Food & Water Watch is looking for a Food Policy Analyst to join our Policy team and help support campaigns and craft policy, to protect our food, water, and climate. The Food Policy Analyst will work closely with policymakers, reporters, and other staff at Food & Water Watch.
About Food & Water Watch:
Food & Water Watch is working to create a healthy future for all people and generations to come—a world where everyone has food they can trust, clean drinking water and a livable climate. Making this happen requires involving people in the pressing issues of our time at the local, state, and federal level, building on one win after another, as we develop a larger movement that has the political power to make our democratic process work.
About the position:
The Food Policy Analyst will report to the Senior Food Policy Analyst and will work with other staff on the policy and communications teams to support Food & Water Watch’s work. This is a one-year, temporary position. The Food Policy Analyst works in Food & Water Watch’s organizing and advocacy campaigns around food and sustainable agriculture. The position tracks federal and state policy and lobbies in support of our strategic food campaigns.
This position will track and inform the organization’s response to the administration and Congress’s attacks on access to safe and affordable food including, rollbacks to meals-on-wheels, school lunches, SNAP, food inspections, foodborne illness research, and other federal programs. While touching all of these issues, this position will maintain a special focus on food safety and the impacts of cuts to critical food programs. This position will also work closely with the communications department to help develop and produce materials both for Food & Water Watch social media and web, but also for traditional media. This position is a Union position covered under a contract between Food & Water Watch and the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU).
Salary: $69,600-$77,700
Location: Washington DC area, Temporary One Year Position
Responsibilities:
- Track federal and state policy relating to our food campaign work, and keep the Policy Team staff informed. May also lend support as needed to policy needs for our water, climate and energy campaigns.
- Assist in the development of organizational responses or positions relative to existing or proposed policies.
- Produce letters, emails, op-eds, briefs, web content and other campaign materials to educate allies, opinion leaders, policymakers, the press and the public about the impact of policies on our organizational programs and interests.
- Work closely with the research and communications teams to highlight impacts of cuts to food safety and other critical food programs. This position will include some related research and writing.
- Develop events and meetings such as petition deliveries, webinars, briefings, lobby days, etc.
- Cultivate strong and enduring relationships with Capitol Hill offices and relevant agency officials, lobbying them in support of legislative and regulatory priorities.
- Collaborate with coalitions and partner organizations to advance campaign priorities.
- Work with our communications department to advance campaign objectives via traditional and social media, including press monitoring and drafting press releases and social media content.
- Carry out other projects, as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, political science, or related field. Candidates with Bachelor’s degrees in other fields are welcome to apply if they demonstrate relevant experience in food and/or environmental policy, such as through internships and job experiences, major research projects, etc.
- Experience: 3 to 6 years of relevant experience in food and/or environmental policy advocacy.
- Communications Skills: Outstanding writing skills, with the ability to write clearly and concisely for diverse audiences and translate technical materials into everyday language. Ability to speak with media and make public presentations.
- Computer Skills: An individual should be able to work in a computerized environment and have adequate knowledge of word processing, email, internet and spreadsheet software, and proficiency with Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Coursework or certification in Microsoft Office products is a plus.
COMPETENCIES: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
- Interpersonal Skills: Maintains confidentiality; remains open to others’ ideas; exhibits willingness to try new ways of doing things.
- Oral Communication: Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification.
- Written Communication: Writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling and has excellent grammar and proofreading skills; presents numerical data effectively and is able to read and interpret written information.
- Planning/organizing: Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently and develops realistic action plans; meets deadlines and adheres to specific timelines; tracks multiple processes to meet goals for timeliness.
- Quality control: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness and looks for ways to improve and promote quality of own work; promotes and upholds office policies and procedures.
- Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment; handles several projects concurrently; is able to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events.
- Problem-solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully.
- Judgment: Displays willingness to make timely decisions; exhibits high-level, sound and accurate judgment.
- Safety and security: Actively promotes and personally observes safety and security procedures; uses equipment and materials properly.
- Teamwork: Contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of team above own interests; supports everyone’s efforts to succeed; provides excellent internal and external customer service.
- Diversity: Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; promotes a harassment-free environment.
- Ethics: Treats people with respect and dignity; works with integrity and ethically upholds FWW’s mission and values.
Compensation: $69,600.00-$77,700.00 dependent upon experience.
Food & Water Watch provides an excellent benefits package for full-time employees. This includes 100% employer-paid health, dental and vision plans for staff; 403b retirement plans with employer contribution once eligible; 12 weeks paid parental leave; 3 weeks vacation for new employees; 12 sick days and 5 personal days; paid federal holidays and winter break (December 24 – January 1).
Click here to apply. Please include your resume, cover letter, writing sample, and three professional references to be considered. Position open until filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered. We will review your application and if we feel that your knowledge, skills and abilities are potentially a good match for our organization, we will be in contact with you.
Food & Water Watch is an equal opportunity employer who encourages applications from women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and other members of underrepresented groups. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.
Food & Water Watch (FWW) is committed to the health and safety of its staff members. Moreover, FWW, as an organization, promotes science-based policy. Science clearly shows that unvaccinated populations drive the spread of the coronavirus and the emergence of new variants, and that unvaccinated people are more likely to contract COVID and experience severe symptoms. Effective immediately, prospective new staff members are required to provide proof of vaccination or request a waiver as a condition of their offer of employment.