Join our Winning Team
Work in the burgeoning climate movement in the increasingly progressive state of Virginia while joining a team of talented advocates and organizers at the forefront of Virginia’s sprint toward clean energy. Work with our diverse and committed supporters as part of a cutting-edge group that Bill McKibben calls “the best grassroots regional climate organization in the world.”
About Us
The Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is the only group in the Chesapeake region of Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. dedicated exclusively to building a powerful grassroots movement to fight climate change. We envision an equitable energy future where truly clean sources of power — efficiency, solar and wind — sustain every aspect of our lives, and dirty fossil fuels are phased out.
In Virginia, we fight for solutions that match the scale of the climate crisis the state is facing. Never has our work been more important as we continue to face the dismantling of our climate and environmental protections at the national level. For over a decade, we have been pushing the envelope of what’s “politically possible” in Virginia, using every tool available – from organizing to lobbying to the law. We helped stop an $8 billion pipeline, weakening one of the nation’s most powerful polluters (Dominion Energy), and we are standing in the way of two other fracked gas pipelines. In 2020, we led the charge towards the first 100% clean electricity mandate in the south.
About the Position
The Policy fellow will have the skills, passion and commitment to take on one of the biggest problems facing our planet in a state newly committed to tackling it. The ideal candidate will be just as excited to help track bills as they move through the General Assembly as they will to research policy options and generate corresponding memos to Virginia’s state director.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this position will rely heavily on remote project management and the utilization of digital tools.
What You Will Do
The primary responsibilities of the position include:
- Legislative Research:
- Conduct legislative research, produce legislative memos and talking points focused on phasing out fossil fuels and reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.
- Monitor and regularly update staff about our priority legislation.
- Draft and research language for memos and talking points related to environmental justice, fossil fuel and vehicle pollution reduction, and transit.
Content Creation:
- Provide content for CCAN’s websites.
- Draft policy memos for coalition priority policies
Bill outreach and education:
- Attend at least three meetings to educate legislators, journalists, and other leaders about emerging policy challenges and opportunities.
- Attend committee meetings to testify on key legislation.
- Attend and take notes during related coalition meetings
- Collaborate with partners to create and execute lobbying strategies to ensure passage of key legislation
- Assist with CCAN’s virtual lobby day
Qualifications
- Qualified candidates will display the following capabilities and qualities:
- Priority consideration will be given to current university students
- Commitment to the mission of fighting climate change and promoting environmental justice.
- Tech-savvy – ability to quickly learn new online tools.
- Proven ability to be self-driven, while working effectively with a team
- Proven ability to multitask, while prioritizing measurable results
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Problem-solver; someone who thinks of solutions more than barriers
The Details
This fellowship will focus on the Commonwealth of Virginia and will be remote. The Policy fellow reports to the Virginia Director. Mileage reimbursement is available for all CCAN-required travel.
*The Richmond Policy fellow position can be performed remotely until health professionals lift social distancing and telework guidelines due to the coronavirus pandemic*
Compensation is $15.00 per hour for 25 hours per week during the Winter/Spring semester over a period of approximately 15 weeks. Anticipated start date is early January, 2021.
How to Apply: Please fill out the Google form application, by November 13th, 2020, 11:59pm EST. You will be prompted to answer a series of short questions and asked to submit a resume. A writing sample is optional.
We are accepting applications on a rolling basis. CCAN is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse workforce. We value bringing a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives on staff because it makes us smarter and more effective at what we do and, ultimately, we want our staff and supporters to reflect the communities we organize. We are seeking to recruit individuals from underrepresented groups to apply for this position.