Front and Centered imagines a future full of possibilities, and one that is rooted in the rise of frontline communities for climate justice. Born nine years ago as a collective of visionary Black Brown Indigenous and People of Color community leaders, we have emerged as the leading statewide coalition advancing the solutions to climate change and environmental injustice by advancing our vision for a Just Transition. The essence and the ideas which seeded the bold vision as a people-powered, values-based climate and environmental justice movement in Washington early on, remain embedded in our community leadership which guides our Front and Centered team of experts into the future.
Black, Brown, and Indigenous leaders are organizing in rural towns and rising in urban neighborhoods across the state. The coalition envisions “a future where our communities and the earth are healed and thriving, our people have dignified work and the building blocks of opportunity and prosperity, and our government values, respects, and represents us.” They shine a light on the environmental injustices endured. They survive and thrive against all odds, as they share their wisdom, insight, and solutions to climate change and environmental racism. Across the state, coalition members bear witness to oppression and come together to lift what is possible.
With community voices guiding the vision and strategies of Front and Centered, our staff team serves as a backbone for the coalition, a statewide center for coordinating and developing policy analysis, advocacy strategy, research and development, leadership support, capacity building, and diversified funding and other resources to sustain and grow the movement. This unique integration from community-driven expertise and resources is what Front and Centered powerfully brings together -- the people, policy, and practice of strategic impact. Our body of work is broad and deep, from the groundbreaking Environmental Health Disparities Map, the 100% Clean Energy Transformation Act, the Healthy Environment for All Act, to the methodologies and reports generated as a result of our community data-driven listening sessions. The coalition will continue to build and bring all tools to bear – from law and policy changes to innovations which are evidence-based and inspired by frontline community stories, to public education.
Join us as we develop our next actions to show how frontline communities are leading the transition away from an extraction-based economy toward a regenerative future!
About The Position
The Climate and Community Planning Lead will work with a collaborative cross-sector programs team and our statewide membership to advance the development and implementation of Front and Centered agenda for climate justice. They will be responsible for advancing assigned projects and policy solutions at various stages, from conception through fruition, that improve the lives of frontline communities and put Washington on the path toward a Just Transition. The Climate and Community Planning Lead will have on issue area emphasis in transportation, land-use, and community resilience and other planning work related to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improving climate resilience. They will serve as a policy lead for Front and Centered on the statewide issues assigned and provide guidance and support to coalition members engaged in Front and Centered sponsored programs to clarify and develop local plans in related issue areas. The Lead will be responsible for coordinating information and action across staff teams, membership, partners, and policymakers.
Candidates well qualified for this position may have experience or training in community or community planning, transportation, climate change resilience or mitigation policy equity or a related field, experience working in communities of color as an organizer or advocate, and have a passion for changing what’s politically possible to achieve our climate justice goals.
The position will report to the Climate Justice Program Manager.
Front and Centered agenda includes our vision for:
- Equitable Co-Governance - The communities most impacted by the extractive economy are at the center of government decision-making on the transition to a just and equitable environment. Including, implementation of the Health Environment for All Act (HEAL) and Just Futures that strengthens community self-determination and state accountability
- Healthy and Resilient Communities & Livelihoods - Every community has a clean environment and we prevent and address pollution, not just as a single source, but for its cumulative effects on overburdened neighborhoods and climate impacts and communities are more prepared to meet their own needs and less dependent on extractive industries.
- Energy Justice - Everyone has appropriate, affordable, access to and control over renewable energy that powers their homes and communities and eliminates excessive use of energy and toxic energy systems. Including equitable implementation and expansion of the Clean Energy Transition Act.
