Federal Policy Assistant, West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc. – Washington, DC
Organization: West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc.
Position Title: Federal Policy Assistant
Location: Washington, DC
Dates and compensation: This position will be located in Washington, D.C. Some travel may be required. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications.; Salary $40,000 – 45,000; Benefits: Medical, Dental and Vision. Direct Deposit, pre-tax transit card is available
Application Deadline: February 2, 2015
Description: WE ACT for Environmental Justice (WE ACT) is a Northern Manhattan community-based organization building healthy communities by assuring that people of color and/or low-income participate meaningfully in the creation of sound and fair environmental health and protection policies and practices. For 26 years, WE ACT has used community based participatory research and advocacy to solidify more protective policies to address air quality, climate change, transportation, indoor air quality, healthy housing, toxics in consumer products and good food in schools. In the Summer of 2012, WE ACT opened a Washington DC based policy office to focus on federal environmental policy and coordinate a national coalition of environmental justice leaders working on climate change issues.
Responsibilities: The Federal Policy Assistant will work with WE ACT’s Federal Policy Analyst to support policy development, federal advocacy and related outreach to the field, by:
Conducting research on policy and advocacy issues, and helping WE ACT’s Federal Policy Analyst in the development of issue papers and policy briefs;
Developing and maintaining databases relevant to our work with Congress and our local partners;
Scheduling meetings with Hill staff and preparing supporting documents for those visits;
Tracking and monitoring targeted appropriations and authorization legislative issues;
Assisting with the development of Federal Policy newsletter, coalition reports and others
Attending coalition meetings and congressional hearings when needed;
Assisting with outreach and coordination of EJ partners in the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum on Climate Change (EJLFCC) with meetings, assessments and garnering partner support
Providing administrative support, including but not limited to:
handling travel arrangements connected to advocacy efforts;
filling out expense and lobbying-disclosure reports for Washington, D.C related business;
providing logistical support for briefings, forums and other events organized by the WE ACT Washington, D.C. office or the EJLFCC
Scheduling monthly calls and other conference meetings for the general membership of the EJ Leadership Forum and its steering committee.
Qualification: The successful candidate for the position will have the following qualifications and experience:
- A Bachelor’s degree or higher in political science, communications, environmental science, city and regional planning or other related fields;
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral;
- Excellent research and organizational skills;
- Strong interpersonal skills;
- Excellent judgment, maturity, integrity and a strong work ethic;
- Collaborative spirit and willingness to work with a team;
- A strong commitment to social and environmental justice issues;
- Proficiency in using web-based congressional tracking tools, such as Congressional Quarterly databases, Leadership Directories, and THOMAS is a plus;
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Publisher, statistical programming is a plus; and
- Related job experience, specifically Capitol Hill experience or local/state government experience, community organization, campaign development is a plus.
How to Apply: Qualified applicants should send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Please put your last name and the first initial of your first name followed by Federal Policy Assistant in the subject line. (e.g. If your name is Joe Public then you would put “Public J Federal Policy Assistant” in the subject line of your email)
