US PIRG Field Director

Background:

The United States Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) is the national arm of the state PIRGs. With approximately 175 staff nationwide, state organizations in 27 states, and 70 chapters based on college campuses across the country, the state PIRGs have been advocating and organizing for public interest issues for over 40 years. Among the issues we tackle are: closing corporate tax loopholes, health care reform, alerting consumers to scams and rip-offs, improving energy efficiency and working to make our government more accountable to the public. We research problems, write reports, work with the media, build coalitions, lobby decision-makers, and stand up for the public interest through grassroots organizing and litigation.

Based in our national lobby office in Washington, U.S. PIRG’s field team works to support state PIRG lobbying efforts in all 435 congressional districts. We work with a field network of 150 offices including campus chapters, canvass offices, regional field offices, and state PIRG offices. 

Among the state PIRGs’ recent victories:

· The state PIRGs calls to create a federal agency with the sole mission of protecting consumers were answered this summer. Richard Cordary now heads Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Our PIRG researchers from Oregon to Massachusetts visited 392 bank branches in 21 states and found that less than half were completely upfront about fees. One quarter of the banks surveyed failed to disclose fees altogether. We’re urging the Bureau to step in and enforce the Truth in Savings Act.

· While fighting to combat the skyrocketing costs of healthcare by winning pro-consumer market places in the states (a process set in motion by the federal law), state PIRGs are watch dogging proposed insurance rate hikes. OSPIRG helped convince the Oregon Insurance Commission to knock back a number of rate increases, saving a cumulative $25 million for some ratepayers. In Massachusetts, after Blue Cross Blue Shield gave a departing CEO a $4 million golden parachute, MASSPIRG joined in a chorus of criticism until Blue Cross agreed to give the money back to its customers.

· On March 30 President Obama signed a PIRG-backed law ending a bank subsidy program and cutting $60 billion in giveaways to big banks and private lenders, eliminating $8 billion in wasteful bank subsidies specifically in the federal student loan program. The Student PIRG chapters generated tens of thousands of grassroots comments to Congress on the issue. The number of graduates with more than $40,000 in loans has in-creased ten-fold in the last decade, and the savings from this the law will infuse the cash-strapped Pell grant program with $36 billion, benefiting 8 million students.

Job Description:

• DEVELOP CAMPAIGN STRATEGY: Work with U.S. PIRG advocates to develop field strategies to support campaigns on environmental, consumer, and democracy issues. Choose strategies and tactics for each campaign, innovate new approaches (e.g. Internet activism), and identify long- and short-term organizing opportunities. Analyze political situation and choose targets for each local campaign.
• MANAGE STAFF RUNNING CAMPAIGNS: Oversee staff in one or more regions running national campaigns. Develop plans with the staff, conduct weekly oversight calls, do site visits and trainings, and meet campaign goals for that region.
• DOCUMENT CAMPAIGN RESULTS: Collect information from field on news coverage, coalition partners, petition signatures, local activist networks, legislative cosponsors, etc. Share with other field offices, DC advocates, coalition partners, decision-makers, news media, etc.
• FIELD ORGANIZING AND COALITION: Work with national coalitions to coordinate joint activities. Build relations with other groups’ field networks. Do some outreach (media, coalition, grassroots, lobbying) in key districts on some campaigns.
• BUILD THE ORGANIZATION: Work with and build our membership locally, participate in staff recruitment and training, and raise funds to forward our agenda.

Location: Washington, DC

Qualifications: We are seeking an organizer with 5-8 years of experience working with large field operations. Candidates should possess a track record of success managing staff and implementing field campaigns; excellent strategic thinking skills; and a strong commitment to progressive issues and grassroots organizing. The position offers entrepreneurial challenges with considerable opportunities for professional growth and to contribute meaningfully to building the progressive movement. Advanced degrees such as a JD or MA in related fields may count toward a candidate's professional experience.

Salary & Benefits:  Salary is commensurate with candidates’ relevant professional experience. We offer a competitive benefits package.

To apply:  Apply online at http://jobs.uspirg.org/page/usr/experienced-applicants. Please be sure to mention where you heard about this position in your application.