CoPIRG Zero Waste Advocate

CoPIRG Zero Waste Advocate

Department: State

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Denver, CO

Reporting To: Danny Katz

Compensation: $41,750 - $46,000 / year

CoPIRG is seeking a Zero Waste Advocate to champion ideas that reduce needless, harmful waste in our state, from single-use plastics to throwaway electronics.

Our country has a waste problem. Natural resources are continually extracted to produce goods that are used – often just once – before they are thrown into landfills, incinerators or left to litter our communities and the environment. This system of consumption and disposal results in the waste of precious resources and in pollution that threatens our health and our environment.

It would be better for our planet, and our daily lives, if we used only what we need, we had stuff that lasted longer, and we could recycle what is no longer useful.

The Zero Waste Advocate will work with the CoPIRG Executive Director to:

• Work to eliminate single-use plastics and unnecessary plastic packaging,
• Promote and expand waste reduction programs like refill and reuse systems.
• Promote the use and expansion of Colorado’s nation-leading Right to Repair laws, which make it easier for Coloradans to fix their own stuff.
• Encourage and promote other community efforts to reduce consumption and waste, from clothing swaps to lending libraries.

This position requires exercising discretion and independent judgment in making decisions in matters of significance. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Help shape program priorities: Participate in policy development, research and messaging for our zero waste program in Colorado.
• Build powerful coalitions: Reach out to a broad range of organizations and affected constituency groups across the political spectrum to build and demonstrate support, including unlikely allies who might agree with us on one issue, even if we disagree on other issues.
• Organize events: Organize webinars, community events and public meetings, including events that connect the public to opportunities to reduce waste in their own lives, like clothing swaps and repair clinics. 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 in their community.
• Earn traditional media and social media attention: Organize media events and write opinion pieces. Build a following on social media for your campaign. Find opportunities to advance our goals in the media, including sharing data, like our annual State of Recycling report, and writing your own content, like tutorials on how to cut waste in homes.
• Advocate: Present a compelling case to decision-makers for strong policy action to reduce waste through lobbying, testifying at hearings, and producing powerful written materials. Build relationships with key players in the state, the region and at the federal level.
• 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: Identify and recruit strong candidates to join our staff. Hire and manage interns to maximize the impact of your campaigns. Potential to train and oversee staff.

You are:

• Passionate about our public interest mission 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…