Midwest Organizer

General Job Description

Pesticide Action Network (PAN) North America seeks a low ego and high impact Midwest Organizer to lead and implement PAN organizing work in Minnesota and Iowa. The primary role of the Midwest Organizer will be to engage a diverse set of organizations and people concerned about children's health and pesticides in local, state and national campaigns for policy and practice change. This position combines community organizing with coalition building, social with traditional media, and policy change advocacy.

A core part of PAN's strategy is "grassroots science," where communities on the front lines of pesticide exposure work with a PAN scientist to plan and implement a project documenting pesticides in the air or water where children live, learn and play. The Midwest Organizer will liaise between community-based organizations and PAN scientific/technical staff, and ensure that grassroots science efforts build momentum as part of local, state and/or national campaigns for change. PAN is committed to building the strength of the organizing effort across race and class, with a primary focus on rural communities. A skillful ability to engage with diverse communities and build an effective and powerful multi-racial coalition is a must.

The ideal candidate will bring four-plus years organizing experience, formal organizing training and a commitment to continued learning; be bilingual in Spanish and English; math and tech savvy; a good writer for social media; a strategic thinker; and thrive on building public relationships as part of an organizing effort for change. We're looking for someone who wants to work as an organizer within PAN's national network of organizations and individuals, headquartered in San Francisco. The Organizer will be based in Minnesota or Iowa, with periodic travel to San Francisco.

We seek someone who thrives in productive conflict, benefits from consultative and collaborative process, loves to work as part of a team and who enjoys the dynamic of a fast-paced organization. As a lone PAN staff in the Midwest, you are motivated and work well independently. You are able to build strong, productive relationships with organizations of people on the front lines of pesticide exposure: farm families, farmworkers, concerned parents from many backgrounds, Indigenous nations, and others. You are familiar with and passionate around issues of sustainable agriculture and/or environmental health and justice.

Competitive compensation depending on qualifications and experience, with generous benefits. Reports to the Organizing Director.

The Organization Pesticide Action Network North America works to replace the use of hazardous pesticides with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives. Headquartered in San Francisco, we are one of five PAN Regional Centers worldwide. We link local and international consumer, labor, health, human rights, environment and agriculture groups into an international citizens' action network. This network challenges the global proliferation of pesticides, defends basic rights to health and environmental quality, and works to ensure the transition to a just and viable society. More detailed descriptions are available at www.panna.org.

Responsibilities:

Organizing

• Build productive public relationships with parents' groups, health professionals, farm family organizations, farmworker groups and others that lead in the first nine months to the creation of at least four air monitoring projects near places where children live, learn or play in Iowa and Minnesota, each.
• Build leaders from engaged organizations that are interested in changing local and state policies on pesticides.
• Identify issue campaigns in Minnesota and Iowa that build engagement and power on pesticide issues.
• In Year Two, have laid the groundwork to launch a multi-racial coalition rooted in rural community leadership focused on pesticide policy change across Iowa and Minnesota.

Administration

• Lead the PAN Midwest office and liaise with San Francisco-based staff.
• Participate in strategic planning and evaluation.

Advocacy writing

• Track and get up to speed on issues and bodies of research as needed.
• Write for traditional media and social media, both, in weekly or bi-weekly blog posts, OpEds or other thought pieces in response to opportunities to change the public conversation on our issues.

Campaign coordination

• Work with PAN program teams and partner organizations to win policy change.
• Partner with PAN's Scientist to ensure that Grassroots Science monitoring projects advance campaign objectives and build community power.

Qualifications:

• Experience:

o Four-plus years organizing experience

o Successful multi-racial campaign experience

• Excellent verbal and writing skills, including the ability to translate technical information into lay terms that inspire action
• Experience working with diverse communities, and making scientific analysis meaningful for a variety of audiences
• Spanish/English fluency
• Very strong drive
• Strong project management skills and follow-through
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Familiarity with Google apps and a Mac environment is helpful, though not necessary
• Ability to work in diverse teams, and manage time and workload effectively
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, take initiative and solve problems creatively
• Understanding of environmental health, social justice and/or food system reform is strongly preferred
• Valid drivers' license and safe driving record, and willingness to travel throughout Minnesota and Iowa regularly
• Ability to travel to San Francisco for an initial two-week orientation and training and regular check-ins with San Francisco office staff
• Preferred start: October

PAN strongly encourages applications from people of color and people with international experience. For more information about PAN North America please visit: http://www.panna.org