Senior Manager, Environmental Justice Policy

Senior Manager, Environmental Justice Policy

Organization

Ceres is a sustainability nonprofit organization leading the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy. Through our powerful networks and advocacy, we tackle the world’s biggest sustainability challenges, including climate change, water scarcity and pollution, and human rights abuses.

For more information about Ceres, please visit our website (www.ceres.org).

Description & Responsibilities

The Senior Manager supports Ceres’ state and federal-level policy work. This position is designed for a highly motivated, self-starter with prior policy experience who is looking to be an advocate for strong and effective state and federal climate and environmental justice goals. The position will report to the Vice President, Government Relations.

Specific duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Lead Ceres’ environmental, equity and climate justice policy efforts at the state and federal level
• Maintain expertise and be a resource for the policy team and other Ceres’ teams on environmental, equity and climate justice issues
• Develop, maintain and expand relationships with NGO partners working on climate and environmental justice
• Educate and engage company representatives on climate justice issues- including webinars, company-specific meetings, written materials, regular updates on BICEP Network calls, and other presentations or avenues
• Facilitate Policy Team Equity and Environmental Justice Task Force
• Recruit companies for environmental justice (EJ) advocacy and manage company advocacy engagement on EJ topics
• Develop and implement strategies for - EJ-centered corporate and investor advocacy on climate policy solutions
• Participate in Ceres' cross-programmatic Just & Inclusive Economy (JIE) Working Group and regularly meet with and advise Ceres JIE Senior Manager on key climate and environmental justice issues and partners.
• Prepare materials and train corporate participants for engagements with press, legislative staffers, and lawmakers
• Develop strategy to advance state and federal priorities and corporate advocacy
• Track and analyze environmental, equity and climate justice legislation and developments in Congress and state legislatures
• Build strategic relationships with policymakers, staffers and peer organizations
• Use earned media, advocacy days, national & regional meetings, direct engagement with policymakers, and other strategies to impact policy positions & outcomes
• Occasionally represent Ceres at conferences, seminars, press conferences and meetings as spokesperson for project or program work
• Contribute to and facilitate trainings for Ceres staff on environmental justice policy topics
• Support organizing and logistical activities related to Ceres’ Annual Conference.
• Stay informed on broader racial justice policy opportunities and explore possibilities for the Policy Network to educate and engage external partners.
•  Support other projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• Seven years or more of direct experience working on environmental or climate justice, equity policy issues.
• Expertise in equity, environmental or climate justice at the state or federal levels
• Existing relationships with equity and environmental/climate justice organizations and advocates
• Demonstrated ability to bring an advocacy perspective to both analysis and policy advocacy and to make clear recommendations for actions and next steps.
• Experience embedding climate and environmental justice concepts into business practices, a plus.
• Prior experience managing and training staff or interns.
• Effective presentation style as well as strong speaking and written communication skills.
• Strong strategic thinking and tactical skills, and ability to mobilize constituencies toward identified goals.
• Sound judgment, sensitivity to diverse constituencies, excellent interpersonal skills, strong initiative and motivation
• Demonstrated strong project management skills of multiple, complex projects.
• Planning expertise and delivering projects on deadline and within time and resource budgets.
• Strong research and writing skills.
• Successful record of coordinating and facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogues.
• Strong meeting facilitation and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team and take a collaborative approach.
• Ability to bring a positive outlook to working at Ceres.
• Interest in being part of a diverse workforce and willingness to support Ceres’ Commitment to Inclusion and Equity
• Aptitude for learning and synthesizing complex subject matter to advance advocacy objectives.
• Willingness to travel as needed (post-pandemic).
• Proficient with word-processing, spreadsheet, presentation, database, and e-mail computer applications.

How to Apply

We encourage all applicants to review our website to familiarize themselves with Ceres before applying: www.ceres.org.  If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit a cover letter, resume, two writing samples, and a list of three references, as well as complete the additional information as instructed. 

Ceres is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate against any individual based on race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, disability, or any factors prohibited by applicable law.