Director of Policy & Advocacy

Director Of Policy & Advocacy

This position leads the organization's policy advocacy, coalition engagement, and strategic communications efforts, with the goal of driving systemic change toward a more stable climate, stronger regional economies, and healthier, more just communities.

Reporting to the Co-President and CEO, and working in close collaboration with both Co-Presidents, this role is deeply embedded in efforts to elevate the organization's voice, visibility, and influence. The Director of Policy and Advocacy helps to shape and direct Eureka's public policy work at local, regional, and national level. This includes developing advocacy campaigns, cultivating community and policy partnerships, advancing legislation, coordinating coalition efforts, and leading messaging strategies. This position also plays a key role in impact tracking related to advocacy and communications.

In partnership with the Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers (AMBR), which is fiscally sponsored by Eureka, this position supports shared messaging, national campaigns, and systems change initiatives that reflect the operational and mission-based expertise of AMBR's member organizations.

Key Responsibilities

• In close collaboration with the Co-Presidents, develop and implement Eureka's policy and advocacy strategies across local, state, and national arenas.
• Cultivate relationships with elected officials, government agencies, and partner organizations.
• Monitor and analyze legislation, rulemaking, and regulatory trends impacting waste, recycling, reuse, packaging, plastics, and environmental justice.
• Draft position statements, testimony, comment letters, and advocacy materials in collaboration with partners and with input from the Co-Presidents and staff.
• Lead Eureka's role in convening and coordinating the MN Zero Waste Coalition.
• Serve as a policy advisor for AMBR, guiding the national policy strategy by aligning member priorities, identifying emerging legislative opportunities and threats and coordinating policy responses, and representing AMBR in national advocacy spaces to advance mission-aligned systems change.
• Represent Eureka Recycling and AMBR in coalitions, working groups, and other collaborative advocacy efforts, advancing organizational priorities and building alignment with partners on shared policy goals.

Mission Engagement

• Foster internal mission alignment by communicating advocacy and campaign priorities.
• Provide tools, updates, and messaging support to help staff and partners articulate the mission and impact of the organization.
• Integrate values of equity, environmental justice, and zero waste into all aspects of work.
• Partner with the Co-Presidents to ensure public narratives and external relationships reflect and strengthen organizational priorities and impact.
• In partnership with the Co-Presidents, lead the strategic visioning for recycling and zero waste events, such as the Zero Waste Fest (or similar convening), setting goals, themes, and desired outcomes that align with Eureka's and the MN Zero Waste Coalition's mission and policy priorities. Lead in planning and executing the event, including programming, partner engagement, speaker coordination, and logistics that reflect values of justice, accessibility, and community impact.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 5-7 years of experience in public policy and community advocacy, educating and working with both community advocates and legislators.
• Ability to embrace, understand, and commit to Eureka's mission and culture and inform its goals and strategies. A commitment to the environment, resource conservation, and environmental justice issues, and working within a community-based organization with a diverse constituency.
• 2-3 years of experience as a supervisor
• Excellent communications skills, including the ability to listen, foster dialogue, facilitate conversations, negotiate, present to audiences, and share critical messages in a compelling way.
• Strong writer with a proven ability to develop and adapt key messages and content.
• Demonstrated success in a highly collaborative culture with the ability to build relationships, communicate effectively, and collaborate with internal and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and direct multiple projects simultaneously with attention to detail and with minimal supervision/a high degree of self-accountability.

Working conditions are normal for an office environment, limited remote work may be eligible.

Affirmative Action Policy Statement:

Eureka ensures equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants, prohibiting discrimination or harassment based on various factors, including race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, marital status, public assistance status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, or any other characteristic protected by law.