Public Citizen seeks TCEQ Campaign Director (Austin, TX)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:  The TCEQ Campaign Director will plan and execute a new campaign to hold the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) accountable for failing in its mission to protect public health and the environment. We are looking for a skilled advocate with experience working with the TCEQ. The TCEQ Campaign Coordinator will report to the Texas Director and work out of our Austin, TX office. The position is grant contingent, full-time and hybrid work-from-home and in-office.

Responsibilities:

• Monitor TCEQ activities and develop critiques of the agency.
• Attend TCEQ meetings, review agendas and identify priorities, report on agenda activities.
• Develop and manage a roster of issue-area experts–including community experts–to weigh in on specific agency actions or matters.
• Develop campaign media plan and provide a point of contact for media and provide spokespersons for different topics from relevant organizations or community leaders.
• Direct the creation of reports with data-driven critiques such as enforcement, pollution, and permitting.
• Prioritize specific agency actions or issues for potential earned or social media campaigns.
• Provide written or verbal testimony at TCEQ meetings.
• Create and maintain a network of environmental stakeholders to include advocacy leaders, experts, and members of the public.

• Develop and maintain an email list, regular group meetings, individual meetings, and periodic community-oriented updates with stakeholders.
• Coordinate meetings with agency staff and leadership.
• Produce periodic written updates of agency actions and public response efforts.
• Monitor TCEQ listservs and notices and share opportunities with relevant stakeholders such as subject matter experts, impacted communities or groups, and elected officials.
• Coordinate responses to opportunities including through written and oral comments, meeting attendance, and public and media outreach. Represent Public Citizen and the campaign to the media, state leadership, and our allies.
• Build power in communities to help people understand and engage with the TCEQ effectively.
• Identifying common values that will generate a culture-shift in public accountability and agency oversight of industrial pollution.

• Assist in basic education about the agency including its role, its failures, and how they affect public health and the environment.
• Direct technical assistance needed to enable public participation at TCEQ including with public comments.

Qualifications:
Education: College degree preferred but not required. Candidates without a degree should have significant experience with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Knowledge: Working knowledge of environmental policy in Texas. General knowledge of state administrative law and environmental policy. Familiarity with the work of environmental and public health advocacy and community organizing in Texas.
Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills. Basic competence with Microsoft Office suite, videoconferencing, and social media preferred.
Work Experience: Professional experience of 5-7 years with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) preferred. Nonprofit advocacy 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 work under pressure, adapts to changing situations, desire to learn about and advance progressive causes.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Competitive non-profit salary commensurate with experience; good medical and dental coverage; three weeks paid vacation for new employees.  Salary $98,266
Benefits include:

• 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 ashelley@citizen.org. Please put “TCEQ Campaign Coordinator in the subject of your email.

Public Citizen is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, LGBT candidates are encouraged to apply.