Plastic Pellet Waters Campaign Associate

Plastic Pellet Free Waters Campaign Associate

Department: Program

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Portland, OR

Compensation: $40,000 / year

Environment America is hiring an associate to work on our campaign to address plastic pellet pollution.

Plastic pellets, sometimes called “nurdles,” are the raw materials used in plastic production. Often very small, no bigger than lentils, these pellets are melted down and molded to make everyday products like water bottles, grocery bags and polystyrene foam takeout containers. During manufacture and transport, these pellets are often spilled, leaked or dumped into the environment, especially our waterways. As a result, it's estimated that trillions of plastic pellets enter our environment each year, where they pose a major threat to wildlife and ecosystems.

We need to stop polluting our waterways with plastic, including plastic pellets. We're seeking a campaign associate to build support for protecting our waterways and wildlife, and call on state regulators to take action to address this pollution.

The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Associate will work on campaigns to stop nurdles from polluting our environment and threatening our health. This position requires excellent judgment, discretion and the ability to oversee significant projects. Representative responsibilities include:

• Educate and mobilize public support: Conduct online and in-person outreach to educate the public on our issues and ways to get involved.
• Build powerful coalitions: Reach out to a broad range of organizations and affected constituency groups across the political spectrum to demonstrate support for our campaign goals.
• Earn traditional media and social media attention: Organize news conferences and write opinion pieces. Build a following on social media for your campaign.
• Organize events and work with volunteers: Organize webinars, community events and public meetings. Recruit organizations and members of the public to attend and participate.
• Lobby elected officials: Meet with decision makers - from city council members to state legislators - to make the case for our campaign goals.
• Research and write reports: Catalog and analyze data relevant to the issue and our policy proposals to help influence public debate and earn media attention for our cause.
• 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.
• Organizational projects and trainings: Beyond your own campaign, you may be called on to help other teams on priority campaigns and tactics, ranging from clean energy to clean water to right to repair. You may travel and participate in regional and national trainings and other in-person or virtual projects as needed. This is not a standard “9-5” or “clock in, clock out” position.

Entry-level candidates are encouraged to apply. Though we expect you to take your campaign and run with it, we provide training on advocacy and organizing skills, as well as oversight by an experienced advocate. Candidates must be able to travel regularly and be motivated to work when needed, which may sometimes be in the evenings and on weekends.

Ideal candidates will have:

• Passion for the environment and using the power of grassroots organizing to win…