General Description: The Environment California State Field Organizer works across the state to build long-term political power for the organization primarily by developing district-level networks of key constituencies, experts, media, and activists.  The Field Organizer mobilizes that network around current campaigns, seeking to influence California decision makers to win concrete victories. Environment California’s priority issues include solving global warming, promoting clean energy, protecting open spaces and limiting public exposure to dangerous toxic chemicals.

Environment California: Environment California is one of the largest state-level environmental organizations. With the support of nearly 50,000 citizen members, Environment California uses tough minded advocacy, independent research and citizen organizing Environment California is creating a legacy of concrete victories for California’s environment.  Among our victories: we banned the toxic chemicals such as PDBEs and phthalates, we led the charge in establishing the Million Solar Roofs Initiative, we passed the nation’s strongest renewable electricity standard, we helped pass a cap on global warming pollution and we won permanent protection of California’s national forests.

California - Leading the Way: California has long been the nation’s environmental leader, and as the world’s sixth largest economy, California’s actions have world-wide significance. Over the years, California’s ground breaking policies -- from energy efficiency standards, to bans on the most toxic chemicals, to a statewide cap on global warming -- have become the gold standard for other states and the federal government to follow.  California also plays a leading role in national politics. Many of the nation’s most influential members of Congress are from the Golden State and California’s governors are often leading political figures.  In addition, California, home to the Silicon Valley, Hollywood and many famous tourist destinations, has the power to shape the hearts and minds of the American people.

The Political Landscape: Due to the state’s sprawling landscape and diverse communities, California politics requires careful navigating and an ongoing field presence.  The Democratic Party currently enjoys a majority among California’s 80 assembly members and 40 senators, but the governorship swings periodically right to left and back again. There are a handful of swing districts due to gerrymandering, but term limits create competitive primaries. California’s metropolitan areas dominate the political landscape but large growth in areas such as the Central Valley is creating tensions between urban and suburban politics. California’s rural communities tend to be represented by extremes on both sides of the aisle. Lastly, California’s racial diversity shapes state politics. Latinos make up 35% of the state population and 23% of the state legislature. Asian Pacific Islanders make up 14% of the state population and 5% of the legislative seats. The Black Caucus represents 7% of the state legislature, roughly proportionate with population. In Sacramento, the capitol is overrun with lobbyists for powerful companies and special interests who own PACs that make influential contributions to political candidates and who employ well connected lobbyists (often former legislators), making a strong field machine all the more important.  Ultimately, a strong and vibrant field operation is critical to moving the debate forward on important environmental issues.  Time and again we’ve seen “the field” make the difference on the most crucial environmental campaigns that face the strongest opposition from polluters and other powerful interests.  Without vigilant and vocal public support, particularly “back in the district,” legislators all too often take the wrong position on our issues due to the far-reaching influence of polluters and special interests.

Location: Los Angeles, San Francisco or Sacramento (depending on skill level)

Qualifications: Qualified applicants have a strong commitment to the environment, excellent verbal, writing and analytical skills, the ability to speak persuasively in a charged atmosphere, and enthusiasm for political work. Candidates for this position should have a college degree and/or at least two years of relevant professional experience. Relevant experience includes (but is not limited to) working in political, policy, legal, journalistic, or government settings. 

Salary & Benefits: Recent college graduates earn the equivalent of $33,280 annual salary, and work 48 weeks of the year. In addition, full-time staff can opt into our health plan and are eligible for paid sick days and holidays. After one year of work, staff are also eligible to join our 401(k) plan.

Job Description: The top priority for the Environment California field organizer is to analyze and track our current level of power throughout the state, district by district, and to build upon that power while mobilizing our resources around current campaigns.  As Environment California’s issue advocates track policy in Sacramento and DC, influence environmental policy through advocacy, and come up with the strategies for their particular issue areas, Environment California’s State Field Organizer develops and implements strategies and tactics at the district level for mobilizing grassroots power in targeted regions.  Primary job responsibilities include:

1. Power-Building: The Field Organizer will develop and implement a plan to analyze and increase our political power.  This will include increasing our power in ten Assembly districts per year and reassessing our resources quarterly.  Over time, the field organizer will expand the number of decision-makers, coalition partners, media, and activists that we can mobilize in our network, and deepen their level of involvement in our campaigns.

2. Media:  The Field Organizer will generate media coverage and build access with top news outlets, reporters and editors in target districts across the state by holding or speaking at one news conference per month; getting at least one op-ed printed in a California newspaper per trimester; meeting with editorial board staff each trimester; writing letters-to-the-editor as relevant; generating monthly TV and radio coverage; and meeting with individual reporters. In addition to traditional outlets the organizer will focus on expanding organizational reach to California’s top electronic media outlets and political blogs. An organizer aims for 100 news hits each year.

3. Coalition-Building:  The Field Organizer will work to get new coalitions and VIPs involved in our campaigns and to deepen the involvement of current partners.  The Field Organizer will contact 100 groups each year, with some share of mixed vision, associate and paper tiger organizing. Potential coalition partners include environmental groups, as well as unique allies such as the public health community, academia, labor and religious organizations. 

4. Access Building: The Field Organizer will identify and contact 150 new people and organizations each year. Of these 150 people, at least 15% should be of top-level importance in priority districts and at least 25% should personally know the organizer and be willing to return a call quickly.  The Field Organizer is expected to keep track of these contacts through a shared database and keep them up to date. 

5. Activists:  The Field Organizer will build and mobilize Environment California’s activist network through phone trees, email lists, and other wholesale opportunities.  The Field Organizer will identify new activists in targeted districts.   The Field Organizer is expected to add at least 100 people to Environment California’s activist network in each of the ten priority districts each year and to cultivate among these at least 10 activists who are part of a committed core working closely with the field organizer to further build access and power within a district

6. Fundraising: The Field Organizer will fundraise throughout the year through a mix of canvassing, grant writing, and donor meetings, depending on experience. Entry level staff direct an Environment California summer canvass.

7. Packaging and Messaging: The Field Organizer will help ensure that all program areas are properly packaged and regularly updated for a public audience.  The organizer will also assist in uploading and updating all campaign programs on the website, including reports, media hits and other materials on a bi-monthly basis.   The Field Organizer will coordinate weekly dissemination of Environment California’s email action alerts to our 100,000 e-activists, and coordinate direct mail, newsletter and annual report inputs as needed. 

8. Advocacy: The Environment California State Field Organizer will participate in advocacy and lobbying events throughout the course of the year, focusing on constituent meetings with targeted decision makers and working with Environment California’s advocacy staff to coordinate these activities.

9. Internal Communications and Organization Building:

   The Field Organizer will participate in staff meetings, trainings, and retreats.  The Field Organizer will conduct briefings at canvass and telephone outreach offices. The Field Organizer will also build the organization and the movement by helping to recruit entry level and non-entry level staff.  The Field Organizer will be involved in annual, trimester and monthly planning for Environment California on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

How to Apply:  Click here to apply online.

Questions:  Please contact Maria Schweitzer in our Recruitment Department with any questions. E-mail her at Jobs@EnvironmentAmerica.org or call (202) 683-1250.

Find us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/EnvironmentAmericaCareers

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EnvAm