Environment America Canvass Director

From Maria Schweitzer, Recruitment Director for Environment America

Make the Environment a Key Issue during Election 2008!

Thanks to broad public support and hard work by environmental and public health groups and key leaders in government, America has made great progress over the last 40 years addressing some of the worst environmental problems. The air and water are cleaner and we've protected some of our most treasured places from exploitation and development.

But the last eight years of the Bush-Cheney Administration have put the environment in jeopardy. Key protections for our air and water have been rolled back or blocked. The failure of decision-makers in Washington, D.C. to address the country's addiction to oil and other fossil fuels has put us on the brink of a global disaster.

And now, John McCain is calling for policies that could make things even worse. He's supporting President Bush's push for more oil drilling in protected areas off our coasts and he's advocating for the construction of as many as 100 new nuclear power plants.

That's why this election is so crucial. If we're going to reverse the damage done by the Bush-Cheney Administration, take real steps toward reducing our dependence on oil, and create a New Energy Future, we need to elect a pro-environment president and Congress.

Environment America

Environment America, the federation of state-based environment groups, is a powerful advocate for the environment and our health. We speak out and take action at the local, state, and national levels to improve the quality of our environment and our lives. We've built a grassroots network across the country that has helped us win new initiatives to increase solar power, stop global warming, preserve our state and national parks, protect our oceans and coastline and more.

In 2008, building on our 30-year track record of grassroots mobilization, we're teaming up with partner organizations to run a massive neighbor-to-neighbor GOTV and persuasion campaign to help elect an environmental president and pro-environment candidates to Congress. Together we'll send nearly 1,000 professional staff and grassroots activists into key battleground states, where we will identify and organize 125,000 volunteers with the purpose of persuading target voters.

Canvass Director Job Description

From now until November, you and your co-director will run a voter contact canvass office in a city that could help swing the election. You will build a locally based activist team from the ground up by hiring and training a staff of paid canvassers who will contact voters, persuading the undecided and recruiting volunteers among those planning to vote for Obama.

You will recruit, train, manage and motivate a staff of 10-60 paid canvassers. You will run ongoing trainings with your staff and take responsibility for administering the office.

You will canvass three shifts each week to train staff in the field, identify and persuade undecided voters, and recruit volunteers who will help elect Obama in the fall.

Qualifications

We are looking for smart, motivated, action-oriented college graduates and interested others with a strong commitment to environmental causes and social change. Candidates should be ready to take on a high level of responsibility, learn quickly, meet ambitious goals and be willing to work as long and hard as it takes to get the job done. Organizers are required to start as soon as possible and be able to commit through Nov. 14. Long-term, career positions are available for top candidates.

If you have the skills and commitment we're looking for, we'll give  you the training you need to succeed.

Locations

Newly hired staff will be assigned to one or more locations, based on need ,in critical battleground states

Salary/Benefits

First-year staff earn salary at an annual rate of $23,750. Salary and benefits increase with experience.