Position: Vermont Conservation Voters Political Outreach Director
Status: Permanent, full-time
Location: Flexible (within VT), with ability to be in Montpelier regularly
Schedule and Compensation: Full-time position with total salary and benefits package of $57,500-$63,000, depending on experience
Reports to: Executive Director
Vermont Conservation Voters is seeking a passionate and dedicated Political Outreach Director to manage our electoral activities and coordinate issue advocacy campaigns. This role provides a unique opportunity to connect with Vermont voters about the important issues facing our state, and to help elect pro-environment champions that will advocate for better protections for our environment and healthy communities. This position will help manage election efforts, support legislative campaigns aligned with our values, and hold lawmakers accountable.
Responsibilities
Job responsibilities include:
- Media: Serve as a key media contact for incoming inquiries, and initiate media outreach on VCV issues and activities. Emphasis is to develop relationships with journalists, including reporters and editors, and get VCV’s and VNRC’s positive messages into the media, both print and digital, wherever feasible.
- Message development: Create and deliver audience-appropriate, substantive VCV message and position statements in a variety of venues, including VCV publications, the legislature, media outlets, public and private meetings, and conferences.
- Legislature: Serve as a main contact with legislators on VCV-related issues arising at the State House. Track legislation, anticipate support and opposition to legislation, and act as “eyes and ears” for VNRC program staff at the State House. Advise VNRC program directors on the political landscape and provide recommendations on how to advance their legislative agenda. Hold legislators accountable through the Environmental Scorecard, candidate endorsement process, and electoral activities.
- Common Agenda: Coordinate with partner organizations on shared policy agendas, including coordinating and publishing a common agenda in conjunction with other environmental, conservation and preservation advocacy groups.
- Elections: Manage electoral activities including candidate recruitment, endorsement, and providing direct assistance for endorsed candidates in strict conformance with applicable local, state and federal election and campaign financing laws.
- Issue campaigns: Assist program staff on substantive policy issues to further program area goals, including policy research, legislative strategy, and communications strategy. Maintain limited portfolio of policy issues not supported by other program staff to broaden VNRC/VCV’s scope of work, and to act in support of other environmental advocacy groups on issues not addressed by VNRC.
- Fundraising: Work closely with development staff and the Executive Director on membership appeals, major donor relations, and grant writing.
Qualifications
- At least 3-5 years of experience working in advocacy or political campaigns preferred.
- Strong written and verbal communications skills, including the ability to communicate complex policy positions in a concise, values-based manner that resonates with average Vermonters.
- Demonstrated political and strategic skills, including an ability to read the political landscape and design effective strategies for navigating that landscape – whether it involves a campaign to enact legislation or to elect a candidate to office.
- Effective fundraising skills, including an ability to write compelling grant applications and to nurture donor relationships and identify and solicit new donors.
- Ability to successfully work as part of a team, and work well independently.
- Strong skills for interacting with people with conflicting views.
- Strong organizational skills, with attention to detail, and the ability to multitask and meet deadlines.
- A working knowledge of state and federal election laws, and experience with NGP VAN software strongly preferred.
- Availability to travel around Vermont, work some nights and weekends, and possess a driver’s license.
- Interest in or awareness of environmental issues in Vermont, including basic knowledge of VCV’s priority issue areas: climate action, clean water, toxic chemical reforms, healthy forests, and sustainable communities.
- Demonstrated commitment to advocating on behalf of Vermont’s people, communities, and environment, and a belief that individuals working together can affect positive change.
- Have experience with at least several of the following:Event planning;
- Canvassing and/or phone banking;
- Public speaking and giving presentations;
- Working with an advocacy organization or political campaign
This is a paid, full-time position. All offers for employment are conditioned on the candidate complying with VCV’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be submitted by August 19. For questions or to apply, email a letter of interest, resume, and three references to Alex Connizzo at aconnizzo@vermontconservationvoters.org with the subject line “VCV Political Outreach Director.”
We recognize that formal education is not the only pathway to gaining relevant experience, and so we invite any combination of academic, professional, and life experience. VCV is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages applications from candidates whose identities have been historically underrepresented in the environmental movement, including people who identify as Black, Indigenous, Hispanic or Latino, Asian or Pacific Islander, or people of color; people from marginalized economic backgrounds; and people living with disabilities.