Director of Policy & Advocacy

Description

Date: August 2026

Terms: Regular full-time, exempt; may be eligible for limited remote work

Compensation: $80,000-$90,000 annually, depending on experience

Benefits: 100% paid health insurance for the employee, life insurance, and long-term disability. (Other insurance lines available at a shared or employee cost). PTO and paid holidays.

Reports to: Co-President, CEO

Eureka Recycling is a nonprofit, social enterprise organization and an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer in word and action. We deeply value diversity because we understand that unique and varied perspectives are essential to be able to achieve our mission and live our values. These organizational values are thoroughly felt and experienced in every workday at Eureka Recycling—Visionary Leadership, Strong Teams and Community, Respect, Caring and Wholeness, Sustaining and Enduring, and Honesty and Integrity.

This position leads the organization’s policy advocacy, coalition engagement, and strategic communications efforts, with the goal of driving systemic change toward a more stable climate, stronger regional economies, and healthier, more just communities.

Reporting to the Co-President and CEO, and working in close collaboration with both Co-Presidents, this role is deeply embedded in efforts to elevate the organization’s voice, visibility, and influence. The Director of Policy and Advocacy helps to shape and direct Eureka’s public policy work at local, regional, and national level. This includes developing advocacy campaigns, cultivating community and policy partnerships, advancing legislation, coordinating coalition efforts, and leading messaging strategies.

This position also plays a key role in impact tracking related to advocacy and communications.

In partnership with the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers (AM ), which is fiscally sponsored by Eureka, this position supports shared messaging, national campaigns, and systems change initiatives that reflect the operational and mission-based expertise of AM ’s member organizations.

• In close collaboration with the Co-Presidents, develop and implement Eureka’s policy and advocacy strategies across local, state, and national arenas.
• Cultivate relationships with elected officials, government agencies, and partner organizations.
• Monitor and analyze legislation, rule making, and regulatory trends impacting waste, recycling, reuse, packaging, plastics, and environmental justice.
• Draft position statements, testimony, comment letters, and advocacy materials in collaboration with partners and with input from the Co-Presidents and staff.
• Lead Eureka’s role in convening and coordinating the MN Zero Waste Coalition.
• Serve as a policy advisor for AM , guiding the national policy strategy by aligning member priorities, identifying emerging legislative opportunities and threats and coordinating policy responses, and representing AM  in national advocacy spaces to advance mission-aligned systems change.
• Represent Eureka Recycling and AM  in coalitions, working groups, and other collaborative advocacy efforts, advancing organizational priorities and building alignment with partners on shared policy goals.

• Foster internal mission alignment by communicating advocacy and campaign priorities.
• Provide tools, updates, and messaging support to help staff and partners articulate the mission and impact of the organization.
• Integrate values of equity, environmental justice, and zero waste into all aspects of work.
• Partner with the Co-Presidents to ensure public narratives and external relationships reflect and strengthen organizational priorities and impact.
• In partnership with the Co-Presidents, lead the strategic visioning for recycling and zero waste events, such as the Zero Waste Fest (or similar convening), setting goals, themes, and desired outcomes that align with Eureka’s and the MN Zero Waste Coalition’s mission and policy priorities. Lead in planning and executing the event, including programming, partner engagement, speaker…