Clean Air Advocate, Environment Texas

Houston, Austin, or San Antonio 

All Texans deserve to breathe clean air but pollution from refineries, power plants, and other sources sicken and kill thousands of us each year. Unfortunately, state regulators aren’t doing enough to hold polluters accountable. That’s where Environment Texas comes in. Called by the Houston Chronicle one of the “toughest enforcers of clean air laws in the state,” we do the research and identify the state’s worst polluters, speak out when they break the law, lobby for stronger clean air protections, and sue the polluters when we must.  

Key Responsibilities

Our Clean Air Advocate will work with our Executive Director and other staff on campaigns to reduce pollution and move to clean energy in Texas. This position requires exercising discretion and independent judgment in making decisions in matters of significance. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to: 

• Program Development and Strategy: Help develop programs and campaigns around relevant policies, including researching the issue, creating viable policy solutions, and proposing a winning political strategy. 
• Advocacy and Coalition-building: Represent Environment Texas in meetings, hearings and other forums. Meet directly with decision makers in government, corporations and academia and make our case. Develop strong and collaborative relationships with state agencies, partner organizations, coalitions, legislators and legislative staff, and other stakeholders to advance shared goals. Build relationships with unlikely allies who might agree with us on one issue, even if we disagree on other issues.
• Communications and Media: Write reports, fact sheets, news releases, blogs, op-eds, and other forms of communication to get our message in the media and heard by decision-makers and the public. Serve as the public spokesperson for our campaigns through media events, press releases, editorial board meetings and other outreach with a goal of building name recognition for the organization, educating the public about our issues, and building and demonstrating support for our positions.
• Fundraising: Raise money from charitable foundations and individual donors to support our work.
• Recruitment and training: Recruit and train new interns and volunteers to increase our impact and build our power. Participate in recruitment of new staff.

Qualifications

You are:

• Passionate about the environment, solving the climate crisis and using the power of grassroots organizing to win campaigns.
• A campaign advocate or grassroots organizer with at least 2 years of advocacy or grassroots 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 complex problems; a strategic thinker who can take advantage of new opportunities.
• A people person and good listener with a track record of successful access-building; 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.

Additional helpful experience: 

• Experience in the state legislature or other government office, or with an environmental or public health advocacy organization is a plus but not required. 
• Fundraising experience, particularly in grant-seeking from charitable foundations.

Compensation and Benefits

The starting compensation range for someone with 2-5 years of relevant experience is $37,000-$41,000. 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. Environment Texas offers an excellent benefits package. Our benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents, paid time off, a commuter benefit program, a 401(k) plan with employer match, parental leave, long term disability insurance, and may include needs-based student loan assistance. We also offer an excellent training program and opportunities for advancement.

Location: Our Clean Air Advocate could be based in Houston, Austin, or San Antonio.

Why work with Environment Texas? Check out 10 reasons on our website.

About Environment Texas

Environment Texas is part of Environment America. Environment America is a policy and action group working to tackle the most profound problem of our time: a way of living that is depleting and destabilizing the natural world. 

We’re advocates for energy conservation and renewable power, so we can keep oil in the ground and stop burning fossil fuels. We’re champions of plastic reduction, so nothing we use for a few minutes is allowed to pollute our oceans for centuries. And we’re defenders of wildlife and wild places, both for their own sake as well as the awe and wonder they bring to our lives.

Environment America and our national network of 30 state environmental groups work to improve our quality of life by reducing the pollution and other harms of how we produce, consume and dispose of more and more stuff. And we do it one step at a time, by winning results for clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife, open spaces, and a livable climate that make a tangible difference in people's lives and our environment. 

Our Mission and Values

Environment Texas and Environment America are 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 our website for things you should know about our network when you apply.

Environment Texas is an equal opportunity employer.