Senior Forest Protection Advocate, Natural Resources Defense Council
Overview
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet’s wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our staff helped write some of America’s bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our staff of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and internationally from our offices in New York; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Santa Monica; San Francisco; Bozeman, Montana; and Beijing.
Position Summary
NRDC is seeking a Senior Forest Protection Advocate to work on the Our Forests Aren’t Fuel Campaign in our Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Bozeman, San Francisco, or Santa Monica office.
Responsibilities
- Work with NRDC’s UK biomass campaign lead to spearhead the Cut Carbon Not Forests campaign and coalition to end biomass subsidies in the UK
- Work with NRDC’s US federal policy team to carry out Congressional and administrative advocacy to prevent the adoption of bad biomass definitions and incentives
- Coordinate with campaigners in Brussels and other European countries where biomass electricity incentives are in place or at risk of proliferation
- Represent NRDC through active participation in coalitions, providing collaboration and guidance to maximize effectiveness and grow support for needed policies
- Develop and implement high-impact advocacy strategies and tactics that advance NRDC’s biomass campaigns, including but not limited to, organizing policymaker briefings to elevate the scientific consensus about the harms of forest biomass and community voices
- Enhance NRDC’s engagement with local environmental justice groups and other community leaders in the U.S. Southeast and Gulf South impacted by the biomass industry
- Help bolster research and arguments on the biodiversity impacts of biomass harvest for electricity, particularly in the U.S. Southeast
- Assist NRDC’s biomass team in identifying and evaluating potential legal tactics to challenge biomass industry expansion in the United States
- Liaise, as needed, with funders in support of the biomass team’s development goals
- Engage with U.S. and foreign reporters, as needed, in support of the biomass team’s communications goals
Qualifications
- 5+ years working experience in policy advocacy
- JD or Masters Degree in Public Policy or Administration
- Demonstrated ability to analyze, understand and translate complex scientific, legal and policy matters for advocacy purposes
- Strong strategic skills relevant to policy, advocacy, litigation (if lawyer), and project development
- Substantial knowledge of and experience with the federal administrative and legislative process
- Substantial knowledge of and experience in leading campaigns and achieving campaign goals and objectives
- Knowledge of nature-based solutions
- Demonstrated ability to build and work within broad coalitions that reach beyond the traditional environmental community
- Track record of success in promoting advocacy goals
- Demonstrated ability to work with and manage consultants, fellows and/or interns on discrete projects
- Persuasive verbal and written communication skills
- Strong inter-personal, relationship-building and networking skills
- Substantial experience with public speaking and oral advocacy with decisionmakers
- Commitment to NRDC’s values and mission.
To learn more and apply, click here.
