Field Representative, Greenbelt Alliance - Bay Area

Job Title: Field Representative
Organization: Greenbelt Alliance
Location: San Rafael
Salary:
FT Regular

Job Description:
Job Description
FIELD REPRESENTATIVE
Full-time position

Greenbelt Alliance, the San Francisco Bay Area’s advocate for open spaces and vibrant places, seeks an experienced candidate for the position of Field Representative based in Marin County.

Position Summary
The Field Representative will lead advocacy efforts to stop sprawl development and encourage smart growth in Marin County and support similar work in Sonoma County. To accomplish these goals, the Field Representative will be based in Greenbelt Alliance’s San Rafael office as the local center for land-use advocacy. The Field Representative will provide leadership on our efforts to support walkable neighborhoods, affordable homes, effective public transportation to reduce traffic and greenhouse gases, and the protection of farmland and natural areas. Our work in Marin County will focus on working with decisionmakers and the community to effect policy changes that will create more affordable homes.

The Field Representative will report to the Field Director and work closely with the entire Greenbelt Alliance team—including central staff in San Francisco, fellow field representatives in other counties, and volunteers in Marin and Sonoma counties—to support Greenbelt Alliance’s efforts to protect open space and encourage good development throughout the Bay Area.

The ideal candidate will have proven experience in grassroots organizing, political campaigns, and housing and/or land-use policy.

Key Responsibilities
Organizing and Outreach: Work with other local organizations to recruit and coordinate activists for specific campaigns and to build long-term political effectiveness in local communities. Reach out to community organizations and to the public to increase awareness about the importance of housing affordability in the context of smart growth and open space protection. Help to develop new community leaders to champion these issues.

Advocacy: Lead local campaign efforts to secure policy changes that will promote vibrant communities, provide homes people can afford, protect open space, and enhance the quality of life in Marin. Responsibilities include helping to identify campaign priorities, campaign planning, coalition building, and direct lobbying.

Persuasive Communication: Build relationships with local press, serve as key spokesperson on local land-use issues, develop media campaigns with Greenbelt Alliance’s Communications department, write letters to the editor and opinion pieces, organize media events, and make public presentations.

Policy Analysis: Analyze public policy alternatives to enhance housing opportunities, smart growth development, transportation options, and open space conservation in Marin and Sonoma counties. In collaboration with others at Greenbelt Alliance and with partner organizations, help develop Greenbelt Alliance’s policy positions.

Management: Manage the Marin Field Office, including supervision of volunteers and interns.

Qualifications
The Field Representative will be enthusiastic and self-motivated with some combination of the following skills:
• Grassroots organizing
• Campaign planning
• Building coalitions among diverse stakeholder groups • Public speaking before citizen organizations and elected bodies • Interacting with the media and serving as a spokesperson • Volunteer recruitment and management • Writing persuasively on tight deadlines • Analyzing, developing and/or implementing public policy (experience in housing policy, land use, urban planning and/or community development policy preferred)

Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Environmental Studies, Urban Studies, Public Policy or another appropriate field preferred.

Two years of grassroots organizing, housing advocacy, public policy, urban planning and/or community development work experience preferred.

Car and flexible schedule required.

Most importantly, the Field Representative will be committed to promoting livable communities and protecting the Bay Area’s greenbelt for this and future generations.

Salary and Benefits
Salary depends on experience. Medical and dental insurance provided as well as short-term disability, flexible spending, and 403(b) accounts. Generous vacation package.

To Apply
Send a resume and cover letter to jobs@greenbelt.org.

Applications can also be sent via postal mail to:
Greenbelt Alliance
Attn: Field Representative Search
631 Howard Street, Suite 510
San Francisco, CA 94105

Applications will be accepted through Friday, March 27, 2009.



About Greenbelt Alliance
Greenbelt Alliance is the San Francisco Bay Area’s advocate for vibrant places and open spaces. Founded in 1958, we work to make the Bay Area a better place to live by protecting the region’s greenbelt and improving the region’s cities and towns. We have helped protect over 1.1 million acres of farmlands, parks, watersheds, and other open space. Greenbelt Alliance is also a leading advocate for creating livable communities: walkable neighborhoods near transit, shops, and jobs, with homes people can afford.

With a committed staff of 20, Greenbelt Alliance has a strong team spirit and sense of fun. We are headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in San Jose, Santa Rosa, Walnut Creek, and San Rafael. Greenbelt Alliance values a diverse workplace and is an equal opportunity employer.