Does stopping the deterioration of Earth’s climate and the contamination of Alaskans’ land, water, air, and food sound like a dream job to you? If so, you might be the right person for this job! Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) is seeking a highly motivated person to serve as our Plastics and Petrochemicals Campaign Coordinator and advance ACAT’s mission, vision, and goals and achieve its advocacy campaigns to end fossil fuel dependence and eliminate the petroleum-based plastics and chemicals that are toxic to humans and wildlife and exacerbate climate change.

The successful applicant will be an experienced, dedicated professional with a fervor for environmental health and justice and using his/her/their skills and experience to achieve ACAT’s policy initiatives. In this role, you will dive deep into the world of environmental health and justice and play a crucial role in developing, prioritizing, and implementing ACAT’s local, state, national, and international policy work.

Organizational overview:

ACAT is a non-profit environmental health and justice research and advocacy organization with a meaningful mission: “We believe everyone has a right to clean air, clean water, and toxic-free food. Driven by a core belief in environmental justice, ACAT empowers communities to eliminate exposure to toxics through collaborative research, shared science, education, organizing, and advocacy.” We are a vibrant, diverse organization engaged in advocacy campaigns as well as complex longer-term community-based research and scientific projects. ACAT’s staff and governing board are ethnically and culturally diverse.

Find more information here.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Deep commitment to environmental health and justice and alignment with ACAT’s vision, mission, values, and goals, including our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Outstanding research, communication, speaking, writing, and motivational skills.
• Enthusiasm for lifelong learning and keeping current with emerging scientific evidence of the links between toxic chemicals and plastics and adverse health effects.
• Established skills in building effective relationships with co-workers, policy leaders, environmental health and justice advocates, community members, volunteers, and other key influencers.
• Organizational proficiency and an eye for both the big picture and the details.
• Previous experience in community organizing, communications, and policy development.
• Adaptability and flexibility in the face of change.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Effective project management skills, able to prioritize and handle multiple tasks simultaneously within established deadlines.
• Creative, self-motivated, and able to work independently and collaboratively.
• Available to travel and work long, flexible hours as necessary to accomplish ACAT’s goals (e.g., during legislative sessions, international treaty meetings, conferences, evening meetings, and weekend events, etc.).
• Ability to build enthusiasm and effort among a team of people.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Drive. Other proficiencies including EveryAction or other constituent relations management (CRM) software, digital advocacy tools, graphic design, and voter databases will be a distinct advantage.
• Experience in canvassing, online organizing, political campaigns, and/or direct action would also be welcome.
• Experience working collaboratively and respectfully with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
• At least three years' experience with a non-profit organization related to environmental health and justice, climate justice, sustainability, policy development, or other relevant mission.
• College degree in environmental or public health, science, sustainability, or other related field or equivalent in work experience.
• Lived experience with impacts of plastics/petrochemicals a plus.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Work with ACAT staff, partners, and allies to support the development and implementation of the plastics/petrochemicals campaign’s messaging, strategies, and tactics.
• Using Integrated Voter Engagement framework, build coalitions and relationships with new partners and allies. Collaborate with ACAT’s allies to achieve health- and climate-protective policies. Participate in national environmental health and justice coalitions relevant to ACAT’s policy goals.
• Using Integrated Voter Engagement framework, and in collaboration with ACAT’s civic engagement team, help organize communities, engage community members, support community activists, and help identify and develop the skills of promising community leaders.
• Work with ACAT’s communications specialist to use social media and garner media attention to increase policymaker and public awareness of the health, climate, and environmental harms associated with petroleum-based plastics/petrochemicals.
• Organize ACAT’s constituents, partners, and the public to participate in public meetings, rallies, and other activities that advance campaign goals and educate public officials about the effects of increasing volumes of plastics/petrochemicals and constituents’ demand for legislative solutions. Prepare yourself and other people to participate in public hearings and give testimony.
• Work with constituents, partners, and allies to participate in marketplace campaigns to convince businesses and manufacturers to stop buying, selling, manufacturing, or using products with the most harmful toxic ingredients, unnecessary single-use plastics, etc.
• Educate policy makers and their staff, regulatory agency staff, and allies on the impact of toxic chemicals on humans and the environment.
• In partnership with ACAT’s Media and Communications Coordinator, develop reports, fact sheets, and other resources to support and inform ACAT’s policy initiatives; and otherwise collaborate to enhance awareness of ACAT’s issues and initiatives, as well as respond to media inquiries. Work with ACAT’s community science staff to implement a statewide community microplastics monitoring project.
• Engage ACAT’s stakeholders to achieve policy goals through reports, fact sheets, action alerts, advocacy training materials, webinars, workshops, etc.
• Foster a respectful, collaborative, and cohesive team environment.

Compensation and benefits:

We offer the Plastics and Petrochemicals Campaign Coordinator job as a full-time position at our Anchorage office with competitive pay, generous benefits (health insurance, holidays, vacation, sick leave, and parental leave) and opportunities for professional development. Salary range: $45,000-$55,000 DOE.

ACAT is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity,gender expression, genetic information, or any other factor that is not related to the position. If you are enthusiastic about the position, but you don’t have every qualification described here, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right person!