[GreenYes] Job opening in Michigan

[Mike Garfield <michaelg@no.address>]

Please forward this announcement to all interested parties.

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Job Announcement

Environmental Health Campaigner

The Ecology Center is seeking a talented and experienced advocate to organize grassroots, legislative and market campaigns for environmental health.

Organization
The Ecology Center is a Michigan-based environmental organization that works for a safe and healthy environment where people live, work, and play. Founded in 1970, the Ecology Center has approximately 6,000 members and supporters, 12 staff persons, several part-time consultants and interns, and an 11-person Board of Directors.  In recent years, the Ecology Center has led successful campaigns to close down Michigan's medical waste incinerators, improve the environmental performance of the auto industry, and save thousands of acres of working farms and valuable natural areas. The Ecology Center is the parent organization of Recycle Ann Arbor, also a nonprofit organization, which operates the premier recycling program in the state of Michigan.

Job Responsibilities
The Ecology Center’s Environmental Health Project works to protect people’s health from toxic chemicals.   The Project's focus includes education of key constituencies on the link between the environment and health, advocacy campaigns for non-toxic manufacturing and safe consumer products, and state and national policy initiatives for reform of chemicals policy.  We run campaigns in market sectors including health care, chemicals and pesticides, and we work in coalition with several leading environmental health campaigns nationally, including Health Care Without Harm and Coming Clean.  In addition, the Ecology Center’s Auto Project coordinates national campaigns to phase out the use of toxic chemicals in the auto industry.


Our staff are advocates who translate cutting edge environmental science into calls for changes in policy and in the marketplace. We work in an informal, team atmosphere, where individual initiative and priority setting is expected. Our methods emphasize research and scientific credibility, developing reports, fact sheets and websites, grassroots organizing with public health, environmental and health-impacted communities, and crafting effective stories for the media.  

Primary responsibilities include: 

• Working with the newly-formed Michigan Environmental Health Network, a coalition of health care professionals and environmentalists working to enact cutting-edge statewide environmental health policies.  
• Strategizing with our campaign team to gain political support for our agenda through coalition-building, grassroots organizing, lobbying, media publicity, endorsements and message development. 
• Working on regional and national campaigns to phase out the use of toxic chemicals, potentially including efforts to clean up and reform Dow Chemical's operations, to enact state-level PBT and/or other innovative chemicals policy, and other campaigns.
• Bringing problems and solutions to the attention of decision-makers – including government officials and corporate leaders – through direct lobbying, testimony at public hearings, and high quality position papers. 
• Serving as a public spokesperson through media events, press releases, editorial board meetings and other public relations tactics.

The person would join our staff working from our downtown Ann Arbor office.  Located in the center of the Great Lakes Basin, Ann Arbor is widely considered one of the best places to live in the Midwest, with a vibrant arts and music scene, great schools, terrific parks, and one of the best public universities in the country, all a short drive from the most beautiful natural areas in the region. 

The position offers opportunity for educational and professional development.  It also has some shared organizational responsibilities and office duties.  Ecology Center staff are unionized, and actively participate in organizational decision-making.  This position is a great opportunity for a creative person to make a difference working for a nationally respected public interest organization with outstanding colleagues.

Qualifications
• at least 5 years of relevant professional experience, including grassroots organizing, political, policy, legal, journalistic, or government settings;
• strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills, including experience in preparing and delivering public presentations, and ability to communicate technical information to the general public;
• an advanced degree in a relevant field is desirable;
• great leadership skills, self-initiative, and willingness to take risks;
• must be passionate about protecting public health and the environment, and tenacious in the face of challenges.	

In addition, some experience with planning, fundraising for and managing projects (including budgeting) would be preferable. We are, however, flexible and will craft the position to meet the strengths of the best candidate.

Compensation
Salary is commensurate with relevant professional experience.  The Ecology Center offers generous benefits, including medical, dental, four weeks vacation, and retirement.  

To Apply
Please send a cover letter, resume, and a current writing sample by email to jobs@no.address Alternatively, please fax to (734) 663-2414, or mail to Ecology Center, 117 N. Division, Ann Arbor, MI  48104.  For more information, please call (734) 761-3186.

Application Deadline
Please apply before April 7, 2006.  Applications received prior to April 7 will be given priority, but we will continue to receive applications until the position is filled.

The Ecology Center is an equal opportunity employer.  Women, minorities, and people of diverse cultural backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
___________________
Mike Garfield
Director
Ecology Center
117 N. Division
Ann Arbor, MI  48104
(734) 761-3186 ext. 104
michaelg@no.address
www.ecocenter.org


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