Overview
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a U.S. and international environmental action organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our staff has helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, and many implementing regulations. Our cases enforcing and defending federal and state environmental laws have played a major role shaping current environmental policy throughout the country. Our staff of more than 600 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy and communications experts, and others, work out of offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Bozeman, and Beijing.
Position Summary:
NRDC is seeking an experienced attorney or policy advocate for our Alaska Project, working in NRDC’s office in Washington, DC or San Francisco with periodic travel to Alaska and elsewhere, providing highly effective advocacy, collaboration, and leadership in challenging, high stakes conservation campaigns across a spectrum of forums, focusing principally on federal public lands and waters in Alaska.
Responsibilities
- Conducting successful advocacy related to conservation of natural areas and wildlife in and offshore Alaska, preferably including legal advocacy;
- Coordinating with and enhancing the advocacy efforts of other groups working to conserve natural values and places in Alaska, including local and regional partners and Alaska Natives;
- Developing strong substantive expertise in scientific, technical, and legal issues relevant to Alaska conservation;
- Collaborating with and providing expertise and strategic assistance to NRDC staff in other projects and programs;
- Drafting briefing papers, formal comments, testimony, and other advocacy documents;
- Communicating effectively with media professionals about Alaska conservation issues;
- Contributing to NRDC public communications, including social media;
- Assisting with outreach to NRDC members, donors, and funders;
- Staffing NRDC leadership for high level meetings; and
- Contributing to making NRDC’s work more relevant to diverse communities and interest groups;
Qualifications
- Either (i) a law degree or advanced degree in the natural sciences and a minimum of 3 years’ professional experience related to federal policy advocacy (including time in a policy-related congressional or agency staff position), or (ii) a relevant bachelor’s degree and 5 years’ such experience;
- Demonstrated success both (i) working collegially on and (ii) providing leadership in, policy advocacy;
- Strong aptitude for mastering scientific and technical background for policy debates; and
- Highly developed writing skills.
- Experience with Geographic Information Systems is desirable but not required.
- Ability to travel to other NRDC offices and Alaska on a monthly basis.
To apply, please visit www.nrdc.org/jobs and upload your resume and cover letter through our online portal. Please no phone calls, emails, faxes or in-person resume drop-offs. Please reference where you saw this posting. NRDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.