Company description

The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is an alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates for federal policy reform to advance the sustainability of agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities.

For 30 years, NSAC’s stellar track record of policy accomplishments has been guided by a vision of agriculture where a safe, nutritious, ample, and affordable food supply is produced by a legion of family farmers who make a decent living pursuing their trade, while protecting the environment, and contributing to the strength and stability of their communities. Racial equity – an understanding and acknowledgment of historical and ongoing racial inequities and a commitment to actions challenging those inequities – is a core NSAC tenet, and we seek to embed it in our structure, analysis, policy development, and advocacy.
 

NSAC member groups advance common positions to support small and mid-size family farms, protect natural resources, promote healthy rural communities, and ensure access to healthy, nutritious foods by everyone.  By bringing grassroots perspectives to the table normally dominated by big business, NSAC levels the playing field and gives voice to sustainable and organic farmers.  
 

Job description The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) is seeking a passionate and collaborative policy advocate who will support our Coalition’s conservation policy portfolio. The Conservation Policy Specialist must be deeply committed to serving the sustainable agriculture movement and its federal policy work and to becoming an integral part of our high-performing, dedicated, and diverse team. The Conservation Policy Specialist is a full-time, salaried position and is based in Washington, DC. This position will report to NSAC’s Policy Director.

 

POSITION SUMMARY

NSAC advocates on a wide range of federal farm and food policy issues, including conservation, food systems, farm programs, research, and food safety. Each Policy Specialist focuses on a variety of those issues and interacts with coalition members through issue-specific policy committees. The open position focuses on agricultural conservation and environmental issues, with a specific focus on working lands conservation programs, climate change, renewable energy, and farmland protection programs. In addition, each policy specialist also supports the rest of the policy team and helps to further our racial equity efforts through engagement with NSAC’s Diversity Committee. 

 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• Act as the lead staff to NSAC’s Conservation, Energy, and Environment (CEE) Issue Committee, helping the Committee develop and advance administrative, regulatory and legislative priorities; and interface with NSAC grassroots staff and Coalition members on campaign strategy and actions
• Advocate with executive branch agencies (USDA, EPA, etc.) and on Capitol Hill on a regular basis
• Draft policy materials, including policy papers, testimony, legislation, rulemaking comment letters, program analysis reports, and regular policy blog posts
• Contribute to the organization’s annual priority setting, fundraising, and coalition-wide meetings
• Apply an equity lens to all work, and strive to advance racial equity both within the coalition’s internal processes and through its external campaigns and policy goals
• Represent NSAC at partner meetings, coalitions, conferences, and to the media in DC and nationwide

 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• An understanding of and passion for sustainable agriculture and food systems
• Four or more years of legal, regulatory, agency, legislative, or lobbying experience, or other significant agricultural policy experience
• Strong grasp of federal working lands conservation programs and related issues
• A strong working knowledge of the federal policy-making process
• Experience working with global majority communities, and an understanding of how racial inequality impacts American agriculture and politics
• Excellent written and verbal communications and public speaking skills, including ability to translate complex federal regulations and policies into farmer-friendly materials and talks
• Commitment to working collaboratively with a wide, diverse range of partners and colleagues
• Willingness to travel domestically several times a year

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Experience working in a Congressional office or federal agency
• Background with grassroots advocacy campaigns
• Experience with print, radio, and online media
• Experience with large, multi-organization grassroots coalitions
• Cross-cultural communication skills, including but not limited to bilingual fluency in a language other than English

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

NSAC offers a competitive non-profit salary and benefits. Salary will be dependent on qualifications and experience, $60,000+. This full-time position offers excellent benefits (as per the employee handbook), including generous vacation and other time-off policy, health, dental, and long-term disability insurance, contributions after two years in a retirement plan, financial support for professional and personal development, and a pleasant, collaborative, professional working environment. Compensation this position is : salaried Application instructions DeadlineSeptember 30, 2019