Job description

Environment Illinois is hiring a campaign associate to help drive our campaigns to reduce single use plastic pollution.

Environment Illinois is hiring people who want to tackle the most profound challenge of our time: protecting the environment.

We’re looking for people who are into making a difference, not making a statement. That means being strategic about how to win. It means focusing on results, not rhetoric. It means recognizing that, even though the stakes are incredibly high, small steps are often the only steps possible. And it means working with anybody – Republican, Democrat or other – at any level of government or business, to deliver more clean energy, clean air and water, open space and wildlife, and action on climate. 

The work is not for everybody. You grind out every victory. You don’t make big bucks. You put the team and mission first. 

Environment Illinois is working to reduce single use plastic pollution. Every day, people throw away millions of pieces of single-use plastic “stuff” — and too much of it ends up polluting our environment. By design, plastic takes hundreds of years to fully degrade — which means every piece of plastic ever produced is still out there, sitting in landfills or floating in the ocean, waiting to be mistaken as a deadly piece of food by a bird, turtle or whale.  Nothing we use for a few minutes should be allowed to pollute our oceans and rivers for hundreds of years. That’s why we’re calling for a statewide ban on single-use plastics, starting with the worst of the worst, polystyrene foam.

The Environment Illinois Zero Waste Associate will work to:

• Pass a statewide foam ban
• Pass stronger single use plastics ordinances in Chicago
• Pass statewide policies to make producers responsible the packaging pollution they create

We are seeking a Campaign Associate who will spearhead this campaign and work with our experienced team of advocates, researchers, and digital and communications experts.

Entry-level candidates are encouraged to apply; we provide training on advocacy and organizing skills, as well as oversight and on-the-ground training by an experienced advocate. Ideal candidates will have leadership experience, top-notch written and verbal skills, an eagerness to learn, and be ready for a challenge. We value organizing experience, including building campus or community groups.

TYPICAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Build powerful coalitions: Reach out to like-minded organizations and affected constituency groups 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 Facebook and Twitter for your campaign.
• Lobby elected officials: Coordinate strategy with champions in Congress. Make a convincing case to legislators who are undecided on a particular vote. When a critical vote is happening on your campaign, work to demonstrate the support you’ve been building on the ground to help line up the votes needed to win.
• 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.
• Identify and cultivate donors: Reach out to foundations and major donors and ask them to fund your campaign.
• 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 to raise money to support our campaigns, build our organization and membership, and help build critical and timely grassroots support to win key campaigns while honing your organizing and management skills.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The target annual compensation for this position is $30,000- $32,000 in the first year. Environment Illinois offers a competitive benefits package. We also offer an excellent training program and opportunities for advancement.

THINGS TO KNOW WHEN YOU APPLY

Why work with Environment Illinois? Check out 10 reasons: https://environmentamerica.org/why-work-with-us/ 

Environment Illinois is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change. Visit https://environmentamerica.org/core-values/ for things you should know about our network when you apply.

Environment Illinois is an equal opportunity employer.

COVID-19: We take COVID-19 safety very seriously. Employees must follow our COVID safety protocols and be fully vaccinated and boostered. Accommodations are provided to the extent required by law.

Location

Details

Employer
Environment America

Job category
Issue Organizing

Employment type
Full Time

Experience
0+ years

Compensation
$30,000 – $32,000

Start date

Apply by June 1, 2023