PennEnvironment Clean Water and Conservation Associate

PennEnvironment is looking for a skilled and savvy organizer to build public support for clean water and conservation campaigns to preserve Pennsylvania’s incredible natural heritage. This includes PennEnvironment’s campaigns to preserve our parks, forests, and public lands, and our efforts to protect and restore Pennsylvania’s incredible rivers, lakes and streams from major sources of pollution. 

The Clean Water and Conservation Associate will help defend our cornerstone conservation programs from attack at the federal and state level; work to promote and increase stewardship of our public lands and open spaces; and tackle the threats of fracking, encroaching development and illegal polluters that endanger our waterways, our wildlife, and our health. 

Key Responsibilities

• Work with coalitions: Work with organizations and affected constituency groups across the political spectrum that are invested in protecting Pennsylvania’s natural heritage, wildlife species, and rivers and streams to demonstrate support and engage them in our strategies and campaigns to achieve our conservation and water campaign goals.
• Organize events and work with volunteers: Organize webinars, community events and public meetings. Recruit organizations and members of the public to attend and participate.
• Earn traditional media and social media attention: Organize media events and write opinion pieces. Build a following on social media for your campaigns.
• Lobby elected officials: Coordinate strategy with champions in Congress or in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Make a convincing case to legislators to support important conservation and clean water policies, and to oppose proposed rollbacks. When a critical vote is happening on our water and conservation campaigns, work to demonstrate the support you’ve been building on the ground to help line up the votes needed to win.
• Recruit new people to your team: Help build our team by recruiting volunteers, interns and full-time staff.
• Run a grassroots campaign office each summer: Run a campaign office for the summer, knocking on doors to raise money to support our campaigns, build our organization and membership, and help build critical and timely grassroots support to win key campaigns. Your responsibilities will include meeting your own fundraising goals and managing a team of paid staff. You may be assigned to a different office location for the summer and should be flexible to move.

Qualifications

Entry level candidates are encouraged to apply. Though we expect you to take your campaign and run with it, we provide training on advocacy and organizing skills, as well as oversight by an experienced advocate. Ideal candidates will have a commitment to protecting the environment and a love of nature as as well as leadership experience, top-notch writing and public speaking skills, an eagerness to learn, and be ready for a challenge. 

Compensation and Benefits

The starting annual compensation for this position is $38,250-$39,500 in the first year. PennEnvironment offers an excellent benefits package. Our benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents, time off, a commuter benefit program, a 401(k) plan with employer match, parental leave, long term disability insurance, and may include needs-based student loan assistance. We also offer an excellent training program and opportunities for advancement.

Location

Philadelphia, PA preferred but would also consider top candidates in Pittsburgh, PA.

Why work with PennEnvironment? Check out 10 reasons on our website.

About PennEnvironment

PennEnvironment is part of Environment America. Environment America has one mission: to protect the natural world.

We advocate ideas and actions to guide our country onto a greener, healthier path. Our network of 30 state environmental groups promotes clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife and open spaces, and a livable climate. Our members put grassroots support behind our research, public education, advocacy and litigation.

Nothing is more important to our future than facing this fact: Infinite economic growth on a finite planet is neither wise nor possible. We must shift from deplete to preserve, from disposable to sustainable, from “never enough” to “enough.” Together, our staff, members and other supporters are committed to winning changes that allow nature to thrive and our children to live healthier, more enriching lives.

Our Mission and Values

PennEnvironment and Environment America are part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change. Visit our website for things you should know about our network when you apply.

Please do not use AI to help draft your cover letter or responses to our application questions. We want to know how you think and write.

PennEnvironment is an equal opportunity employer.