Program Associate, Climate & Energy

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization.  We take on the biggest, most precedent-setting cases across the country.  We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy; and to combat climate change.  We partner with thousands of groups, supporters, individuals and communities to engage the critical environmental issues of our time, and bring about positive change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.

Founded in 1971, Earthjustice has a distinguished track record of achieving significant, lasting environmental protections.  We achieve this by hiring people who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment.  Our headquarters are in San Francisco with offices in Anchorage, Juneau, Los Angeles, Tallahassee, Miami, Honolulu, New York, Philadelphia, Denver, Seattle, Bozeman, Chicago, and Washington, DC.

The Program Associate works under the supervision of the Vice President of Litigation for Climate & Energy. This position requires a self‐starter who is able to work both collaboratively and independently and possesses strong interpersonal skills. The position requires excellent research, writing, and analytical skills, diplomacy and discretion, and the ability to adapt and think creatively. The Program Associate must be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meet deadlines, and be highly detail‐oriented. 

This position performs a variety of program and administrative tasks in support of the Climate & Energy litigation docket and advocacy campaigns.  These tasks include but are not limited to: project management in a complex organization, research and analysis, writing and copy-editing, developing slide presentations, planning and facilitating meetings, assisting with communications, and executing a variety of tasks including scheduling, project coordination and other tasks as assigned. The position requires frequent interaction with staff members across the organization and external clients or partners from a variety of geographic areas and backgrounds.  Some travel may be required.

Responsibilities

Program Support (85%)

• Support the Vice President of Litigation, Climate & Energy, in developing and monitoring projects underway as part of the Climate & Energy program.
• Keep Vice President on top of deadlines, often “managing up.”
• Convene and coordinate teams and workgroups from various departments, programs and regional offices, and create and maintain platforms for collaboration.
• Research potential areas for engagement and the latest developments in the Climate & Energy space.
• Research and prepare written program materials, including reports, papers, strategy memos, and other documents, as requested.
• Assist in public presentations, draft power point presentations and talking points.
• Assist in drafting strategic implementation and project plans, and track project deliverables.
• Brainstorm, research, and draft external-facing communications on behalf of the Vice President of Litigation, Climate & Energy, and other relevant staff as needed.
• Assist other departments in internal and external communications related to Earthjustice’s climate & energy work.
• Attend events to help share information on the work of the Climate & Energy program, as requested.
• Administer and participate in various cloud-based platforms for internal and external collaboration (such as Basecamp, Trello, etc.).
• Run an internal program newsletter.

Administrative (15%)

• Facilitate project meetings, status updates, and debriefings; manage meeting notes and related documentation to be stored electronically and on the intranet.
• Assist in retreat and other meeting planning
• Other duties, as assigned.

Qualifications

• College degree; master’s degree a plus.
• At least two years of experience in a related position.
• Certification or experience in project management a plus.
• Self-starter and initiative.
• Outstanding organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Focus on attention to detail, including the management of complex information.
• Excellent ability to research and understand factual, scientific, technical, economic, historical, and policy aspects of issues and synthesize this knowledge in a coherent and non-technical fashion.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Commitment to environmental, energy and social justice issues; relevant experience a plus.
• Ability to maintain confidences and confidential information.
• Comfort with Microsoft Office Suite and standard business technology.
• Flexibility to work in a team and independently with little supervision, asking questions as appropriate.
• Ability to handle a diverse workload and multi-task as needed.
• Demonstrates an awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations.
• Contributes to the creation of a diverse, equitable and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences. 
• Ability to manage up.
• Ability to master and implement new technologies for the organization, e.g., setting up new platforms such as Basecamp.

Salary is based on experience. 
Salary range for Washington, DC location: $61,200 - $68,000 

We offer a mission and employee-focused work environment and a competitive compensation package including excellent benefits.  Earthjustice is an equal opportunity employer and highly values diversity.

TO APPLY:

Interested candidates should submit the following online via the Jobvite system:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Writing Sample

Please, no phone calls, hard copies, or drop-ins. If you're having technical difficulties submitting your application, reach out to jobs@earthjustice.org 

Earthjustice is driven by a passion for justice, partnership, and excellence. Our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or any other factor that is not related to the position.

For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco:  Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

For positions located within the City of Los Angeles:  We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.