Houston Texas Organizer

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:  The Houston Organizer will report to the Texas Director and work alongside Public Citizen’s other Houston-based Organizer and Researcher and local coalition partners to develop and implement campaigns to advance local clean energy and environmental policies throughout Houston and Harris County.

Responsibilities: The Organizer’s responsibilities include:

• Participation in coalitions including the W.A. Parish working group and the Coalition for Environment, Equity and Resilience.
• Participate in the Harris County climate planning process.
• Developing educational and advocacy campaigns to build community power to advance priorities including clean energy and environmental justice.
• Grassroots community organizing such as canvassing, attending community events, speaking at community meetings.
• Developing regional campaign strategy in collaboration with Public Citizen staff.
• Monitoring and attending local government meetings such as Houston City Council and Harris County Commissioner’s Court.
• Speaking publicly on behalf of Public Citizen (e.g. at Harris County Commissioner’s Court, to print or television journalists, in meetings with elected officials and staff).
• Creating factsheets, handouts, and email actions.
• Contributing to event planning, media efforts such as press conferences, blogs, and social media.
• Cultivating relationships with community groups, other organizations, and individuals in Harris County.
• Engaging with communities throughout the Houston region impacted by economic and health disparities and environmental injustice.
• Other duties as assigned.

This is a grant-contingent position based in Houston, Texas. Some travel including to our Texas headquarters in Austin is required.

Qualifications:

Education: College degree preferred but not required. Candidates without a degree should have significant professional experience in organizing, especially in Houston.

Knowledge: Familiarity with organizing strategy, social justice, Texas/Houston politics, climate change, renewable energy and air pollution.

Skills: Spanish fluency preferred but not required. Excellent written and oral communication skills. Basic competence with Microsoft Office suite, videoconferencing, and social media preferred.

Work Experience:  Some organizing experience preferred. Experience organizing in Houston strongly preferred. Nonprofit experience beneficial but not required.

Capabilities:  Self-motivated, works well with a wide range of people in a fast-paced environment, works well independently and as part of a team, manages multiple projects and work under pressure, adapts to changing situations daily; desire to learn about and advance progressive causes.

SALARY and BENEFITS:   $61,068 – $88,365

Competitive salary bases on relevant experience and qualifications and generous benefits package.  Below is a list of some of our benefits (please note that some benefits have eligibility requirements). One year grant contingent position,

• Great medical and dental coverage, 100% paid by PC, including full coverage for children
• Three weeks paid vacation for new employees, plus five personal days
• 401K plan with a 5% contribution from PC after one year of employment
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave after one year of employment
• Sabbatical after 10 years of employment
• Student loan reimbursement program

TO APPLY:

Send a letter of interest, resume, and two writing samples to [email protected]. Please put “Houston Organizer” in the subject of your email.

Public Citizen is a 501(c)(3) and (c)(4) non-profit organization.  Public Citizen employees who work for the 501 (c)(4)  are not eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.   Public Citizen is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a non-smoking workplace.  Visit our website at www.citizen.org/.

About Public Citizen:  

Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1971 to represent the public interest in Congress, the executive branch and the courts. We fight for openness and democratic accountability in government; for social and economic justice in globalization and trade policies; for clean, safe and sustainable energy; for strong health, safety and environmental protections; for safe, effective and affordable medicines and health care and for the right of consumers to seek redress in the courts. We have six divisions based in our Washington, D.C. offices and an office in Texas.

The mission of Public Citizen’s Texas office is to empower citizens to be effective advocates for the environment and against corporate and governmental irresponsibility. Since 1984, the Texas state office has worked to combat global climate change, promote the use of clean renewable energy, reduce the use of coal, and get environmental policies enforced to reduce air and water pollution. We work with numerous partner groups, including other national nonprofits and local organizations. Public Citizen has achieved important victories in Texas on energy efficiency, renewable energy and air quality issues over the past 31 years. Among our victories, we were involved in legislation that led to Texas’ wind boom; we helped draft energy efficiency legislation that led to Texas being the first in the nation to have an efficiency portfolio standard; we helped pass Texas building energy codes in 2001 and we have developed programs to reduce toxic and diesel emissions.