🚀 Maryland PIRG State Director

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About PIRG

PIRG is an advocate for the public interest. We speak out for the public and stand up to special interests on problems that affect the public's health, safety and well-being.

How is it possible that, in the richest country the world has ever seen, dissatisfaction is rising and life expectancy is lower than in any other high-income country? Is it just inequality? Or could it be that, in the name of producing and consuming more "stuff," we’ve lost sight, as a society, of what really matters — including health, well-being, community, and a clean environment? PIRG’s mission is to spotlight these problems and find new solutions. Let\'s make more of the things we need reusable, repairable and recyclable, instead of single-use and designed for obsolescence.

Let\'s choose conservation and renewable energy over fossil fuels. Let\'s value clean air and water over short-term profits and lower costs. Let\'s grow food that nurtures us as well as the land, with fewer pesticides, antibiotics and other quick fixes. Getting governments and corporations to make these choices is hard, and steps in the right direction are almost always small. But we have a 50-year track record of training and putting even our newest staff in a position to overcome powerful interests and win real results for the public interest.

Duties

As our state director, you’ll work with the national program team at PIRG to advance and build public support for policies that improve the quality of our health, our environment, and our well-being. This position requires exercising discretion and independent judgment in making decisions in matters of significance.

Representative responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Program development and strategy: Help develop and implement our priority campaigns, participating in policy development, research and messaging.
• Coalition building: Identify, reach out to and work with partners who can help us win our campaigns both through formal coalitions and informal alliances, including unlikely allies who might agree with us on one issue, even if we disagree on other issues.
• Communications and media outreach: Generate strong earned media, opinion media, and social media for our campaigns. You will serve as a public spokesperson for our campaigns through media events, press releases, editorial board meetings and other outreach, with a goal of building name recognition for the organization, educating the public about our issues and building and demonstrating support for our positions.
• Advocacy : Bring problems and solutions to the attention of decision-makers—including federal district office staff, state legislators, the Governor’s staff, state regulators and local officials. Develop appropriate messages and materials for making the case for our policy solutions to decision makers. Build relationships with key players.
• Research and write reports: If needed, you may help analyze data relevant to the issue and our policy proposals to help influence public debate and earn media attention for our cause.
• Fundraising and grassroots support: Write grant proposals, build relationships with foundation staff and meet with large donors, all to bring more resources to our campaigns. Work with our citizen outreach staff to build and develop our grassroots membership base.
• Recruitment and training: Recruit and train new interns and volunteers to increase our impact and build more power. Participate in recruitment of new staff.

Qualifications

The ideal candidates would have at least 5 of relevant professional experience. Qualified candidates will have a demonstrated commitment to advancing the public interest and to trans-partisan social change, as well as a track-record of leadership. We’re looking for goal-driven and results-oriented individuals who have excellent writing and analytical skills, the ability to speak persuasively in a charged atmosphere, and enthusiasm for our work.

Application instructions

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