Community Outreach Associate – Boston, MA

Organization: The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF)

Job Title: Community Outreach Associate

Location: Boston, MA

Hours and Compensation: full time; salary commensurate with experience

Application Deadline: Jan. 15, 2012

Position Dates: Start Jan. 21, 2013 full time

Posted On: Dec. 27, 2012

Organization Overview

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. CLF staff work in one or more of our four program areas: Clean Energy and Climate Change, Clean Water and Healthy Forests, Ocean Conservation, and Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice. CLF’s Ocean Conservation Program has a long history of working to promote sustainable fisheries, habitat protection and comprehensive, ecosystem-based marine spatial planning in New England.

CLF is New England’s leading environmental law advocacy organization. Since 1966, CLF has worked to protect New England’s people, natural resources and communities. CLF works to promote renewable energy, fight air and water pollution, protect forests and wildlife, build healthy fishing communities and protect marine habitat, fight sprawl, promote public transit and defend public health. CLF is well known for its role in obtaining precedent-setting court victories addressing a wide range of issues including cleaning up Boston harbor, protecting endangered right whales, enjoining major highway projects, promoting mass transit, stopping offshore oil and gas drilling on Georges Bank, and implementing extensive energy efficiency programs.

Description

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) is seeking a community outreach associate who will advance CLF’s Ocean Management Initiative across New England, engaging in a robust education and outreach campaign to promote improved management of coastal and ocean waters and ecosystem-based ocean planning that promotes resilient, healthy, and productive ecosystems, and is developed through a robust public participation process.

The community outreach associate will be based in CLF’s Boston office and will work collaboratively with staff in all of CLF’s regional offices. The community outreach associate will report to the director of the ocean conservation program and the Gulf of Maine campaign director and will be dedicated to carrying out the strategies and tactics necessary to achieve the goals of CLF’s Ocean Management Initiative. This position requires considerable travel within New England. The community outreach associate will be charged with identifying and engaging various regional and community leaders, resource managers, ocean use stakeholders, scientists and educators, coastal community residents and the media in a variety of venues to advocate and build active public support for ecosystem-based ocean planning and the protection of important ocean wildlife and habitat.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the community outreach associate will include but are not limited to:

• grassroots outreach and coalition building;
• understanding and articulating detailed ocean policy issues;
• research and development of print and web-based outreach materials;
• use of web-based social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook; and
• public speaking, including representing CLF at public meetings, hearings and forums addressing ocean resource conservation and management .

The community outreach associate must be comfortable working with a broad range of stakeholders including industry, scientists, elected officials and community activists. This position offers an opportunity to work in a wide range of forums including federal, state, and municipal administrative rulemaking, federal and state legislative lobbying, science and policy symposiums, public outreach events, and a variety of print and electronic media.

Qualifications

Qualified candidates will have:

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Environmental or Marine Science or Policy, Political Science, Communications or a similar field;
• Four or more years experience in public interest environmental advocacy, public policy and organizing around environmental issues. This is not an entry-level organizer position;
• Experience with, and knowledge of, environmental issues, particularly ocean conservation science and policy, and a passion for and commitment to the environmental mission of CLF. Candidates should have the ability to understand and explain the science and policy aspects of environmental problems and their solutions;
• Ability to work well with a wide range of people in a collaborative fashion, to be tenacious yet flexible, determined yet good natured, and with the highest personal and professional integrity;
• Political awareness and demonstrated excellence and sound judgment in a variety of circumstances;
• Excellent analytic abilities, exemplary oral and written communication skills;
• Knowledge and demonstrated use of web-based environmental activism tools, including social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook, to build strong coalitions and public action;
• Ability to work both independently and in team settings and to manage multiple tasks simultaneously;

How to Apply

Interested candidates are required to send a cover letter and resume by January 15, 2013 to: Human Resources at [email protected] or mail to: 62 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02110. Candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply.