Data Centers Community Organizer

Job Announcement: Data Centers Community Organizer

Organizational Overview: Columbia Riverkeeper (Riverkeeper) is a successful nonprofit organization that unites communities to fight for clean water, abundant and harvestable salmon, and climate action. Columbia Riverkeeper works with river communities and in solidarity with Tribes to make an impact. This includes high-profile campaigns and litigation to recover healthy salmon populations and protect the Columbia River from fossil fuels, toxic pollution, the Hanford Nuclear Site, and other threats facing people who rely on the Columbia.

Across its campaigns, Riverkeeper promotes justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in environmental decisions and its own actions. This includes working in solidarity with Tribal Nations to achieve common goals. Our team includes community organizers, scientists, communications specialists, attorneys, and policy advocates. To learn more about our values and commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, click here.

Location: This position may be based at Riverkeeper's Hood River, Oregon, office or remotely within the position's primary service region in Oregon or Washington, subject to Riverkeeper approval. The position requires frequent in-person travel throughout Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla counties in Washington and Hood River, Wasco, Umatilla, and Morrow counties in Oregon. Employees whose assigned work location is outside the Hood River office are considered long-term remote employees under Riverkeeper's Remote Work Policy.

If the employee is based in Riverkeeper's Hood River, OR, office, they are eligible for a hybrid work approval in compliance with the organization's hybrid work policy.

Job Type: Full-time (40 hours/week), nonexempt limited-duration employee position. This position is anticipated to continue for approximately two years, subject to continued funding and organizational needs. Note: Starting July 1, 2026, Columbia Riverkeeper began conducting a one-year pilot of a 36-hour work week (full-time staff have Friday afternoons off). Applicants will be provided with additional details as they move through the hiring process.

A note to potential candidates: Studies have shown that women, trans, non-binary, BIPOC, and other candidates from most-impacted communities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization, and we are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a background less traditional to our field of work, and that's welcome. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.

Position Description:

The Data Centers Community Organizer engages people who live in rural Columbia River communities to meaningfully address the growing impacts of data centers. The position has a particular focus on working with rural communities, including Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla counties in Washington and, some engagement in rural counties in Oregon.

The Data Centers Community Organizer is part of Riverkeeper's team of policy advocates, attorneys, and community organizers working on data centers. In particular, the Data Centers Community Organizer works with community members and Tribes to address a range of concerns about the impacts of existing and proposed data centers. The position also engages rural community members in statewide data center reform efforts, with a focus on Washington state.

The Data Centers Community Organizer listens to community feedback and seeks ways to grow and diversify people engaged in data center reform and stopping data centers in particular communities. The position engages people through one-on-one and small group outreach; shares written, recorded, and verbal information on data centers' impacts and how to address the problem; hosts and attends events, including tabling at events; speaks at public meetings and hearings; and trains and develops community leaders.

The position requires frequent driving and evening and weekend work. Weekly work schedules may vary based on community meetings, events, hearings, and campaign needs.

Throughout the Data Center Community Organizer's scope of work, they endeavor to implement Columbia Riverkeeper's values. They actively work to foster an equitable and inclusive experience for everyone in their work.

The Data Centers Community Organizer is responsible for working independently and in a team; managing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines; and giving and accepting constructive feedback, while maintaining cooperative and respectful working relationships with staff, vendors, contractors, and the public. They report to the Policy Director.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and Implement Grassroots Community Organizing Strategies: Work with the Policy Director, the Riverkeeper Program Team, and seek input from community members, to develop and implement plans to achieve Riverkeeper's Stand Up to Data Centers Campaign Plan.
• Relationship Building and Capacity Building: Develop strong working relationships with community members impacted by data centers or proposed data center development.
• Plan, Attend, and Speak at Meetings, Events, and Hearings: Attend and plan community meetings and events, including organizing event logistics, supporting public outreach, recruiting speakers, and speaking at events. Periodically speak at public hearings.
• Support Community Engagement In, and Attend, Public Meetings and Hearings: Track public meetings and hearings and use organizing strategies to support public engagement.
• Coordinate with Staff at Tribal Nations and Nonprofits: Maintain regular communications with staff at other nonprofits and Tribal Nations to inform strategies and coordinate on shared campaign objectives.
• Communicate (Writing and Speaking) to Members, Public, and Decisionmakers: Communicate via public presentations, testifying at hearings, drafting social media content, short videos, emails, posters, fact sheets, website posts, and other communications collateral.
• Represent Riverkeeper in Coalitions: Represent Riverkeeper in coalitions and coordinate with coalition partners to advance shared objectives and support community-member engagement.
• Collaborate with Riverkeeper Staff Using Project Management Software: Use Riverkeeper's internal project management software to communicate needs and deadlines to other staff members and maintain personal tasks and deadlines to coordinate and communicate planned and completed work.
• Utilize and Update Database: Use Riverkeeper's CRM database to advance job duties and update information in the database to support accurate tracking and supporter relationships.
• Meet Deadlines: Support Riverkeeper to meet grant deadlines and deliverables; campaign plan deadlines and deliverables; and public comment period deadlines.
• Tracks and Reports Back on Work Accomplished, Barriers to Advance Campaign Objectives, and Recommendations for Pivots: Track time and use to support accountability and inform campaign plan evaluation and strategic pivots to best utilize community organizing capacity.
• Communicate to the Media: As authorized by the Policy Director, represent Riverkeeper in the media to provide factually accurate and compelling answers to media inquiries.
• Budget Input and Tracking: Provide input on the development of budgets, such as project and event budgets, and supports implementation of project budgets.
• Fundraising: Occasionally attend Riverkeeper fundraising events or meetings and provide input to the Development Team to support grant applications and reports.

Required Qualifications:

• Passion for Mission, Values, & Theory of Change: Check out Riverkeeper's Strategic Plan for more details on our work, values, and approach.
• Minimum of Three Years Paid or Equivalent Volunteer Community Organizing Experience: Experience in environmental, social justice, electoral, or labor organizing. Note: Prior experience working on data center issues not required.
• Experience in Rural Columbia River Communities: Work, volunteer, organizing, or other experience in rural communities along the Columbia River in Oregon or Washington, with demonstrated ability to establish trusted community relationships.
• Meeting Facilitation Skills: Demonstrated experience with planning agendas and facilitating meetings
• Experience Public Speaking: Comfort with and history of speaking to public audiences.
• Ability to Learn and Communicate Complex Issues: Demonstrated ability to learn complex policy, environmental, technical, or regulatory issues and communicate information clearly and accurately to community audiences.
• Experience writing public outreach materials: Demonstrated experience writing public outreach or education materials such as email alerts, website, social media, or newsletter content.
• Demonstrated Ability to Work with Diverse Communities and Across Lines of Difference: Competency engaging with a diverse range of people.
• Evening/Weekend Work: Ability to participate in frequent evening and weekend work to participate in events, meetings, and travel, largely to central and eastern Washington and Oregon.
• Travel: Valid driver's license, access to a reliable vehicle for regular work-related travel, and ability to meet Columbia Riverkeeper's requirements for employees driving on organizational business.
• Demonstrated Ability to Work Independently and Collaborate with a Team: Strong time management and project tracking skills, plus experience collaborating with staff and volunteer teams to achieve shared goals.

Preferred:

• Spoken and written fluency in Spanish.
• Experience with CRM and project management systems, such as EveryAction and Asana.
• Experience with environmental or climate Justice issues, familiarity with the Columbia River and environmental justice issues in river communities.

Physical Requirements, Work Environment, and Travel:

Work is performed in home/office settings and in community locations, including meetings, hearings, events, and outdoor community activities. The position requires frequent travel by vehicle and regular computer use. Employees will periodically transport outreach and event materials and need to lift and bend to set up event spaces.

Salary Range & Benefits: $75,000 - $85,000, depending on experience. Benefits include:

• employer paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees
• 50% employer-paid health insurance contribution for dependents
• short-term and long-term disability insurance
• life insurance
• generous vacation package
• 15 paid holidays
• personal days
• paid volunteer time off
• 401(k) employer contribution and matching
• an encouraging and flexible work environment, with core hours from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. or 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• annual professional development budget
• annual wellness stipend

This position is eligible for a moving stipend.

To Apply: Complete this Google Form link, which includes uploading a resume, cover letter, and three professional references. This form requires you to sign into Google to submit. If you don't have a Google account or have technical issues, email your application to info@columbiariverkeeper.org with the subject line "Data Center Community Organizer." Please combine the cover letter, resume, and references into a single PDF attachment titled "Last Name.First Name.Community Organizer."

Application Deadline: October 26, 2026. Consider applying early. Please no follow-up calls.

Start date: December 2026 or January 2027.

Columbia Riverkeeper is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors.

Columbia Riverkeeper is committed to providing equal opportunity and access throughout the hiring process. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants upon request. If you need assistance or accommodations during the application or interview process, please contact the Director of People & Culture by email or phone: kayla@columbiariverkeeper.org, 541.399.9119.