The Environmental Protection Network (EPN) is composed of more than 600 EPA alumni from across the country who volunteer their time to protect the integrity of EPA and its mission. EPN is dedicated to serving as a trusted resource and answering calls for objective analysis, scientific rigor, and facts about the environment and EPA.

EPN is currently focused on building and defending the capacity of environmental agencies and the communities they serve to truly address the most urgent health and environmental crises.

• Ensure that EPA advances policies, budgets, and institutional changes to address climate and environmental injustices, as well as other pressing public health needs
• Provide pro bono capacity-building technical assistance and training to environmental justice communities, NGOs, and under-resourced state/local/tribal government agencies
• Train and mentor EPA staff and managers and recruit individuals from underrepresented populations to work at EPA
• Educate Congress and serve as a critical resource for facts, objective analysis, and scientific rigor for reporters and NGOs
   

About the Position:

The Senior Associate Press Officer will report to the Public Affairs Manager, while collaborating closely with EPN’s Senior Advisor and Senior Policy Director. This position acts as the leader of all press engagements and is responsible for maintaining key relationships with reporters and media outlets. Work will be remotely located as EPN does not have an office, and travel will be required 1-3 times/year. 

Priority application deadline: January 10, 2025.

Responsibilities include: 

• Media Relations
  • Identify key media targets and secure opportunities for national and regional press coverage.
  • Actively pitch stories to media outlets, building narratives that resonate with audiences.
  • Maintain and strengthen relationships with existing reporters while establishing connections with new media contacts.
• Press Materials and Messaging
  • Draft and distribute press releases, media advisories, and talking points.
  • Create compelling press kits and assist in drafting quotes for spokespeople.
  • Localize communications to highlight how EPA impacts communities and the work of civil servants in protecting public health and the environment.
• Event Management
  • Assist Public Affairs Manager with the organization and coordination of press events, including speaker selection and logistics.
  • Moderate media interactions and discussions, ensuring alignment with organizational messaging.
• Strategic Planning and Campaign Development
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive media and communications plan for the SAVE EPA campaign, and potentially other campaigns as needed.
  • Identify target audiences and design tactics to effectively engage them.
  • Create a calendar of events and opportunities to amplify key messages.
• Special Projects and Campaigns
  • Collaborate with EPN’s Senior Advisor the Senior Policy Director, and other team members to align communications strategies.
  • Guide EPN partners on communication priorities and best practices.
  • Lead communications agenda planning for the SAVE EPA campaign table to ensure alignment with EPN and partner goals.
  • Find innovative ways to localize communications and highlight personal stories that resonate with communities.
• Media Monitoring and Assessment
  • Monitor media coverage to assess the effectiveness of communications strategies.
  • Provide regular reports and analyses to the Public Affairs Manager to inform future efforts

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Commitment to the Environmental Protection Network’s mission and values
• 3-5+ years of relevant work experience communicating with and pitching to media outlets/reporters
• Bachelor’s or Master's degree or equivalent related work experience required. 
• Ability to work independently, work on many different projects, and switch effectively from one task to another
• Strong writing skills
• Marketing and development experience, including experience writing pitches and proposals
• Detail-oriented and unafraid to ask question
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 
• Proficiency with Google Docs 
• Experience with CRM database management

CORE COMPETENCIES: 

1. Communicating Effectively: The Senior Associate Press Officer must excel in crafting and delivering clear, compelling messages across various platforms, tailoring communications to diverse audiences. They should have strong writing and verbal skills to create press materials, moderate events, and articulate the organization’s mission. Active listening and responsiveness are equally critical in maintaining credibility and ensuring effective collaboration with reporters, stakeholders, and team members.
2. Building Relationships: Establishing and maintaining strong relationships is vital for success in this role. The Senior Associate Press Officer should foster trust and rapport with journalists, partners, and colleagues, leveraging these connections to advance organizational goals. They must be skilled in networking, collaborating, and navigating complex relationships to build a broad coalition of support for EPN’s communications initiatives.
3. Making Decisions & Demonstrating Judgement: The Senior Associate Press Officer is expected to make strategic decisions under pressure, balancing organizational priorities with external dynamics. They should demonstrate sound judgment in media interactions, messaging, and campaign planning, ensuring alignment with EPN’s values and goals. By anticipating challenges and opportunities, they will effectively guide the organization’s communications strategy to maximize impact.

PAY:

• An annual salary of $74,261 based in D.C. We will adjust salary up or down based on locality. 

BENEFITS

Environmental Protection Network is a fully remote virtual environment. We think about our compensation as a package of total rewards that starts with a competitive salary. 

Work-Life Balance:

• Employees are encouraged to balance a 40-hour work week with a flexible work schedule and core hours of 10:00 am-3:00 PM CST. 
• 11 paid Federal Holidays and other paid days when the office is closed (including the work day before or after July 4, the day after Thanksgiving, and the work days between December 25th and January 1).
• Organization-wide non-meeting days on all major holidays that fall outside of the federal calendar (our staff can submit these to our calendar based on religious or cultural holidays).
• 3 weeks (120 hours) of paid time off (inclusive of sick, personal days, and vacation).

Financial Security:

• Competitive market-based salary. 
• Annual tenure bonus. 
• Performance-based bonuses are available where applicable.
• 401K Retirement Plan 
  • 4% company match 

Wellness Benefits:

• 80% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance, 50% employer-paid family.

• 100% employer-paid life (50K), opportunity to purchase additional life coverage is available for employee and spouse. 
• 100% employer-paid short and long-term disability insurance. 
• Access to employee-paid FSA, HSA, and commuter benefits. 
• Up to 6 weeks of paid leave upon the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Career Development:

• Up to $500/year for professional development-related expenses. 
• Ongoing access to internal professional development training. 

Additional Benefits:

• $150 monthly cell phone plan and home internet reimbursement. 
• Up to $2,000/year for the purchase of phones, computers, headsets, software, or other equipment used consistently to carry out staff responsibilities.
• Applicable travel expenses will be reimbursed, including travel time outside of your local area.

Environmental injustices disproportionately impact the most marginalized people in society, including people of color, people from working-class backgrounds, women, and LGBTQIA+ people. Because we believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.