Overview

Oceana’s Field Team builds grassroots support for Oceana’s U.S. campaigns by working in coastal states to reduce plastic pollution, prevent the expansion of offshore drilling and seismic airgun blasting, put an end to the shark fin trade in the US, protect the North Atlantic right whale, promote responsible fishing practices, and defend core environmental laws like the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Field staff build support for our plastics campaign at the local and state level and build on our winning model to stop the expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling activities by engaging municipalities and business leaders. Field staff support Oceana’s other campaigns over time/as needed. 

The Field Intern reports to the Field Directors and Campaigns Manager and supports Oceana’s Field Team, working closely with both Field Campaigns Managers and the Field Director. They assist remote Field Representatives organizing in coastal states as they execute campaign plans and carry out tasks necessary to meet campaign objectives. Field staff manage a varied and high-volume workload, and the Field Intern provides significant administrative support to the full team. This position requires initiative and an ability to work on individual deadlines, while also engaging fully as part of a dynamic and high-performing team. Due to COVID-19, you will work remotely until further notice. You will be notified when working from the DC office is required. 

 

Principal Duties and Responsibilities 

Essential Functions: 

  1. Support the Field Team as they build a broad, diverse, inclusive, and effective campaign including but not limited to: grassroots coalition building, public engagement and repeat volunteerism, legislative advocacy, traditional and social media acquisition, and development of a self-sustaining foundation of support for Oceana’s organizational goals.  
  1. Assist with administrative tasks, including but not limited to: tracking deliverables, data entry and management, managing internal files/organization, expense reporting, mailing packages and other correspondence, and placing orders for campaign materials. 
  1. Develop social media content and draft communications materials, including letters to the editor, op-eds, newsletters, toolkits, fact sheets, and other concise advocacy materials. Manage regional and state social media accounts as needed. 
  1. Organize and support virtual and physical convenings for the field team, and organize and facilitate events, trainings and other capacity-building initiatives with field representatives. 
  1. Stay informed of national, state, and local developments relating to Oceana’s primary campaigns, and track federal policy developments on priority topics. 
  1. Support the Field Director and Field Campaigns Managers as needed. 

 

Job Requirements 

Education and experience: 

  1. A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. 
  1. General understanding of and interest in ocean issues and conservation policy, especially as they relate to plastic pollution. 

Skills and knowledge:  

  1. Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information into a simple, easy-to-understand form that persuades individuals to support an organization’s agenda. 
  1. Experience meeting deadlines, completing unexpected projects, multi-tasking, setting priorities and effectively managing a demanding workload. Takes initiative to proactively and creatively solve problems and express ideas for improvement. 
  1. Demonstrated awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and orientations and a commitment to incorporating the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion into organizing and advocacy work. 

Required Competencies: 

  • Action Oriented: Makes things happen. Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm. 
  • Collaborates: Brings people together to leverage their skills, talents, and knowledge to achieve a common purpose. Creates synergy resulting in a combined effort with greater results than can be achieved by individuals. 
  • Cultural Competence: Demonstrated awareness of one’s own cultural identity, views about difference, and the ability to learn and build on varying cultural and community norms. Commitment to equity and inclusion as organizational practice and culture.  
  • Effective Communication: Understands the value of effective communication. Can deliver messages in a clear, compelling, and concise manner. Actively listens, checks for understanding, and adjusts content and style to meet the needs of different stakeholders. 
  • Instills Trust: Is able to gain the confidence and trust of others by demonstrating honesty and authenticity, acting with integrity, being consistent and credible. 
  • Interpersonal Savvy: Approaches relationships in an “others-oriented” way. Can tap into a range of interpersonal skills and approaches and knows when to use what with whom. 
  • Nimble Learning: Takes on the challenge of unfamiliar tasks. Can quickly adapt to new situations and draw on past successes and failures to solve current problems. 

Oceana values a diverse workforce and welcomes people different from each other in many ways, including characteristics such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, and national origin. Oceana considers all qualified candidates and seeks to recruit from a diverse candidate pool. 

We are interested in all qualified candidates but can only consider those candidates who have valid authorization to work in the United States.