Start Date: 10/22/2018
Application Deadline: 10/04/2018
The Mississippi River Network: Headwaters to Gulf (MRN) is seeking applicants for full-time salaried position to work on the coalition’s policy agenda. The MRN is a collaborative effort of 55 organizations who have joined together to protect and restore the Mississippi River. The MRN has several initiatives: 1) a public communications campaign 2) improved and amended policies that restore and protect the River and 3) promoting communication and collaboration among the MRN members and partner organizations.
The Policy Manager will provide key analysis and proactive policy development in issues relating to water quality, restoration, and conservation of the Mississippi River, analyze proposed legislative or administrative changes to federal and state policies, appropriations and laws related to the River, educate members of MRN, the public, and the media on such policies and proposals, and cultivate support for those policies and proposals among policymakers and other stakeholder organizations. The Policy Manager will accomplish this by, among other means, coordinating policy work among the MRN members, educating MRN members, the public and decision makers, and planning and attending briefings and meetings locally along the Mississippi River and in Washington, DC. The Policy Manager will work with the MRN Director and 1 Mississippi Campaign Manager on engaging interested members of the public (River Citizens) and building capacity of MRN members. With guidance and direction from the MRN Policy Committee, the Policy Manager determines what policy information and advocacy opportunities are relevant and appropriate for MRN Members and the public.
The successful candidate will be a self-starter with a solid understanding of environmental policy and have experience working with coalitions and in grassroots organizing. We are searching for someone with at least three years professional work experience in the environmental policy arena, and demonstrated organizational, communications, research, and writing skills. The ability to work well with diverse interest groups and within a team is a must. An understanding of and experience with Capitol Hill and the federal policy process is highly desirable. She or he will be supervised by MRN Director
Roles and Responsibilities:
Create detailed annual strategy and workplans to meet the MRN’s policy goals
Create annual targeted list of decision makers
Work in an inclusive manner with standing MRN committees (most directly the Policy Committee, but also Steering Committee and Campaign Committee) and members to meet policy goals
Communicate with MRN members on Mississippi River related issues, including legislative updates and other pertinent activities or media coverage via newsletters, webinars, print materials, action alerts, tool kits etc.
Educate decision makers, MRN members and River Citizens on MRN policy priorities including related to nutrient pollution from agriculture and the protection and restoration of floodplains and wetlands by conducting in-person meetings, events, writing fact sheets and tool kits, blog posts, etc
Travel throughout the ten-state MR region and Washington, DC, to meet with partners and other stakeholders
Represent the MRN in relevant policy meetings and workgroups
Identify and recruit new MRN members and partners
Identify advocacy opportunities to educate River Citizens and MRN members about MRN policy goals and related issues
Work with other MRN staff to support the integration of the policy work with the on-going public campaign and inform and communicate effectively with MRN members
Qualifications
Demonstrated ability to successfully work with coalitions and build consensus
Experience with and understating of how policy is made and changed at federal and state levels
Familiarity with issues related to the Mississippi River, specifically the current status of federal legislation and appropriations (Farm Bill, Water Resources Development Act, FEMA’s Flood Insurance Program, Clean Water Act) and federal programs (EPA’s NPDES program, targeted USDA River Basin initiatives and US Army Corps of Engineers programs)
Experience with managing several projects at the same time
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Creativity and the ability to quickly adapt to new situations
Passion for and a belief in the legislative process
Bachelor’s degree is a must, preferably an advanced degree, but appropriate experience is equally important
Location
The location of MRN policy manager is in Chicago or at a location near the Mississippi River and a large airport, as travel to and from Chicago, Washington, DC, and the ten main-stem Mississippi River states is expected.
Hours
This is a salaried, full-time position. This position requires overnight travel approximately once to twice a month and at times requires weekend work for outreach/campaign events.
Benefits
Health insurance, paid time off, 403 (b) plan
Minimum Education Required
4-year degree
How To Apply
Interested individuals can apply by sending their resume, cover letter, and three professional references to the email: kmcginnis@1mississippi.org. No phone calls please. The position will remain open until filled.
For more information see the organization’s webiste: http://1mississippi.org