Policy and Advocacy Lead

Upstream Policies is a fast-moving nonprofit protecting freshwater biodiversity by reducing reliance on live baitfish, a trade that moves up to 10 billion farm-raised fish each year and spreads invasive species and pathogens. In our first two years we passed a bill in Delaware, launched legislative campaigns in New Hampshire and New York, and initiated a rule-making process in Colorado. We’re now scaling the model state-by-state. As our third full-time hire, you’ll run campaigns end-to-end and lead our most mission-critical work.

What you’ll deliver in year 1

• Support and complete the remaining coalition and rulemaking and legislative work in Colorado and Delaware.
• Design and lead the next-state campaign (state still to be chosen).
• Expand coalitions with conservation, outdoor, and angler groups in each target state.

Day-to-day activities

• Research and profile key decision-makers; craft tailored communication plans; meet with legislators, agency staff, conservation groups, and angler organizations to build support for the bill.
• Build and maintain stakeholder maps, the CRM, and campaign plans.
• Draft concise talking points, fact sheets, and other memos.
• Testify at state-house hearings and speak at conferences, bait-shop roundtables, and angler events (≈30 travel days total, spaced out over the year rather than in one block; some trips are short-notice. All travel fully expensed; flex days offset weekend work).
• Track outreach and legislative metrics, report progress, and refine tactics with the founders.

We’re a small, fast-moving remote team; you’ll work closely with both co-founders and our research director while leading the field-facing side of the mission.

Must haves 

• Based in the U.S. with unrestricted work authorization (we are unfortunately not able to sponsor visas).
• Passionate about our mission.
• Self-starter who owns projects, shows initiative, and gets things done.
• Comfortable cold-calling, public speaking, and travelling on short notice.
• Structured communicator – writes clearly, concisely and keeps stakeholders on task.
• Thrives in a fully remote, high-autonomy setting, efficiently structuring their own time and priorities.

Independence and initiative are the top priority – this role owns projects end-to-end with minimal oversight.

Nice to haves

• Direct experience with regulatory or legislative work, government relations, or community outreach.
• Experience in the angling community or a background in state-level natural-resource agencies.

Compensation & perks

• Salary: Starting at $45 k, with potential for a higher offer for candidates who bring deep state-level advocacy experience.
• Leave: 20 vacation days plus generous sick leave.
• Work style: Fully remote with flexible hours and high autonomy, plus at least one overlapping morning meeting each week to coordinate across time-zones.
• Development: Paid conference travel and dedicated professional-development time