- Transportation Justice - Every community has reliable, accessible, affordable transit and infrastructure to safely roll, walk, and wheel that is free from toxic air, risk of injury and highways expansions contributing to climate change and displacement. Including implementation of statewide accessible frequent transit standards and divestment of highway investments toward equitable mobility.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
Coordinate the development and implementation of specific program and policy priorities
- Navigate Front and Centered issues from community identified needs through concept development through policy-making process as part of a collaborative team
- Take leadership on specific focus issue areas as assigned and sheppard their advancement
- Support issue area goal-setting and follow-through, develop, coordinate, and administer timelines and supporting roles to meet deliverables
- Serve as point of contact for inquiries relevant to focus issue areas and prioritize and ensure consistent and responsive communication
- Draft, review, edit and coordinate communications in focus areas
- Identify new opportunities and best practices, learn, and train others
Policy research, development and communication
- Track issue and policy developments and keep coalition team members and membership informed
- Translate technical policy language for community consideration
- Synthesize community identified needs and solutions applying coalition frameworks and research practices in collaboration with research & development team
- Develop recommendations and position statements aligned with community priorities and best available information
- Review, revise, and draft proposed legislation with appropriate support
- Review and translate research, including academic literature, for community consideration
Partnerships and advocacy
- Identify and coordinate with prospective partners and engage them as appropriate, including in coordination with other staff
- Listen and provide feedback to partners based on community perspectives, attend events, provide Front and Centered perspective
- Attend government meetings and public processes and communicate coalition positions and gather and report information.
Education, support & mobilization
- Meet one on one and in groups and at events to present and discuss issues in areas you develop expertise with members and their communities
- Develop, coordinate, facilitate and Front and Centered events and briefings
- Draft easy-to-communicate talking points that communicate program and policy priorities in focus areas, identify communications needs and develop materials in collaboration with team members.
- Support rapid response efforts and opportunities to participate in coordination with Program Engagement Lead
Other Functions
- Participate and attend a variety of meetings including but not limited to coalition and central coordination team meetings and represent Front and Centered.
- Other tasks as identified to ensure Front and Centered meets its obligations and objectives.
- Provide clear, transparent communication, that builds trust and accountability toward the interests of Front and Centered groups and communities
- Make presentations about Front & Centered at different external stakeholder meetings and events
- Create and manage data and assessment methods to evaluate progress and outcome to share with members, funders as well as to inform and shape future efforts
- Provide written, monthly progress reports on deliverables completed or, as requested by team/project lead
NOTE: This job description is inclusive of, but not limited to the job duties, responsibilities, qualifications, or requirements contained herein. Additional duties, responsibilities, qualifications or requirements may be required as deemed necessary by the Climate Justice Program Manager.
Additional Information
Position Located: This is a hybrid in-person/remote position based in Washington State
Schedule
This is a full-time (35 hrs/week), Washington state-based position.
Office hours are typically Monday-Friday from 9am-5:00pm, with occasional evening and weekend work. We currently work under a hybrid remote-work arrangement model: work-from-home and onsite/in-person environments. Some travel is required; Front and Centered hosts in-person staff meetings up to four times a year (when COVID allows safe travel and social interactions) and hosts a number of in-person and virtual convenings throughout the year.
Qualifications and Experience
Ideal candidate will possess:
- Passion for facilitating frontline communities participation in changing the rules, for making justice the center of the climate and environmental conversation, and for being part of a dynamic, fun, and creative team.
- Experience (years may overlap):
- At least three years of professional experience related to policy or program coordination or advocacy, including developing, analyzing, or advocating for a policy change within a public policy venue or major institution.
- At least one experience (additional or overlapping) in research and analysis, with proven ability to understand information efficiently, assess its use and value for a project or initiative, and deploy it.
- At least one year in related to community organizing, engagement or partnership development, including relationship building, understanding community concerns, and strategic mobilization (volunteer experience accepted)
- Skill in project management, including demonstrated ability to take a project from start to finish; identifying tasks, goals, timelines, roles and responsibilities within a team to execute.
- Knowledge of equity and social justice issues, and in particular environment and climate justice, and ideally knowledge in environmental health, including environmental regulation and health impacts, or in participatory democracy and governance, or in climate mitigation and resilience, or Just Transition, including understanding of economy and racial consumer capitalism and solidarity / regenerative economics.
- Strong commitment to the vision, mission, and values of Front and Centered
- Team player capable of working both collaboratively and independently
- Highly organized and resourceful with a strong attention to detail
- Deep knowledge and passion for social movements, environmental justice and racial justice
- Experience working in diverse communities namely with people of color and indigenous peoples as well as disenfranchised communities
- Ability to travel and attend meetings as needed, potentially on weekends and evenings
- Ability to engage community leaders and their members in action, in-person and remotely, and across a diverse statewide groups of prospective participants.
