Senior Forest, Land & Climate Finance Policy Advocate (Band C) Remote

Who We Are:

Friends of the Earth-U.S., founded by David Brower in 1969, is the U.S. voice of the world’s largest federation of grassroots environmental groups, with a presence in 75 countries. Friends of the Earth is a hard-hitting, progressive environmental organization that pulls no punches and speaks sometimes uncomfortable truth to power. It’s an approach that has worked over the last 50 years, resulting in landmark environmental laws, precedent-setting legal victories and groundbreaking reforms of domestic and international regulatory, corporate, and financial institution policies.

To accomplish our mission, Friends of the Earth works at the nexus of environmental protection, economic policy, and social justice to fundamentally transform the way our country and the world value people and the environment.

Deforestation is at the center of some of the planet’s most urgent, overlapping crises: the global climate emergency, unprecedented species loss, and an epidemic of violence against land and environmental defenders. Friends of the Earth’s International Forests program works to address the root causes of forest destruction and the marginalization of forest-dwelling communities by pressuring the world’s largest financial institutions to “defund deforestation;” advancing legislative and regulatory solutions; and amplifying the voices and struggles of frontline environmental human rights defenders.

What We Look For: 

Are you a passionate social change activist with a deep ecology vision, an international perspective and a keen critical sensibility oriented towards climate justice and social transformation? Are you a creative thinker and talented communicator? Are you a believer in using creative policy and mobilizing solutions to achieve large scale system change?  Are you comfortable in policy debates and social movement spaces? Are you able to engage confidently with policy makers and corporate executives, while representing a bold progressive agenda? Are you a team player with a collaborative, movement-building mindset, excellent interpersonal communication skills, and an ability to work dynamically both independently and as part of a team?

If so, this is the position for you. We want you to succeed and we want to pay you a competitive wage that is in line with your experience. The salary range for this full-time remote role is $71,000-$79,000. Offers are determined based on relevant skills and experience required for the position.

Who You Are:

• Relationship Builder: Build and maintain key relationships with journalists and social media influencers. Support and foster engagement with grassroots and frontline allies around the world to inform and take part in campaign activities.
• Strong Communicator and Results Oriented: Develop effective communication strategies and produce materials (e.g., policy reports and memos, case studies, op-eds, petitions, and sign-on letters) to advance policies that promote climate and land justice.
• Collaborative Team Member: Collaborate with our hard-hitting team to lead Friends of the Earth’s policy work related to deforestation, land use and climate change. This includes policy engagement efforts at state and federal levels and relevant U.S. government agencies (e.g., US Treasury, State Department). Partner with allies globally to advocate for private finance shifts and strong implementation of rights-oriented climate and land use policies among key agribusiness, consumer goods and financial sector companies, and at standard setting bodies.

Required Qualifications for Senior Forest, Land & Climate Finance Policy Advocate:    

• At least six (6) years of experience (or a combination of education and experience) in a similar or related role including unpaid, grassroots or lived experience, and demonstrated success in policy advocacy, research, and organizing, with a minimum of two (2) years of demonstrated experience in policy advocacy (public policy and/or with the private sector).
• A passion for action on climate change, a commitment to social justice, and a sophisticated understanding of the links between land use, deforestation, climate, and human rights.
• Excellent analytical, decision-making, team building, time management, prioritization and networking skills, flexibility, and creativity. Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to inspire trust and respect among your peers.
• Ability to balance and successfully complete a wide range of campaign activities including advocacy, public speaking, policy development, research, and communications.
• Demonstrated oral and written communication skills and comfort with presenting material to a wide range of audiences, including the public, the press, businesses, and government officials.
• In depth understanding of the intersection between land, food and climate, the connection of food justice to racial justice, and the benefits of agroecological farming systems.
• Ability to travel frequently to Washington DC (if not based in DC) and other locations as needed (Once Covid restrictions are lifted).
• Skilled in Microsoft Word, Excel, Office, and basic Microsoft programs.
• All candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. FoE does not sponsor any employment related visas.

Preferred Qualifications:   

• A Master’s degree in political science, agriculture, food systems, environmental science, public policy, international affairs, or related field.
• Experience working in U.S. based and international organizing and movement spaces. We value lived experience and social commitment lived or from the grassroots.
• Experience working on issues of racial, economic, and/or worker justice.
• Proven project management skills including proficiency in managing budgets, delivering on timelines, coordinating plans across partners and allies.
• An understanding of international financial institutions and global agricultural supply chains (deforestation, land grabbing, regenerative agriculture).
• Familiarity with ESG strategies for investors and financial institutions.
• Fluency in Spanish and/or Portuguese or Bahasa Indonesia.

Perks & Benefits:

We are a generous employer with benefits that will take care of you. In addition to a competitive salary, we provide:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 100% employer paid medical, dental and vision coverage (80% for eligible dependents)
• Disability and Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• 401(k) retirement program with company contribution and company match
• Generous Leave Policy-twenty (20) vacation days to start, fifteen (15) paid holidays, twenty (20) sick days, parental leave, sabbatical and more.
• Education Reimbursement and Employee Assistance Program

Friends of the Earth is an equal opportunity employer who encourages applications from women, people of color and other members of underrepresented groups who will contribute to the diversity of its staff.