel Pollution Initiative, a coalition of 41 health, environmental, business and faith-based organizations working to reduce diesel pollution levels 75% by the year 2015. This successful campaign has helped pass laws to ban the unnecessary idling of diesel vehicles, clean up the state’s school buses, and to require clean diesel construction in the capital city and for the state to adopt clean diesel construction policies for state construction projects.

The Don't Waste RI campaign builds on Clean Water's success in requiring manufacturers to fund the collection and recycling of computers, televisions, and mercury switches after the products are no longer in use.  Requiring manufacturers to take back their products both saves tax dollars and gives the right incentive for them to design products that are less toxic, more durable, and easier to recycle in the first place.  We are working to build the base of community and municipal leaders to support producer responsibility policies for Rhode Island.  These policies will change business-as-usual practices that provide government subsidies for managing trash and that allow manufacturers to get off the hook for the products they put into the marketplace. 

Organizer Responsibilities

The Campaign Organizer will conduct grassroots organizing and advocacy to help build citizen, legislative, and agency support for this initiative.   

The responsibilities of the Campaign Organizer will include coordinating public education campaigns; coordinating district citizen lobby efforts; making public presentations to organizations and municipal leaders; preparing materials and training for grassroots community groups; coordinating work with the Diesel Pollution Initiative and the Rhode Island Product Stewardship Council; media work; helping to develop on-going strategies for these projects; and other responsibilities as needed.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

·         Experience organizing the public on environmental or health issues.

·         Demonstrated commitment to environmental initiatives.

·         Successful media outreach experience, including skillful press advisories and releases.

·         Strong oral and written communication skills, including experience in preparing and delivering public presentations.

·         Proven team player with appropriate interpersonal skills in a variety of settings.

·         Ability to design a work plan, prioritize and meet goals.

·         Computer skills, including word processing, databases, power point and/or web design

·         Well-organized and self-motivated.

·         Tact, grace under pressure and a good sense of humor.

·         Must be willing to travel throughout Rhode Island and work some weekday evenings and weekends.

·         Willingness and ability to work hard and learn quickly can substitute for some of the above qualifications. Experience with canvass programs highly desirable.

Compensation                

Salary for this position will be in the mid-$30s. Attractive benefits package available. Equal opportunity employer.  We value diversity in the workplace.

To Apply

Send a letter of interest and a resume to: Sheila Dormody, Clean Water Fund, sdormody@cleanwater.org.  (401) 331-6972.