See full details at https://wcvoters.org/jobs/political-director/?fbclid=IwAR2AdlzwTpTyHsWS3bkn9hOAjU5wclX3Ev8kn37fWnwCO03RQkAa8RKy4v4

POSITION SUMMARY

The Political & Civic Engagement Director is responsible for developing and implementing grassroots advocacy and electoral campaigns by creating strategic plans, managing political communications, and working within coalitions. This position is responsible for the integration of racial and environmental justice practices into our planning and implementation, working both internally at WEC & WCV and in external coalition spaces. The ideal candidate for this position will think outside the traditional methods of electoral politics and is committed to re-imagining how we do politics.

WCV and its associated Political Action Committee (PAC) are engaged in the most pivotal efforts in Washington State. We bring together and partner with coalitions to connect with voters. We are always leaning in to finding new methods of voter engagement and contact. Our focus is engaging the electorate across the state and connecting them with the campaigns that impact them.

In 2020, Washington Conservation Voters (WCV) and Washington Environmental Council (WEC) hired a new CEO – an indigenous woman from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon. Under her leadership, WEC has adopted a new strategic framework and WCV is set to adopt a new strategic framework in September. These frameworks continue to move the organizations towards a vision of justice that centers overburdened communities in the development of statewide environmental solutions, advocacy, and movement building in the state.

This position holds a key role designing and overseeing the organization’s political and civic engagement strategy, electoral programs, and endorsement process so that they are in alignment with the new strategic frameworks.  As the organizations are in a transformational time, the Political & Civic Engagement Director will have the opportunity to participate in an organization-wide collaborative process. We are committed to lifting up and learning from the lived experiences and practices of others. As communities share wisdom and insights from their lives and work, we are reexamining what we thought we knew and articulating how we will approach our work.

Washington Conservation Voters (WCV) ensures Washington’s decision makers keep our environment protected, healthy, and vibrant. Over the last 35 years, we have elected environmental champions, held our elected leaders to the highest standard, and built statewide momentum for environmental campaigns through innovative voter outreach efforts and community organizing. WCV’s mission is to advocate for environmental progress and justice through actions that mobilize the public, elect champions for the environment, and hold our leaders accountable

Washington Environmental Council (WEC) is a nonprofit, statewide advocacy organization. For over 50 years, WEC has brought people together to solve Washington’s most critical environmental issues. WEC builds power for the environmental movement by building partnerships, mobilizing the public, connecting voters to decision makers, and taking legal action. WEC centers and amplifies the voices of the most impacted communities to develop, advocate, and defend policies that ensure environmental justice and protection.

The shared vision of WEC/WCV is: Through collaborative, statewide efforts inequitable structures and systems have been dismantled so that everyone in Washington enjoys clean air and clean water, healthy communities, and a vibrant and equitable economy. By effectively combining the policy know-how of WEC with the political know-how of WCV, we have reshaped how environmental protection is achieved in Washington.

With one shared CEO, our organizations work in partnership as each pursues its unique mission. Combined, we have a staff of 35 and work in a LEED-certified building in downtown Seattle with a view of Elliott Bay. Given the current pandemic we are working remotely most of the time but are currently developing a “hybrid” model that involves some time in the office and some time working from home. Our teams have access to a variety of online tools and systems that support working remotely. Our expectation is that we will eventually return to some schedule of safely working together in our downtown office.

We offer competitive salaries, good benefits, and the opportunity to make a difference. We are committed to a diverse, socially just, and welcoming work environment and people of color, people with varying abilities, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and veterans are especially encouraged to apply. We continue to advance the application of a racial equity lens to our work.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This is a full time, exempt position with a salary range of $76,000 to $90,000 depending on experience. We also offer a generous benefits package including medical and dental insurance, 401k plan and organizational match of up to 3% of your annual salary, a flexible spending account, paid vacation and sick leave, ten paid holidays per year, an annual wellness benefit,  and if you work for seven consecutive years you are eligible for a two-month paid sabbatical. We welcome new and diverse people to a great team who together shape environmental protection in Washington.

RESPONSIBILITIES

This position requires leading or working with others to develop and implement grassroots advocacy or electoral campaigns, managing political communications, fundraising, and utilizing organizational systems. The Political & Civic Engagement Director reports to the Chief Campaigns Officer and has direct management responsibility for the Political and Civic Engagement Manager. In addition, the Political & Civic Engagement Director works closely with the Field Director, Government Affairs Director, and other Program Directors to ensure programs support each other to achieve shared goals. 
As we work to implement our strategic framework, this position will be responsible to ensure that racial and environmental justice are integral parts of our plans. As a movement, we are in a time of transition, it is critical the person who fills this position can think outside the traditional methods of electoral politics but helps push us to integrate community and to center those most impacted by environmental degradation. Our Strategic Framework directs us to focus on Indigenous, Black, rural, and Eastern and Central Washington communities. 

  • Operate as the project manager for numerous cross-organizational internal and external campaigns
  • Continually develop and evolve political program to be in alignment with our strategic framework which directs us to prioritize work with Indigenous, Black, Rural, and Central and Eastern Washington
  • Manage WCV’s four year Evergreen Future campaign, including both internal coordination and implementation of external strategies and campaign tactics
  • Works with development staff and Chief Campaigns Officer on major donor proposals and meetings with a particular focus on the WCV Action Fund, which is our political action committee
  • Leads staff and board in updating and executing the annual candidate endorsement process
  • Recruits attendees and building the audience for for WEC and WCV’s fundraising events
  • Leads by example by utilizing organizational tools such as Asana, Slack, Box, Salesforce, etc.
  • Commit to implementing the organization’s racial equity plan, participating on an internal racial equity committee and effectively incorporating the racial equity goals into other duties and responsibilities
  • Serve on the Senior Management Team of WCV/WEC 

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Skills

  • 5+ years of electoral or grassroots advocacy experience
  • Strong written and/or verbal communication skills
  • Experience managing budgets and outside vendors
  • Experience managing and mentoring staff
  • Demonstrable experience organizing political or community efforts in Indigenous, Black, or rural communities
  • Familiarity with voter files and targeting voters
  • Proven project management skills

Desirable Skills

  • Experience with electoral fundraising
  • Experience with Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) database, like Nationbuilder, Salesforce, etc.
  • Fluent Spanish

Working Conditions

This job requires frequent sitting. Must be able to conduct business in English, though fluency in other languages are welcomed. For remote work, employees must maintain a workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work from during scheduled work hours. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with different abilities to perform. 

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit a cover letter and a resume here.  No phone calls or mailed applications please. Candidates outside of Seattle and King County are strongly encouraged to apply. This position is open until filled. 

WCV is an equal opportunity employer committed to dismantling structural racism and creating a welcoming work environment. WCV does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, gender, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. People of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities are encouraged to apply.