End Food Waste Advocate

Department: Program

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Multiple Locations

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

PIRG is hiring an advocate to run our national campaigns to reduce food waste.

We waste too much food. In the United States, we throw away roughly 30% of our total food supply every year. By one estimate, if all of the food wasted each year in the U.S. came from a single farm, that farm would be roughly the size of California and New York state combined. What's more, all this uneaten food isn't just wasteful;

it exacerbates climate change.

Given the amount of time, energy, and resources involved in growing, processing, and transporting food, the last thing we should do is throw it away, especially if it is still good to eat. We are hiring an experienced advocate to develop campaigns that will educate, organize and build support across the political spectrum for policies that would reduce food waste and make better use of these valuable resources.

The End Food Waste Advocate will develop and run campaigns that build support for reforms that reduce food waste. This position requires exercising discretion and independent judgment in making decisions in matters of significance. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Coalition building:
  Reach out to a broad range of organizations and affected constituency groups across the political spectrum to build support for our goals, 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. Recruit organizations and members of the public to attend and participate.
• Advocacy:
  Take our solutions directly to key decision-makers in state legislatures, Governors’ offices, Congress, corporate boardrooms, and other forums where we could advocate for ending food waste.
• Media Outreach:
  Serve as the spokesperson for our campaigns through media events, press releases and opinion writing. Keep abreast of important food waste issues and raise the profile of food waste and our campaign goals in the media.
• Campaign strategy:
  Assess opportunities for building political support for our agenda through coalition-building, grassroots organizing, media coverage and message development.
• Program development:
  Evaluate new research on the issue, create viable solutions and propose political strategy and messaging.
• Fundraising:
  Write grant proposals, build relationships with foundation staff and meet with major donors. Provide support for our grassroots fundraising work by writing appeals and providing updates.
• Staff recruitment and development:
  Build our team by recruiting and managing interns and participating in staff recruitment efforts. Potential to train and oversee staff.

Candidates must have at least 2 years of relevant professional experience. Qualified candidates will have a demonstrated commitment to citizen-based social change, as well as a track record of leadership. In addition top candidates will also have these qualities:

• Understand the power of grassroots organizing to win campaigns.
• Creative and effective at solving complex problems; a strategic thinker who can take advantage of new opportunities.
• Excellent writing and public speaking skills.
• 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.
• Fundraising experience, particularly in grant-seeking from charitable foundations.
• Able to travel regularly and be motivated to work when needed, which may sometimes be in the evenings and on weekends.

Experience working on waste, environmental or climate campaigns preferred.

The starting compensation range for someone with 2-5 years of relevant professional experience is $41,. 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. PIRG 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…