Federal Legislative Advocate: Right to Repair

Federal Right to Repair Advocate

U.S. PIRG

Washington, DC

U.S. PIRG is seeking a Federal Right to Repair Advocate to win national laws to make it easier to fix our stuff. 

Not long ago, most consumer goods and business products were easily repaired with parts that were widely available. But now, many manufacturers employ legal, digital and physical barriers that prevent consumers from doing their own repairs or using independent repair shops.

The result: a massive amount of waste and big headaches for consumers. So, we’re working to pass laws to give consumers and independent repairers everything they need to fix our stuff. People from all walks of life and across the political spectrum want to solve this problem.

Representative Responsibilities

Our Federal Right to Repair Advocate will work to advance our Right to Repair policy goals in Washington, DC. Working alongside our national program directors and our state directors, you will make the case for needed reforms and demonstrate the support needed to win. This position requires exercising discretion and independent judgment in making decisions in matters of significance. Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Advocacy: Lobby key decision-makers in Congress and the Biden administration. Develop collaborative relationships with legislators and congressional staff on both sides of the aisle and federal agencies to advance our policy goals.
• Outreach and coalition building: Recruit and work collaboratively with the many varied groups who want the right to repair. Call farmers in Wyoming, tinkerers in Seattle, repair shop owners in Michigan and anyone else we think shares our vision and who can help us win. 
• Communications and media outreach: Serve as a spokesperson for our Right to Repair campaign. Write materials for lawmakers, the public, and the media including opinion editorials, press releases, campaign action emails, factsheets, bill summaries, regulatory comments and presentations.
• Campaign strategy: Assess opportunities for building political support for the right to repair through coalition-building, grassroots organizing, media coverage and message development.
• Fundraise from individual donors to support our work.
• Recruit and train new staff, interns and volunteers.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be:

• Skilled in working with people with different views or backgrounds to accomplish shared goals.
• An effective communicator with excellent writing and verbal skills.
• A creative and strategic thinker.
• A good people-person and listener with a track record of successful access-building. 
• Well-organized, able to work independently to achieve goals while balancing urgent and important needs.
• Experienced in campaign advocacy, grassroots organizing, coalition building and/or campaign politics for at least 2 years. 
• Committed to our vision of building a new politics that faces today’s challenges head on.

Experience in a legislative office within Congress, a state legislature, or another organization is a plus but not required. 

About PIRG

PIRG is an advocate for the public interest. We speak out for the public and stand up to special interests on problems that affect the public’s health, safety and wellbeing.

How is it possible that, in the richest country the world has ever seen, dissatisfaction is rising and life expectancy is dropping? Is it just inequality? Or could it be that, in the name of producing and consuming more “stuff,” we’ve lost sight, as a society, of what really matters — including health, wellbeing, community, and a clean environment? 

PIRG’s mission is to spotlight these problems and find new solutions. Let’s make more stuff reusable, repairable and recyclable, instead of single-use and designed for obsolescence. Let’s choose conservation and renewable energy over fossil fuels. Let’s value clean air and water over short-term profits and lower costs. Let’s grow food that nurtures us as well as the land, with fewer pesticides, antibiotics and other quick fixes. 

Getting governments and corporations to make these choices is hard, and steps in the right direction are almost always small. But we have a 50-year track record of training and putting even our newest staff in a position to overcome powerful interests and win real results for the public interest.

Compensation and Benefits

The target starting compensation for this position is $35,750-$44,000 in the first year and depends on relevant experience, education, and location. Candidates on the lower end of directly relevant experience should expect to be on the lower end of this range; candidates on the higher end of relevant experience are likely to be on the higher end of this range. PIRG offers an excellent benefits package. Our benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents, paid time off, our commuter benefit program, a 401(k) plan with employer match, parental leave, long term disability insurance, and may include needs-based student loan assistance. We also offer an excellent training program and opportunities for advancement. 

Location

Washington, D.C. 

Our Mission and Values

Why work with PIRG? Check out 10 reasons on our website.

U.S. PIRG is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change. Visit our website for things you should know about our network when you apply.

U.S. PIRG is an equal opportunity employer.

COVID-19: We take COVID-19 safety very seriously. Employees must follow our COVID safety protocols and be fully vaccinated and boosted. Accommodations are provided to the extent required by law.