Policy Fellow

Who We Are and What We Do

Save The Bay’s mission is to protect and restore the Bay for people and wildlife. We are the only regional organization that integrates political advocacy, wetland restoration, and education to shape a healthy and resilient region. We are a team of passionate people, and at the core, we are collaborative, supportive, dedicated, and bold.

Over two decades, Save The Bay has become a Bay Area leader in the science and practice of habitat restoration, focused on tidal marsh transition zone habitat at landscape-scale for recovery of endangered species, and for ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change. We enlist thousands of volunteers annually to restore the shoreline and educate Bay Area students to be the next generation of Bay stewards through hands-on experiential education and on-line learning.

Position Summary

Save The Bay’s Fellowship Program is a highly regarded and professional program delivering critical support to staff to ensure a thriving and healthy San Francisco Bay. Fellows actively contribute to the organization and receive hands-on experience and individual mentorship as members of Save The Bay’s talented and passionate staff. This program is an excellent opportunity for professional development and offers insight into a non-profit sector career.

The Policy Fellow will support Save The Bay’s work to prevent Bay pollution and advance regional adaptation to sea level rise and storm flooding due to climate change. Our efforts emphasize nature-based climate adaptation solutions, including wetland restoration and managing stormwater with nature. We prioritize the needs and voices of disadvantaged communities in our advocacy, as these communities are some of the most vulnerable to climate risk due to chronic underinvestment and redlining policies.

The Policy Fellow works as part of the Policy team, with a specific focus on research, communication, and outreach to support our strategic campaigns and partnerships. The Policy Fellow reports to the Policy Manager. Fellows are expected to commit to working 20 hours a week during a 6 – 12 month session. This position will require periodic in-person meetings around the Bay Area.

REPORTS TO: Policy Manager

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Policy Fellow’s specific responsibilities will vary depending on the needs of the team. Generally, the Policy Fellow will work collaboratively with members of the Policy team on the following:

• Supporting efforts to promote various aspects of Save The Bay’s sea level rise strategy, including outreach to partner organizations and research into opportunities to advance aspects of this plan.
• Analyzing reports and data to promote stormwater pollution compliance among cities and counties across the Bay Area.
• Assisting with the design and implementation of engagement activities to promote wetland restoration, nature-based flood protection, and other organizational priorities.
• Drafting compelling content for blogs and other social media channels that support our Policy campaigns and priorities.
• Developing online action alerts that engage the public and decision-makers in our Policy campaigns.
• Attending public meetings online and, when appropriate, providing public comments on behalf of Save The Bay at meetings.
• Other assignments as needed

Qualifications and Experience

Required Qualifications:

• Ability to quickly digest policy information and research
• Strong research, analysis, and written communications skills
• Ability to communicate with diverse audiences
• Comfort with public speaking and networking with a variety of stakeholders, including community-based organizations, elected officials, and agency partners
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines

Preferred Qualifications:

• Interest in San Francisco Bay environmental and climate issues
• Experience with advocacy and community engagement
• Familiarity with social media strategy and content creation
• Background in general or climate change planning a plus
• Proficient in standard office applications, including MS Office suite, Google Docs, etc.
• Access to WiFi and phone

Position Logistics

Location: We are a primarily virtual office with full staff in-person workdays twice per month in our Downtown Oakland office. The Policy team additionally works in the office every Thursday. Some in-person events and meetings around the Bay required. We offer a flexible work environment and provide equipment, training, and frequent opportunities to connect.

Compensation and Benefits: This is a part-time, non-exempt, 20 hours per week position. The Policy Fellow is compensated at $20 per hour and will receive a $75 per month home office stipend. Save The Bay also provides travel reimbursements for external meetings.

Hiring Timeline (This is our ideal timeline, but it may be subject to change):

• The priority deadline for applications is 5/17/2024
• We will review resumes and conduct interviews on a rolling basis until the position is filled
• Start Date: Preferred start date is 6/10/2024

How To Apply: This position is open until filled. To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to jobs@savesfbay.org. Please make sure to include the position title –Policy Fellow– in the subject line. In the body of the email, please share where you found this job listing.

COVID-19 Policy: All new hires must be fully vaccinated prior to their start of employment unless they are pre-qualified by HR for exemption.

Work Environment: We welcome people of all cultural backgrounds, gender expression and sexual orientation to apply and thrive with our growing team. Save The Bay is an equal opportunity employer that strives to recruit a diverse workforce and provide an equitable, and inclusive workplace for all.

DEI Statement: Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, Save The Bay will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

Our Leadership Philosophy: At Save the Bay, we take a person-centered approach to leadership. As leaders, we strive to embody our organizational core values and create a work environment that fosters belonging, authenticity, accountability, and care.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) – Our Journey

Over the past three years, Save The Bay has been reckoning with our positionality within a predominantly white-led environmental movement. Our internal DEI work has matured from identifying opportunities to create safe and welcoming working environments to implementing organization-wide professional development and offering racial affinity-based programs. Multiple DEI efforts began and continue to be fueled by employee leaders, their impact has already made a difference in the programs we offer, the investments we make, and partnerships we build. We are currently working to be effective allies to environmental justice organizations and to support community-driven efforts that protect the most vulnerable people from the impacts of climate change in our region.

In 2023, we adopted organizational core values after collecting feedback and engaging staff and board members. This has proven to be an impactful step in the integration of DEI into the leadership philosophy and operations of Save The Bay. The next phase of our work includes continued efforts to identify equitable outcomes in alignment with the development of Save The Bay’s strategic plan. 

Our DEI work is expansive and ongoing. We are committing significant organizational time and resources to advance DEI efforts and achieve equitable outcomes. We seek candidates who will help us forward this work, and understand that systems work demands resiliency, patience, and endurance.