Union of Concerned Scientists/Washington, DC
National Outreach Coordinator
Union of Concerned Scientists
Clean Vehicles Program
Washington, DC Office
UCS is seeking an individual to work with a top-notch, multi-disciplinary team to develop and implement campaign plans for UCS's national work to reduce oil use and global warming pollution in the transportation sector. The National Outreach Coordinator will help develop and implement issue campaigns to ensure good integration between advocacy, outreach, analytic and media activities, cultivate relationships with key allies, and recruit and mobilize experts, members, and activists.
The Position
Under direction of the Clean Vehicles Program Director, plan, coordinate, and participate in outreach and advocacy efforts in support of UCS's national transportation policy agenda. Oversee execution of issue campaigns to ensure good integration between advocacy, outreach, analytic and media activities. Cultivate relationships with key allies and work with development and publications officers to integrate vehicles issues into UCS fundraising initiatives and publications.
Supervise the Program and Outreach Associate and occasional consultants, and oversee and help direct their work to mobilize experts, members, and activists. Work with Program & Outreach Associate to utilize web-based organizing tools for creative on-line and off-line action. Participate in cross-programmatic, organization-building outreach efforts.
Responsibilities
Oversee national campaign efforts and ensure effective coordination with state campaign activity. Conceive, plan, and direct outreach components of federal vehicle and fuels campaigns. Working with the advocacy staff, lead the development and implementation of grassroots and grasstops outreach strategies to achieve legislative and regulatory campaign goals and lead the design and implementation of corporate and consumer-oriented outreach efforts. Work with the Communications Department to coordinate appropriate traditional and social media activities to publicize outreach tactics. Develop budgets for outreach and organizing activities. Coordinate outreach activities and needs with UCS development, communications, and administrative staff. Feed into and help shape the annual campaign planning process.
Coordinate with other CV outreach staff to educate and mobilize UCS members and other activists on program issues. Ensure the timeliness and appropriateness of program efforts to mobilize activists. Write or edit action alerts, brochures, and other communications and articles for UCS's website and paper publications.
Direct online activism. Develop online strategies and tactics to cultivate citizen, scientist, and engineer support for campaign goals; and generate communications to legislative, executive branch, and corporate targets. Work with UCS communications and outreach staff to continue enhancing UCS's electronic organizing tools. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of online activist technologies and tactics.
Coordinate and ensure consistency in the program's web and periodical publications efforts. Ensure coverage of program issues and message consistency on the UCS website and in UCS publications. Oversee efforts by the Program and Outreach Associate, relevant CV staff, and the Communications Department to maintain a strong, effective web presence on program issues and to ensure consistency, currency, and reader interest in content and design of the program's web pages. Suggest updates and changes in web content to enhance visibility and activist response. Coordinate the program's contributions to UCS periodicals, Catalyst and earthwise. Serve as project manager for projects which cross analytic, advocacy and public outreach lines.
Establish contact and maintain network of coalition partners, targeted public interest allies, and other involved parties to exchange information, share resources and collaborate in coalition projects. Represent UCS on committees, in coalitions and at public events.
Receive and respond to requests for policy and campaign information on transportation issues and to requests for guidance from UCS members, other activists, other advocates, and the general public. Work with other UCS staff to advance organization-wide membership, visibility, fundraising, and policy goals. Participate in meetings of the UCS outreach committee.
Maintain and update working knowledge of general vehicles policy issues, federal transportation and related climate policies and legislation, and clean vehicles technologies and their applications. Maintain awareness of role as representative of UCS; consider impact of activities on organization reputation and credentials in public and private sectors; direct energies whenever possible to promote UCS, advance organization objectives, substantiate credibility and enhance funding opportunities. Support the Director and Deputy Director on funder and donor outreach and cultivation. Contribute to foundation proposals and reports.
Supervise Program and Outreach associate and hire and supervise interns and consultants as necessary. Provide training and coaching; assign and prioritize work; give feedback on results.
Qualifications and experience
Position requires knowledge of grassroots and online organizing and effective issue campaign development on the local and national levels. Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is required. Strong project management experience and written and communication skills are essential. Advocacy experience as well as some knowledge of general transportation policy and national legislative process are strongly preferred. Proficiency in word processing and database software is required.
This position requires five to seven years of comparable and relevant experience in developing campaign strategy and tactics, organizing grassroots and grasstops activists, coordinating outreach events, directing online marketing or activism, preferably in a nonprofit organization. Demonstrated ability to conceive, plan and implement effective outreach campaigns. Ability to use web-based platforms and sophisticated online tools to advance advocacy goals. Demonstrated capability to manage multiple projects for extended periods of time, and to be flexible to respond to fast-changing campaign needs. Ability to write for and speak to lay audiences. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with professionals who may be expert and/or prominent in their fields. A solid level of understanding of database maintenance, web management and on-line organizing tools, as well as Microsoft Office, is required. A background in transportation or environmental sciences is preferred but not essential. Some supervisory experience is also preferred. Up to one year of on-the-job training is needed to become familiar with UCS organization, philosophy, programs and constituencies.
At UCS, comparable training and/or experience can be substituted for degrees when appropriate.
Compensation, Hours and Location: This is a full-time position based in UCS's Washington, DC office. For candidates who meet position requirements, the salary is in the low $50s to $60,000. UCS offers excellent benefits and a rewarding work environment, and is an equal opportunity employer continually seeking to diversify its staff and to broaden opportunities for individuals from demographic groups that are historically underrepresented in the sciences and in environmental advocacy. Information about the organization is available at http://www.ucsusa.org
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter, salary requirements, how you learned about the position and resume and writing sample via email and include “National Outreach Coordinator” in the subject line. Email materials in Word or PDF format only. No phone calls please. Deadline: June 8th or until filled.
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