Policy & Advocacy Lead, California

Note: This is a two-year position with the possibility of extension depending on funding. Location: Sacramento or Northern California, work from home with extensive travel within California.

PAN is seeking a California Policy and Advocacy Lead to advance agroecological and climate solutions in the state that reduce reliance on hazardous pesticides, while expanding equitable access to resources and training for under resourced rural communities, farmworkers, new farmers, and BIPOC farmers. This role involves working with key coalition partners and state agencies, influencing regulatory bodies on environmental health and agricultural practices, and advocating for the rights and protections of farmworkers and rural communities. The position co-represents PAN in Californians for Pesticide Reform and helps to advance the policy agenda of the network. This position also works to share learning from California across the wider PAN network supporting coalition organizing in the US and globally, and to bring wider PAN experiences to bear in California, while contributing to PAN publications, outreach and media. The ideal candidate will bring strong advocacy experience, a commitment to agriculture and environmental justice, and the ability to work collaboratively across diverse stakeholder groups.

Job Responsibilities

Sustainable pest management in farming:

• Work with coalition partners to advance an advocacy strategy related to key elements of the state’s Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Roadmap. This includes working with California partners, allies, and state agencies to define and advance food procurement criteria that create equitable opportunities for contracts for small farmers. The work will also support policy priorities for agroecological alternatives to priority pesticides, and expand technical assistance in ecological pest management.
• Share key scientific, agronomic, socio-economic and policy learning gathered by PAN, Californians for Pesticide Reform, and others, in support of advocacy efforts. Support coalition members in incorporating science and community-based Climate Change and Agriculture
• Work to influence key regulatory agencies (e.g. CARB, CNRA, CDFA and DPR) on why and how to include reduction of agrochemical use in achieving climate-friendly agricultural production.

Represent Partner Policy Priorities

• The California Policy and Advocacy Lead will closely participate and co-represent PAN in the state-wide coalition network, Californians for Pesticide Reform (CPR).
• This position will contribute to the collectively-derived policy and advocacy priorities and coordinate PAN’s work and commitments to CPR. This work includes co-chairing the bi-weekly CPR Alternatives Work Group, and participating in weekly CPR policy meetings.
• Advocate to reduce the disparate burden of health impacts of pesticide exposure in farmworking communities.
• Build and deepen relationships with California farmworker partner organizations to understand priority issues and policies.

Link California Learning to National Policy Advocacy

• Share learning from advocacy efforts with groups and alliances with whom PAN works in other states.
• Share learning from work with California partner organizations on pesticide health and protections with other state and national policy spaces.

Global Learning Exchange

• Bring learning from our California experience to PAN’s global partners and forums, and bring relevant learning to California from PAN’s global learning.

Roles and Relationships:

• Reports to the ED of PAN
• Regular meetings with CPR Director(s)
• Regular coordination with CPR organizing and policy staff
• Regular collaboration with PAN’s CPR Steering Committee representative and Sustainable Pest Management lead
• Serves as liaison between CPR and PAN Communications Team to coordinate state-level actions and inform National priorities

Qualifications

• Commitment to the mission of PAN and to supporting community-centered movements for change. Comfortable in multi stakeholder advocacy alliances and networked spaces.
• At least three years of experience working in advocacy-based non-profit organization(s) or coalition.
• Prior experience working in some combination of the areas of environmental health, environmental justice, sustainable agriculture, policy advocacy and/or community organizing. Knowledge of pesticides, food systems and farmworker issues is a plus.
• Experience in public speaking, facilitating advocacy planning and learning, and being accountable to and within multi-stakeholder coalitions.
• Spoken fluency in English required.
• Spoken fluency in Spanish is a strong plus.
• Strong writing skills required, especially documenting strategy and respecting diverse viewpoints. Also, candidates with experience in writing for public audiences, such as op eds, press releases, or reports are encouraged to apply.
• Willingness to travel frequently within California; current driver’s license and insurability.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

PAN is an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds and walks of life. We believe that diversity and inclusion is critical to our success. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, pregnancy status, gender, disability, age, biological sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.