The Center for Science in the Public Interest, Policy Coordinator

Policy Coordinator

 The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) helped lead the effort for passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, a landmark law that got soda and most junk food out of schools and ensures that school meals provide more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and less salt and saturated fat. We work to ensure that school meals remain nutritious for the 30 million school children, most of whom are low-income, who participate in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs. Unfortunately, this progress has stalled, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made healthy school meals even more critical for children.

 We are searching for a Policy Coordinator, working as part of the school foods team, to primarily build CSPI’s body of advocacy resources for federal, state, and local school food priorities and help coordinate coalition activity. This position will report to the Senior Policy Associate, and is located in CSPI’s Washington, DC office or remotely. The anticipated start date for this position is February 1, 2022.

 Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Research and write reports, letters, fact sheets, and other advocacy and web‐based materials to urge policymakers, companies, and schools to strengthen school nutrition standards.
• Organize coalition meetings and activities, including meetings with federal policymakers.
• Work with communications team on traditional and social media campaigns for school foods.
• Create social media content, email action alerts, help keep web content updated, and assist in cultivating CSPI’s online community.
• Work with policy team, coalition partners, and grantees to coordinate joint efforts to support implementation of campaign goals and strategies.
• Conduct email outreach to state agencies, school districts, and companies to support school food priorities.
• Track state and local legislation and policies, ranging from legislation, budget, local wellness policies, and other policies.
• Maintain coalition databases, lists, and email addresses and assist with administrative and team support activities, as requested.
• Assist with organizing events, including briefings, conferences, webinars, and meetings

Qualifications 

The ideal candidate would possess:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• At least one-two years of experience working in an office environment and demonstrated interest in equity, nutrition, public health, or public policy.
• Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work as part of a cross-disciplinary team in a collegial manner.
• Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the intersection of public health and social justice and ability to promote it throughout the work.

• Excellent attention to detail, research and writing skills, including ability to analyze and synthesize research, food and beverage nutrition information, and legislation.
• Experience entering data and working with large quantitative datasets preferred. Some experience with quantitative data entry or Microsoft Excel usage required.
• Proficiency with MSOffice applications (especially basic Excel skills), social media, advocacy tools and other web-based applications.
• Basic knowledge of evidence-based food and nutrition recommendations for health preferred.
• Excellent judgment and consistent professionalism, with the intellectual agility and the ability to work effectively with multiple priorities and frequent deadlines.

• Interest in and commitment to CSPI’s work and mission.

About CSPI

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, America’s food and health watchdog, is one of the nation’s leading public health advocacy organizations with a 50-year record of fighting for science in the public interest. We’ve led efforts to win passage of many state and local policies to improve school foods and remove sugary drinks from children’s menus. National policy successes include the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act; Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act; Food Safety Modernization Act; and Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act.

CSPI on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

CSPI is committed to including and valuing diverse voices and fostering a culture that ensures all staff feel a sense of belonging and are encouraged to be their best selves. In that spirit, each of us is committed to putting in constant work to live up to our organization’s core values:

• We are inclusive. We seek to foster an environment where all staff feel a sense of belonging and are affirmed. We are not looking for everyone to think and look the same. We actively welcome and value staff with different experiences, backgrounds, attributes, abilities, and perspectives.
• We are open. We are honest and direct in how we communicate with each other in order to build trust and integrity within our organization.
• We are accountable. We acknowledge and assume responsibility for our actions.
• We are kind. We communicate and treat one another in a respectful, generous, considerate, and compassionate way.
• We are collaborative. We work together for the common good and shared success.

Compensation

The salary range is $40,000-$45,000, based on experience. This is a one-year grant funded position with the potential to extend, contingent upon funding availability. CSPI offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: 3 weeks of annual vacation leave; additional paid holiday leave between December 24 and January 1; 8 weeks of paid parental leave; excellent medical and dental insurance with CSPI paying a significant portion of employee and dependent premiums; and a three percent employer match contribution to the retirement plan after one year of service. 

To Apply

Please use CSPI's Paylocity Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to apply for the Policy Coordinator position. You will be asked to submit a resume and cover letter indicating relevant experience and interest. The application deadline is November 24, 2021. 

Click to Apply: Policy Coordinator

 

CSPI is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspective, and skills and encourage people of diverse ages, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, disabilities, religions, races, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, work, and life experiences to apply.