- Demonstrated commitment to advancing racial equity or working directly in and for communities of color with experience working in diverse communities namely with people of color and indigenous peoples as well as disenfranchised communities.
- Proven ability to take initiative, identify priorities and accomplish tasks, and advance projects, including ability to work within a team to execute and work independently.
- Skill to communicate effectively complex concepts in easy to understand ways, verbal and written.
- Experience working with and taking direction from frontline communities and working with community based organizations.
- Skill in communicating complex information to community and policymakers
- Desire and ability to learn about new issues and areas quickly
- Excellent writing and verbal communication skills
Physical Demands and Reasonable Accommodations
Front and Centered employees work a flexible, 35-hour workweek from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in work-from-home and onsite environments. The physical demands and work environment described below represent those required for an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
- Able to input information into a computer for long periods of time
- Ability to work stationary at a computer for the majority of each workday
- Able to assess information communicated through a computer
- Ability to complete work in a shared office environment where multiple staff may be working and talking at any point during the day
- Use hands to handle, or feel, type, and reach with hands and arms
- Able to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays.
- Able to periodically work long and extended hours.
- Able to travel locally/regionally/across the state, as needed.
To center the safety and well-being of our employees, Front and Centered requires that employees must be vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to exemptions in compliance with federal, state, and local anti-discrimination legal requirements. Specifically, we will consider requests for exemption based on medical reasons or for sincerely-held religious beliefs.
Work Culture and Work Environment
Front and Centered emerged from a broad coalition of diverse community groups working at the intersection of equity and environmental justice. We strive to create a work culture that is inclusive, collaborative, and adaptive to the diverse and dynamic context of how Front and Centered serves the coalition. To this end, every staff member is expected to work as a partner and within a culture of supportive leadership and lifelong learning and knowledge sharing; understand and engage in teamwork which is characterized by hope, celebration, creativity, collaboration, cultural humility, equity, and respect; exercise the highest level of ethics, professionalism, discretion and confidentiality; demonstrate initiative, organization, and an ability to multitask and manage multiple priorities.
We are a small team of enthusiastic, hard-working, and often very busy people. It is a fast-paced environment but where staff enjoy each other’s company and take time to build a supportive and inclusive culture.
Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time position of 35 hours per week. Salary range is $66,183 to $103,855, however, we anticipate starting the position between $68,229 up to $79,453. Front and Centered’s benefits package includes medical and dental insurance coverage, 4 weeks paid vacation, sick leave, and 17 paid holidays. Front and Centered values our employees and ongoing professional development and growth.
To Apply
Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter prompt (included below) to jobs@frontandcentered.org, put “Position Title” and “name” as the subject line of the email.
Deadline: Priority Deadline is Tuesday, April 2nd. Applications will be reviewed and considered on a rolling basis with interviews anticipated to start early April.
Preferred Start Date: Ideally by Spring/Early Summer 2024
In the body of your email please answer the following questions:
1. Where did you hear about this position?
◻Email ◻Colleague ◻Online Job Platform. Please name the platform: _______
2. Do you have lived, community, or professional experience in, working with, or for communities of color? (yes/no)
3. Do you have at least 3 years of experience in policy or program coordination or advocacy? If yes, please list the the role, organization and months of full time experience acquired.
In a one page cover letter, please explain and/or give examples that:
- Describe your interest/ experience in climate justice and community planning with frontline communities and why you would like to work at Front and Centered.
- Describe a unique role(s) and impact you have made in leading projects or programs related to public policy or issues of climate change, environment, and race or social justice.
- Demonstrate working collaboratively with a team and with members of community based organizations.
Front and Centered strives to create an inclusive workplace in which we meaningfully connect as colleagues and community partners, reflective of the people with whom we live, serve, and share in community. As an equal-opportunity employer, we work with people of diverse personal, professional, and regional backgrounds, so that our board, team, community members and advisory council have a collective impact on delivering on our mission. People of color and others from underrepresented groups, especially people with direct experience working within the communities Front and Centered partners with, are encouraged to apply. We invite people to be part of our team, regardless of their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, marital status, age, physical abilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs.