Upstream Reuse Advocate and Networks Coordinator -virtual work setting

Reuse Advocate and Networks Coordinator

POSITION: Reuse Advocate and Networks Coordinator

LOCATION: Flexible, within the U.S.

COMPENSATION: The salary will be informed by experience and cost of living, within the range of $70k-$80k with benefits, including health stipend

Upstream’s Vision and Mission

Upstream is a non-profit organization that sparks innovative solutions to plastic pollution by helping people, businesses and communities shift from single-use to reuse.  But for us, the problem isn't just single-use plastic - it’s “single-use” itself.  It's the throw-away economy and culture at the root of plastic pollution and a host of other problems. 

So we’re building a movement to make throw-away go away by helping policymakers, businesses, community leaders and individuals ideate and accelerate the transition from single-use to reuse. We’re working for a world where people and the planet are treated as indisposable, and where businesses and communities thrive on reuse-ability. And we invite you to co-create it with us.

#indisposable

Job Description

To realize our vision, Upstream helps create and supports  coalitions of reuse advocates across North America. Upstream facilitates three national networks to help develop and enact city and state policies aimed at reducing disposable products. We also engage government, business, and NGO leaders in reimagining how products are delivered to consumers and to businesses in ways that don’t generate waste. Those networks are:

  1. The National Reuse Network - a network of nearly 400 NGOs and reuse businesses working together to pass local policy and build reuse infrastructure.

  2. The Government Reuse Forum - a network of 200+ government officials working on reuse policy and infrastructure.

  3. Reuse Coalition Leadership Forum - a small group of Reuse Coalition Coordinators that meet to share ideas, strategies and coordinate work across cities.

For these networks, we play convening, catalyzing and supporting roles. 

  • Conveners - we create community spaces for leaders from different sectors to come together to learn and hack the challenges of implementing reuse at scale. 

  • Catalysts - we identify significant opportunities for collaboration and help catalyze action around projects, conversations, and campaigns. 

  • Supporters - we learn what network members want and need and create and curate model policies, tools, technical information, and marketing resources. We also advise our network partners and host national forums aimed at promoting reuse policies.

In our multiple roles, we:

  1. Continually craft new policies to help businesses and communities shift from single-use to reuse.  

  2. Develop local reuse coalitions to get these policies enacted in the SF Bay Area. 

  3. Help create reuse policy coalitions in cities outside the SF Bay Region by supporting  local NGO allies and networks to develop, facilitate and lead them. 

We seek a Reuse Advocate and Networks Coordinator who will help Upstream amplify the reach and impact of reuse policies at the local and state level in North America.  These are the highlights of the position:

At the local level:

  • Support our policy organizing and advocacy in the SF Bay Area by co-leading local reuse coalitions and engaging new members and strategies along the way. 

  • Help Upstream iterate new model reduce/reuse policies to share with our networks and coalitions.

  • Work with our network of local reuse coalitions to enact policies at the local jurisdiction level by providing strategic input and guidance.

  • Develop and conduct direct policy advocacy campaigns, working closely with our policy and marketing/communications team.

  • Apply a big tent approach to engagement, providing opportunities for anyone to find a place in the tent to contribute to the culture-changing work we do.

  • Work closely with our Equity and Inclusion staff to bring diverse voices into the policy work, ensuring that the policy work is informed by equity and inclusion priorities and engagement with diverse stakeholders and community perspectives.

At the state and national level:

  • Support and facilitate our two national forums- the National Reuse Network and the Government Reuse Forum.

  • Engage in advocacy on policies in key states as a reuse expert.

  • At the national level, support Upstream’s input and engagement on policies related to plastic pollution, source reduction, and circular economy.

  • Support other reuse coalitions with expertise and input, sharing resources and information in the U.S. and Canada.

  • Support the policy program’s increased focus on connecting city climate policies to single-use products reduction.

  • Conduct research, writing, and develop technical resources and information to support the policy program.

  • Provide policy presentations to a wide range of constituencies across the U.S. and Canada.

  • Coordinate with Upstream’s marketing and business innovation teams.

This position reports to the Policy Director.

Our Values

Upstream operates as a small, virtual team with team members distributed across the U.S. We place a high value on work-life balance and on honoring the privilege of getting paid to do this good work every day. Our work culture balances trust and independence with an equal measure of collaboration and emphasis on supporting each other to do our best work. 


The right candidate will embody Upstream values (the 5 “i”s)”:

  1. Innovative - I work to be innovative in the way I approach problems

  2. Inspiring - I work to stay inspired and be inspiring in my work

  3. Invitational - I invite others to co-create the more beautiful world we all want

  4. Inclusive - I value experiences and perspectives different than my own and
    strive to include those voices in decision-making for greater effectiveness

  5. Integrated 

I am Essentialist in my priorities and set amazing boundaries 

I am playful and strive to bring fun into the workplace

I am emotionally grounded because I am awesome at self-care  

If this sounds like a fit, you’ll love working with our passionate team.

What kinds of things will help you do this job well?

Core qualifications include: 

MUST HAVES

  • Passion for Upstream’s mission and vision.

  • Substantive background in and knowledge of source reduction/waste prevention laws and regulation.

  • Policy advocacy experience- has lobbied in local, state or national legislatures. Has worked with local or state electeds and their staff to execute a legislative policy campaign.  

  • Knowledge of the nuts and bolts of policy advocacy.

  • Ability to research, draft, and present technical information in an easy to digest, plain language.

  • Policy campaign experience- has implemented policy campaigns and succeeded in getting specific policies enacted that involved stakeholder engagement, ally organizing, external and internal communications best practices, and legislative strategies.

  • Strategic insight into working with internal and external partners and stakeholders.

  • Networks, experience and demonstrated success working with diverse communities. 

  • Well-honed strategic planning and process management skills that will help Upstream to plan, implement, and track the effectiveness of policy campaigns.

  • Leadership skills that include excellent meeting facilitation skills and engagement skills that draw people in and help them find a place to channel their enthusiasm.

  • Ability to find common ground and bridge differences to reach consensus. 

  • Strategic planning and process skills that will help Upstream lead coalitions and advocacy networks so that they function effectively, efficiently, and collaboratively in service of accomplishing specific goals and objectives.

  • Willingness and ability to work evening and weekend hours to attend or facilitate meetings for the purposes of local organizing and providing expertise to community-based organizations.

  • Well organized, able to use online platforms and systems to track and prioritize work.

  • Willingness to work remotely. Upstream has no home office - we are a “distributed” team.

REALLY HELPFUL

  • Translation skills- from English to Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese.

  • Connections within the private and public sectors that will help you move policies forward.

  • Connections in state legislative politics. 

  • Experience with earned media engagement.

  • Experience using online organizing tools- such as Phone to Action or Action Network.

To Apply:  Email resume and cover letter to jobs@upstreamsolutions.org (subject line: Reuse Advocate and Networks Coordinator) with links to your writing and/or media samples.  In your cover letter, please consider Upstream’s values (the 5 “i’s) and speak to the following topics:

  • Your unique qualifications and experience in leading policy advocacy campaigns and initiatives.

  • Relevant background and work experience for this position.

  • Your commitment to equitable and just solutions for people and the planet.

  • What about Upstream’s mission and vision really resonate with you?

  • At Upstream, we encourage team members to bring their whole selves to work.  Tell us who you are as a human.  What will your team members come to know and love you for? What unique traits, quirks, or interests might we learn about through spending time with you?

Application deadline is January 3, 2022 at 5:00pm PT, though candidates are highly encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Upstream commits to prioritizing voices and identities that have been underrepresented within our organization’s decision-making and leadership roles, through an open-hiring process and policies designed to counter bias and enact our values in the hiring of all staff and consultants. 

In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.

For more information on Upstream’s commitments to Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism, please visit upstreamsolutions.org/equity-and-inclusion.