Coastal Organizer, Southeast Texas

Job Description: A massive petrochemical buildout is underway in Southeast Texas, which presents an existential threat to the people of the Gulf Coast and the environment. These new facilities and pipelines along with proposed carbon capture and waste injection (also known as carbon capture and sequestration or CCS) infrastructure will have significant environmental justice, climate, pollution, and wetland impacts if they are allowed to move forward. Healthy Gulf is working with frontline communities and nonprofits to oppose these developments, support justly sourced and sustainable renewable energy development like offshore wind, and shift existing power structures in the region. Healthy Gulf is also working with allies to promote a just transition that will benefit frontline communities in the Gulf South. 

The Southeast Texas Coastal Organizer will organize with frontline community members and nonprofit partners to stop or delay the petrochemical and CCS buildout in Southeast Texas (with a focus on the Golden Triangle region) and help advance a just transition to a clean energy economy in the region.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Within Southeast Texas, maintain and expand relationships with people and organizations who have been or will be affected by petrochemical, and CCS development or who represent those affected, with a focus on environmental justice communities and nearby residents impacted by development.
• Support potentially impacted communities in resisting proposed projects and pipelines by, among other things, engaging in local, regional, state, and federal government decision-making on permits, zoning, and other policies that directly impact those communities; attend and recruit residents to attend public meetings, organize public comment strategy, and give testimony. 
• Hold events to educate the public and collaborate with Healthy Gulf team members to provide workshops, trainings, and other educational resources, as needed and identified by community partners.
• In coordination with Healthy Gulf’s Communications Team, participate in media outreach as needed, and contribute to the creation of materials to educate the public and decision makers, such as newsletters, action alerts, blogs, fact sheets, op-eds, letters to the editor, and social media content.
• Develop relationships with elected officials and government agency staff through regular communication and in-person meetings.
• Work with key partners and other Healthy Gulf staff on shared near-term strategy in Southeast Texas and long-term movement building, including promotion of a just transition, and participation in regional and national coalitions. 
• Create and maintain a database of contacts in the region in collaboration with other Healthy Gulf staff.
• Work to advance Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion within the organization in collaboration with the DEI Adviser to the Executive Director and other members of the staff. 
• Serve as a point-of-contact with communities in the region in the event of a disaster, chemical spill, or other emergency incident.
• Support activities promoting a clean, healthy Port of Houston, in collaboration with the Healthy Ports and Communities Coalition
• Frequent travel required within Southeast Texas and occasionally outside the region. 
• As needed, train and supervise Organizing Fellows, interns, and service learners. 
• Assist Healthy Gulf staff with fundraising efforts including, but not limited to, grant applications, grant reports, and acting as a Healthy Gulf representative at fundraising events.
• Other duties as assigned.
  

Ideal Qualifications:***

• Experience with environmental justice issues and political/issue-based organizing and activism.
• Comfortable with public speaking and effective at written communication. 
• Self-motivated, well organized, attentive to details, and focused. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills for working within a team environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to environmental, racial, and social justice.
• A valid driver’s license is required.
• Strong preference for someone with a personal connection to Southeast Texas.
• Fluency in Spanish is preferred.

***Research shows that women and people of color are more hesitant to apply for a job because they may not meet all of the qualifications listed. The candidate Healthy Gulf ultimately hires may not precisely meet all of these qualifications, but show the desire and capacity to grow into the role and fit within our small, close-knit team. If you feel passionate about our efforts and believe that you have the skills to contribute to the growth of our organization, we want to hear from you.

Position title: Coastal Organizer, Southeast Texas
Reports to: Campaign Director
Status: Full-time exempt
Location: Southeast Texas (preferable in the Golden Triangle region)
Salary: 40 hours per week at $50,000-$60,000 (depending on experience) plus generous benefits package, including medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, short term disability insurance, SIMPLE IRA with 3% match, 12 days of paid sick leave annually, and 3 weeks paid vacation annually.

To apply, submit the following to jobs@healthygulf.org with “Coastal Organizer, Southeast Texas” in the subject:

• A cover letter. Within your cover letter, answer the following question in no more than 2 paragraphs: Climate change disproportionately affects communities of color. As we work to combat climate change and ensure a just transition to a more sustainable economy in the Gulf Coast, how do we make sure that frontline communities of color that are most impacted by climate change benefit from and are integral to shaping a just transition? 
• A resume
• 3 references

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. 

Organizational Background:

Healthy Gulf’s mission is to collaborate with and serve communities who love the Gulf of Mexico by providing research, communications, and coalition-building tools needed to reverse the long pattern of over-exploitation of the Gulf’s natural resources.

Healthy Gulf values and respects all types of diversity and strongly encourages applicants from traditionally marginalized groups to apply. We prohibit discrimination and harassment and provide equal employment opportunity without regard to, and not limited to, ethnicity, religion, race, national origin, abilities, gender identity, sexual orientation, age or genetic information. We are committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting those from traditionally marginalized groups.

Our Core Values

The Gulf of Mexico region is only as strong as its communities that live there. These communities and the ecosystems they rely on are threatened by issues such as industrial pollution, wetland loss and destruction, water pollution, environmental racism, and the climate crisis. To guide our work, we rely on the following values:

• Environmental Health: We believe supporting the environmental health of the Gulf region is vital.
• Inclusion/Inclusiveness: We believe in the importance of embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion in deep and transformative ways.
• Dignity and Respect: We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and to be respected as a whole person.
• Independence: We believe that we must be a strong, independent organization in order to address major environmental problems in the Gulf region.
• Transparency: We believe that we have a responsibility to be transparent to our members, donors, and partners.
• Self Determination: We believe that communities and individuals have the power to make decisions.
• Responsiveness: We believe in the importance of responding to urgent issues that threaten our environment and communities
• Safety and Health: We believe that the health and safety of our staff, board, colleagues and communities is important.
• Collaboration: We believe in the value of working with others and achieving together what may not be possible alone.