Engages and mobilizes the public and coalition partners on climate justice and other priority environmental issues, coordinates volunteer events, builds community conversation and oversees outreach efforts.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are core values for Citizens for a Healthy Bay (CHB). We welcome and value a diversity of people, experiences and perspectives. We embrace and actively encourage participation of people with differences in age, race, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, language, national origin, family or marital status, veteran status, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religion and/or political affiliation.

Scope of Work:

The Organizer will be responsible for:

  • •Successfully coordinating engagement in CHB’s policy campaigns with the public and with CHB’s coalition partners;
  • •Developing an innovative volunteer engagement program, and;
  • •Developing ongoing community-building events in collaboration with strategic partners.

To advance our environmental policies, CHB leverages organizational expertise, coalition partnerships with other environmental and social justice entities, and public participation in government agency processes. In close collaboration with the Executive Director and staff, the Organizer will develop science-based, strategic, publicly-accessible materials, develop outreach activities (including presentations to groups, public forums, and training workshops) and events to build public awareness, manage and grow CHB’s base of active constituents, coordinate strategic coalitions, and mobilize the public and organizational allies.

The Organizer will develop an innovative volunteer engagement program that includes, for example, beach cleanups and storm drain marking events. The Organizer will develop, publicize, and manage volunteer events; serve as the public face for CHB’s volunteer events; and hire and manage interns. Further, the Organizer will be responsible for the organization’s long-term community building goals and will develop strategic partnerships; coordinate and serve as the public face of CHB for outreach and community engagement events; and be the point person for public communications.

This work will involve developing relationships with community and organizational leaders, scheduling meetings, facilitating productive group conversations, tracking meetings and follow up actions, training the public, researching and writing clear and compelling communication pieces, juggling multiple projects with competing deadlines, event planning, and public speaking. The Organizer should understand how environmental issues intersect with social issues in order to develop strategic coalitions with communities and stakeholder groups who’s work intersects with our goals to reduce fossil fuels, prevent toxic contamination of Commencement Bay, and improve air and water quality in Tacoma. The Organizer will also innovate, coordinate and conduct CHB’s volunteer engagement projects, like beach cleanups and storm drain marking events, to engage the public in meaningful hands-on activities to protect our local environment.

The approximate breakdown of time for Organizer’s tasks is as follows:

  • •65% community organizing and coalition-building
  • •15% volunteer engagement events
  • •10% work tracking, grant writing and reporting
  • •10% administrative and other tasks as assigned

Duties and Responsibilities

  • •Strengthens and expands CHB’s member and activist base, grows our volunteer network, develops strategic partnerships, and prioritizes organizing practices built on relationships and trust.
  • •Mobilizes activists and interested community members to participate in grassroots actions that support CHB’s advocacy programs though informational presentations, social media, and email.
  • •Builds relationships with important community stakeholders including non-traditional partners, such as labor unions, through targeted outreach efforts.
  • •Represents CHB in the Stand Up to Oil campaign, the Protect Tacoma’s Tideflats Coalition, and other coalition groups through active participation in conference calls, information sharing, and developing strategies with our partner organizations to support CHB’s advocacy programs.
  • •Leads the development and execution of several public forums designed to educate and engage community members in the environmental and public health issues facing Tacoma by generating forum topics, recruiting speakers, reserving meeting space, and performing event outreach to ensure audience participation that is reflective of Tacoma’s racial and socio-economic diversity.
  • •Acts as the primary writer of fact sheets, public comment letter templates, FAQs, talking points, etc. for various environmental issues and public processes, and distributes these materials to the public.
  • •Organizes, promotes, and facilitates community volunteer events like beach cleanups and storm drain marking events.
  • •Collects participation data from all outreach events and accurately summarizes the data in appropriate databases.
  • •Assists in grant research, application submissions, and deliverable reporting.
  • •Represents CHB at key stakeholder meetings and public process events such as public hearings and meetings to include but not limited to: Tacoma City Council, Tacoma Planning Commission, or Port of Tacoma Commission meetings.
  • •Ensures the principles of racial and social equity are infused in our work by acknowledging our privileges and bringing underrepresented voices into the conversation to more effectively address the complex issues that threaten Puget Sound.
  • •Recruits, hires, and supervises the work of interns as necessary to support CHB’s community outreach and organizing work.
  • •Promotes and assists CHB’s fundraising efforts.
  • •Undertakes special studies, tasks, and projects as requested by the Executive Director.

Strengths and Qualifications

Below is a wish list for the ideal candidate – it is not necessary to have all to apply.

  • •At least 1 year of professional experience in community relations, community advocacy, public policy, political campaigns and/or environmental science.
  • •At least 1 year of experience in effectively and professionally communicating and forming relationships with other environmental and social justice communities and organizations; constituents, staff, and elected officials of Tribal nations; academic organizations; regulatory agency staff, and; elected officials from City, County, State, and Federal governments.
  • •Proven record of inclusive engagement; demonstrated competency working with diverse cultures; ability to build trust and create authentic relationships with a diverse range of people; ability to deal respectfully and constructively with people of divergent opinions.
  • •Demonstrated proficiency in clear, effective written and verbal communication.
  • •Demonstrated ability to create informative, persuasive messaging pieces like brochures, talking points, email and social media campaigns, or comment letters.
  • •At least 1 year of experience developing, executing, measuring and reporting success of advocacy campaigns.
  • •Demonstrated ability to understand and relay information from technical documents like environmental impact statements, land use plans, or water quality permits, for example, to diverse audiences.
  • •Proven ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines, such as managing multiple campaigns while meeting deadlines for reporting on other projects.
  • •Desire to collaborate with a multi-disciplinary and diverse team; a highly organized, curious, and laid-back demeanor works well in our office.
  • •Desire and ability to learn quickly, be creative and flexible in day-to-day work, take initiative and exercise sound judgement in making decisions and completing projects.

Reports to:

Executive Director

Working Conditions

Position is based in Tacoma and is comprised of office work (i.e. sitting at a desk using a computer and/or phone for long periods of time), and out-of-office meetings and speaking events. The position requires some travel and a current driver’s license. Some night and weekend work will be required. Accommodations can be made for this position for persons who might need them.

Salary/Benefits

The Climate Justice Community Organizer is a full-time FLSA exempt position with a salary range of $40,000-$55,000 commensurate with experience. As a full-time employee, the Organizer is eligible for benefits described in the CHB Employee Handbook, including paid holidays, sick leave, and health and dental insurance.

To Apply:

If you are sincerely interested in the position, please email a cover letter stating your suitability for this position and resumé demonstrating your qualifications to chb@healthybay.org, or mail physical copies to the CHB office at 535 Dock Street, Suite 213, Tacoma, WA 98402. Please include the position title in the email subject.

Review of applicants will be conducted on a rolling basis. As the position is open until filled, it is highly recommended to apply by 11:59pm on November 1, 2019. Please note: questions about the position via email or phone are unlikely to receive a timely response, if any.