Industry Accountability Associate

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is searching for an Industry Accountability Associate who will support corporate pressure and engagement campaigns across all CSPI issue areas to hold food and beverage companies accountable for the public health impact of their products and practices. Corporate campaigns will span topics including reducing harmful processed food and beverage marketing (e.g., Flatten Big Soda), calling out industry influence in policy and politics, and pressuring the food industry to make healthier products more accessible across our food environment, including in schools, retail, and prisons.

The Industry Accountability Associate will support CSPI’s corporate advocacy efforts, including advocacy-related research and event planning for specific campaigns, drafting communication materials, and contributing to a media strategy. They will connect CSPI’s issue area experts to support industry accountability efforts integral to their campaigns and coordinate cross-cutting corporate work across the organization.

This is a full-time, grant-funded position for a period of up to 14 months. The Industry Accountability Associate is a member of the Programs Department and reports to the Deputy Director overseeing the organization-wide industry accountability initiatives.

CSPI’s office is in Washington, DC, where we offer a hybrid work environment, but many of our staff work remotely at locations across the US. We will consider DC-based or remote applicants within the US.

About CSPI

Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), “Your Food and Health Watchdog,” is one of the nation’s leading public health advocacy organizations, with a 50-year record of fighting for public health and a food system that makes healthy, sustainable food accessible to all.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the development and execution of industry accountability campaigns to pressure food and beverage companies to improve their products and practices.
• Conduct advocacy research, including identifying problematic practices and products, reviewing shareholder reports and other publicly available corporate documents, as well as materials generated under the Freedom of Information Act.
• Draft petitions, email action alerts, social media scripts, op-eds, website content, and other advocacy communications materials.
• Organize email communications, meeting requests, scheduling, and other communications with corporate contacts.
• Coordinate and consult with cross-cutting teams of CSPI programs, communications, and science staff to execute an impactful corporate accountability portfolio.
• Lead cross-cutting internal meetings, contribute to fundraising efforts, and provide metrics and materials necessary for grant reporting.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of professional experience in executing food and nutrition, corporate accountability, or related policy advocacy campaigns, including corporate engagement or accountability efforts, and communications or media strategies.
• Communications training/experience preferred, including experience developing effective content for traditional and social media.
• Advanced education preferred (MS, MPP, MPH, or the equivalent—counts as two years of experience).
• Commitment to and track record of advancing public health, nutrition, or food safety through work or education.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to produce high-quality written materials.
• Excellent judgment and consistent professionalism, with the ability to take responsibility for multiple projects and deadlines.
• Ability to work as part of a cross-disciplinary team in a collegial manner.
• Proficiency with MSOffice applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.

CSPI on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

CSPI is committed to including and valuing diverse voices and fostering a culture that ensures all staff feel a sense of belonging and are encouraged to be their best selves. In that spirit, each of us is committed to putting in constant work to live up to our organization’s core values:

• We are inclusive. We seek to foster an environment where all staff feel a sense of belonging and are affirmed. We actively welcome and value staff with different experiences, backgrounds, attributes, abilities, and perspectives.
• We are open. We are honest and direct in how we communicate with each other.
• We are kind. We communicate and treat one another in a respectful, generous, considerate, and compassionate way.
• We are collaborative. We work together for the common good and shared success.
• We are accountable. We acknowledge and assume responsibility for our actions, learn from our mistakes with humility, and change course when circumstances warrant.

CSPI offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: 3 weeks of annual vacation leave; additional paid holiday leave between December 24 and January 1; 8 weeks of paid parental leave; excellent medical and dental insurance with CSPI paying a significant portion of employee and dependent premiums; and a 3% employer match contribution to the retirement plan after six months of service. We also offer ½ day Fridays, which means full-time staff work 36 hours per week.