Grassroots Organizer

About the American Littoral Society

The American Littoral Society is a membership-based coastal conservation organization dedicated to protecting marine life and coastal habitats through conservation, education, restoration, and advocacy.

The Society is helping lead a regional campaign to achieve a cleaner, healthier, fishable, and swimmable Delaware River. We work with residents, community organizations, environmental partners, public officials, and regulatory agencies to reduce sewage pollution, improve public access, and ensure that communities affected by poor water quality have a meaningful voice in decisions about their waterways.Position Summary

The American Littoral Society is seeking a Grassroots Organizer to engage Philadelphia residents in a campaign to reduce combined sewer overflows and improve local water quality.

The organizer will conduct direct outreach, attend neighborhood events, recruit supporters, help organize public activities, and maintain regular communication with residents and community partners. They will help make complex issues such as sewage overflows, flooding, water pollution, and public infrastructure understandable and relevant to people’s daily lives.

​This is an ideal position for someone who enjoys meeting people, has strong ties to Philadelphia communities, and wants to help residents advocate for cleaner and safer waterways.Primary Responsibilities
​
Direct Community Outreach

• Speak regularly with Philadelphia residents through face-to-face conversations, telephone calls, text messages, email, and community events;
• Attend neighborhood meetings, festivals, block parties, recreational events, and other community gatherings;
• Conduct outreach at parks, waterways, transit locations, business corridors, and other public spaces;
• Recruit residents to attend events, sign petitions, contact public officials, participate in meetings, and take other campaign actions;
• Follow up with interested residents and help them remain engaged over time;
• Identify potential neighborhood leaders and connect them with the Senior Grassroots Organizer for additional support and leadership development.

Events and Public Education

• Help plan and staff walking tours, house meetings, listening sessions, block parties, river outings, presentations, and tabling events;
• Explain combined sewer overflows and other water-quality issues in clear, accessible language;
• Distribute fact sheets, petitions, action materials, and other public information.
• Gather resident feedback about water quality, flooding, recreation, public access, and neighborhood priorities;
• Help residents understand how they can participate in public decisions affecting their waterways;

Communications and Story Collection

• Identify residents who may be willing to share stories about how water pollution, flooding, or limited public access affects their communities;
• Assist with interviews, photographs, videos, social-media content, and other campaign communications;
• Help test campaign messages and provide feedback about which language and materials resonate with residents;
• Support the distribution of email updates, action alerts, event invitations, and social media content.

Tracking and Team Coordination

• Maintain accurate records of conversations, contacts, event attendance, commitments, and follow-up needs;
• Participate in regular campaign and outreach-planning meetings;
• Coordinate activities with the Full-Time Grassroots Organizer, Society staff, and allied organizations;
• Provide regular updates about community concerns, outreach results, and opportunities for engagement;
• Represent the American Littoral Society professionally and respectfully in all community settings.

Required Qualifications

• Strong connection to Philadelphia and knowledge of its neighborhoods and communities. Preference will be given to candidates who live in Philadelphia;
• Experience in community outreach, organizing, advocacy, customer service, public education, events, communications, or a related field;
• Demonstrated commitment to environmental justice, clean water, and community participation;
• Strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills;
• Comfort approaching new people, starting conversations, inviting participation, and following up;
• Ability to work respectfully with people from different backgrounds and perspectives;
• Dependability, attention to detail, and the ability to manage assigned outreach and follow-up responsibilities;
• Willingness to work a flexible schedule that includes evenings and weekends. Flex time will be provided to support work-life balance;
• Basic proficiency with email, Microsoft Office, and shared online tools;
• Reliable ability to travel throughout Philadelphia.

Preferred Qualifications

• Existing relationships with neighborhood associations, civic groups, faith communities, social clubs, recreational organizations, or local leaders.
• Experience conducting door-to-door, telephone, event-based, or digital outreach.
• Familiarity with environmental justice, water quality, flooding, public health, infrastructure, or public access.
• Experience using social media for community outreach.
• Experience maintaining contact lists or using a constituent-management database.
• Ability to speak, read, and write in both Spanish and English.

Hours and Work Environment

This is a part-time, community-facing position requiring substantial in-person work throughout Philadelphia. The organizer will work approximately 20 hours per week, with scheduling based partly on community meetings and events.

​Some administrative and follow-up work may be completed remotely. Evening and weekend availability is necessary, with flexible scheduling provided to balance those hours.

How to Apply

Please submit:

• A resume
• A brief statement explaining your interest in the position and your connection to Philadelphia communities
• Contact information for three professional references.

Send materials to [[email protected]] with “Grassroots Organizer” in the subject
line.

​The American Littoral Society is an equal-opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from people historically underrepresented in the environmental field and from candidates with direct knowledge of communities affected by environmental and infrastructure challenges.

Pay: $23.00 - $25.00 per hour

Expected hours: 20.0 per week

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule
• On-the-job training
• Opportunities for advancement

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Philadelphia, PA 19170