Coal Impacts Field Coordinator

About Appalachian Voices

Appalachian Voices is a nonprofit advocacy organization that brings people together to protect the land, air, and water of Central and Southern Appalachia and advance a just transition to a clean energy economy. We currently have over 40 staff members across the region, with offices located in Boone, NC; Charlottesville, VA; Norton, VA; and Knoxville, TN.

Commitment to Equity

Appalachian Voices is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion both in our work and in our organizational structure. We seek applicants who share and exhibit these principles. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.

We understand people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We encourage candidates to review the position details and responsibilities listed. If you have the transferable skills necessary to fulfill many of the requirements of this role, we encourage you to apply. We may tailor the role to a talented or passionate candidate.

Position Details

Appalachian Voices is seeking a Coal Impacts Field Coordinator to join our Coal Impacts team. The objectives of the Coal Impacts team are to address the environmental and public health impacts of coal-mining in the Appalachian states of Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee, to build grassroots power in these areas, and to work in solidarity with movements for environmental justice, conservation, and community resiliency throughout Appalachia and beyond.

Coal mining causes air and water pollution; miners are afflicted with black lung disease; and lax enforcement of environmental laws have allowed the coal industry to evade massive amounts of necessary environmental reclamation. Industry profits rely on practices that externalize costs onto miners, communities, and the environment. The Coal Impacts team at Appalachian Voices works to hold the industry accountable for these impacts through regulatory engagement, litigation, policy advocacy, independent investigative journalism, and grassroots organizing and activism.

The Field Coordinator will develop community leaders, support existing and emerging community-based and regional organizations, respond to and investigate mining-related complaints and concerns expressed by local residents, and train and coordinate volunteers in citizen science projects, grassroots enforcement efforts, and grassroots lobbying. Additionally, the Field Coordinator will research mining laws, regulations, permits, and enforcement actions, and conduct air and water quality monitoring in order to advance citizen complaint resolution, litigation, and policy goals.

This position will foster the connection between community members and our work, ensuring that diverse partners and individuals who are directly impacted by coal mining inform our strategies and priorities. An understanding of community organizing in rural settings, comprehension of legalistic language and governmental processes, and an ability to bridge the grassroots and technical components of our work will be key to success. This position will report to and work closely with the Coal Impacts Program Manager.

Location

The Coal Impacts Field Coordinator position may be based out of our Norton, VA office or may operate remotely within the Appalachian region. The individual must reside within Southern West Virginia, Southwestern Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, or Eastern Tennessee. Travel within the Appalachian region is required for environmental monitoring, community engagement, and team-building, which will be reimbursed according to Appalachian Voices’ Travel Policy.

Primary Roles & Responsibilities

• Build relationships with community members and key partners; support new and existing community-based organizations;
• Help develop strategies to stop proposed mountaintop removal mining permits, to hold coal companies and regulatory agencies accountable for the impacts of existing coal mines, and to influence congressional and regulatory agency targets through grassroots pressure;
• Conduct air and water monitoring in coal mining areas;
• Review and analyze technical documents, such as mining permits, agency rules, regulatory reporting data, and academic research;
• Compose technical comments on behalf of the organization pursuant to mine permitting, agency rule-making, and other regulatory procedures;
• Respond to and investigate community member complaints about coal mines;
• Attend, plan, organize and execute public events including community and coalition meetings, presentations, and trainings (in-person and over zoom);
• Work closely with Appalachian Voices’ communications team to develop digital materials for emails, newsletters, action alerts, blogs, social media posts and events, and other online communication tools to mobilize our members and supporters;

Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with community engagement and grassroots organizing, including leadership development, volunteer coordination, member/ supporter mobilization, and strategic campaign/ project implementation;
• Understanding of, or willingness to learn, state and federal policies and programs relevant to coal mining, especially with regards to black lung disease, the environmental impacts of mining, coal mine permitting and enforcement, and coal mine reclamation;
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including ability to communicate complex technical and policy issues to communities and the media;
• Passion for and familiarity with the Central Appalachian region;
• Excellent time management, work ethic and organization;
• Strong collaborative spirit, sound judgment and leadership potential;
• Experience with Excel, MySQL, Google Earth, ArcGIS, and/ or other database management and GIS programs preferred;
• Experience with policy advocacy, including lobbying preferred;
• Experience or coursework in environmental sciences or public health preferred;
• Prior experience with mining issues through personal lived experience and/ or work with a non-profit organization or government agency preferred.