Climate & Policy Associate

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The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally, and internationally.

 Summary

The Public Health Alliance is seeking a passionate Climate & Policy Associate to provide research, writing, policy, and project coordination support to the Alliance team and our eleven local health department members. The focus will be on high-priority and emerging areas across the Southern California region and at the state and federal levels in the following areas: health equity and racial justice, climate change and food systems, and public health infrastructure. With these areas, the Climate & Policy Associate will assist with developing resources and guidance documents including policy briefs and assessments, advocacy letters, and infographics that can assist local health departments, government agencies, legislators, and other decisionmakers understand the health and equity benefits and impacts of particular initiatives and policies.  The ideal candidate will have a strong background in policy, research, synthesis, and communications.

Position Description

The Climate & Policy Associate will be passionate about contributing to emergent public health and equity priorities within the areas of climate resilience and healthy food systems. They will work closely with the Alliance’s Climate Change team to support the following initiatives:

• Farmer’s Food as Medicine – a new initiative funded by the USDA’s Local Food Promotion Program that aims to connect local, BIPOC and women-led, climate-resilient farmers in the San Diego region to sustainable funding streams within the healthcare and local government sectors. This initiative will require close working relationships with cross-sector partners within San Diego, effective coordination, and strong written and oral communication skills.
• Regional Climate Resilience Accelerator – in support of a burgeoning focus on climate resilience in the region, the Alliance will be launching the Regional Climate Resilience Accelerator in early 2024, that will bring together local health departments from across Southern California to deepen their work on climate change through assessment, internal capacity building, coalition development, and strategic planning.

The Alliance is seeking a candidate eager to learn and apply new skills, approach tasks in a thoughtful and detail-oriented manner, and grow within a supportive and innovative organization. The Climate & Policy Associate will play a critical role in coordinating key aspects of the initiatives, including preparation for meetings, notetaking and facilitation support, and supporting the development of internal and external materials. We are committed to approaching all of our work with a health equity and racial justice lens and are eager to foster a team with diverse perspectives, lived experience related to climate and environmental justice, and unique approaches to public health practice.

This position reports to the Alliance’s Director of Operations & Climate Initiatives.

Full pay range for this position: $26.88 to $38.31 per hour. The typical hiring range for this position is from $26.88 (minimum) to $32.59 (midpoint) per hour. The starting wage is determined based on the candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.

About the Public Health Alliance

The Alliance is a coalition of the executive leadership of eleven local health departments in Southern California, committed to advancing health equity and racial justice through regional collective action. Its members have a statutory responsibility for the health of almost 60% of the state’s population. The Alliance works to mobilize the transformative power of local public health for enduring health equity. We believe that Southern California should be a place where everyone has the opportunities and resources necessary to live a healthy and productive life. To learn more about the Alliance’s innovative work visit https://www.thepublichealthalliance.org/. The Alliance is a program of the Public Health Institute.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide support to the Alliance’s Climate Change team carrying out the Farmer’s Food as Medicine Initiative, including contributing to: research and synthesis related to food systems, CalAIM and public health, development of communications materials, building partnerships, and planning and convening in-person and virtual meetings.
• Provide support to the Alliance’s Climate Change team to launch and implement Regional Climate Resilience Accelerator; including contributing to: research and synthesis on climate change and health related content, scan of best and emergent practices, compiling and adapting resources for participants, materials development, and meeting and facilitation support.
• Provide research, analysis, technical assistance and subject matter support for California state policy, federal policy, and local and regional policies and initiatives related to health equity, climate change and food systems, and public health infrastructure.
• Develop succinct memos, policy briefs, talking points, graphics and other materials that summarize initiative areas related to Alliance strategic priorities.
• Monitor and track important policies and legislation at the local, state, and federal levels impacting key Alliance issues, and inform staff and local health departments of important updates in a timely manner.
• Provide meeting support for staff and member meetings, including those with government agencies, legislators and their staff, advocacy groups, and other allies and decisionmakers working on aligned policy issues.
• Coordinate essential functions such as scheduling and preparing for meetings, notetaking and facilitation support, meeting and task follow-up to contribute to effective and timely project activities and communications.
• Commute or travel to various locations in the Southern California region (San Diego in particular) approximately 2 times per month for meeting coordination and attendance.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• 2 years of relevant work experience in public health, health equity, environmental or climate justice.
• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Sustainability, or a related field, or substitute with four additional years of relevant experience.

Other Qualifications

• Commitment to centering the voices and experiences of communities of color and other marginalized communities, and ability to contribute lived experience and perspective in dismantling systems of oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, ableism, classism, and bigotry).
• Demonstrated experience analyzing programs/policies and their impact on health equity, racial justice and the social drivers of health.
• Demonstrated experience in project coordination, including successful adherence to timelines and project deliverables, support in meeting preparation, scheduling, facilitation, and follow-up task management.
• Excellent writing, research, and communications skills.
• Ability to monitor and track important policy issues and pivot priorities on short notice.
• Determination to achieve outcomes, complete tasks, and deliver on professional commitments.
• Sensitivity to varied interests of many stakeholders, partners, advocates, elected officials, and colleagues.
• Must have access to reliable transportation and ability to commute to various locations in the Southern California region (San Diego in particular) for light daytime travel (approximately 2 times per month) for meeting coordination and attendance.
• Must be a resident of Southern California, preferably in San Diego.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Important Information

• This is a regular full-time position.
• This is currently a remote position, but candidate must have access to transportation and ability to commute to various locations in the Southern California region (San Diego in particular) for light daytime travel (approximately 2 times per month) for meeting coordination and attendance.
• Candidate must be a resident of Southern California, preferably in San Diego.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

This position reports to the Alliance’s Director of Operations & Climate Initiatives, and works collaboratively with Alliance members and staff, vendors, and other partners to advance policy and institutional transformations that improve health equity.

PHI WORKFORCE MANDATORY COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY

Per the PHI Workforce Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, it is a condition of employment for all domestic based employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless they are granted a reasonable accommodation under applicable law.

New hires need to provide proof of full vaccination prior to their start date or apply for an exemption/accommodation within three business days after their start date. Depending on the circumstances, new hires who do not comply with this Policy, or who cannot be reasonably accommodated, will either have their employment suspended or terminated. Candidates who are non-compliant will have their offers rescinded.

EEO Statement

The Public Health Institute is committed to a policy that provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and to make all employment decisions so as to further this principle of equal employment opportunity. To this end, the PHI will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are offered employment and employees are treated during employment without regard to these characteristics.

For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

ADA Statement:

The Public Health Institute is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Recruitment Team at least 48 hours in advance at Recruitment@phi.org.

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We’re so pleased the Public Health Institute is an organization you would like to work with. Do you have questions about this opportunity? If so, email our recruitment team at Recruitment@phi.org.

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