Application Guide

How to Apply for Campaign Director

at Sierra Club

🏢 About Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is one of the oldest and most influential grassroots environmental organizations in the US, with a strong commitment to justice and equity. As a unionized employer, it values its staff and fosters a collaborative, mission-driven culture. Working here means being part of a legacy of environmental victories and a bold vision for a just, clean energy future.

About This Role

As the Director of the Beyond Coal Campaign, you will lead the Sierra Club's most iconic and successful campaign to retire coal plants and transition to 100% clean energy. This senior leadership role involves strategic vision, team management, and cross-departmental collaboration, directly impacting the fight against climate change and environmental injustice.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve leading a team meeting to align on strategy, meeting with partner organizations or coalition members, and briefing executive staff on campaign progress. You might also spend time reviewing policy documents, preparing for public speaking engagements, or working with communications to amplify campaign wins.

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🎯 Who Sierra Club Is Looking For

  • Proven experience leading large-scale advocacy or organizing campaigns, ideally with a focus on energy or environmental justice.
  • Strong strategic thinking and ability to develop and execute long-term campaign plans with measurable goals.
  • Excellent people management skills, with experience supervising diverse teams and fostering a collaborative, inclusive work environment.
  • Deep understanding of the energy sector, including policy, regulatory, and market dynamics, as well as a commitment to centering equity in climate solutions.

📝 Tips for Applying to Sierra Club

1

Highlight specific campaign wins you've led, especially any that involved coal plant retirements or clean energy transitions; quantify your impact (e.g., 'retired 5 coal plants, reducing CO2 by 10 million tons').

2

Explicitly connect your experience to the Sierra Club's values of interdependence and justice; show how you've integrated equity into your campaign strategies.

3

Since the role supervises up to 6 staff, provide examples of your leadership style and how you've mentored and developed team members.

4

Tailor your resume to emphasize remote work experience and your ability to collaborate across time zones and with diverse stakeholders.

5

Research the Beyond Coal Campaign's recent achievements and challenges, and mention specific ideas you have for the next phase of the campaign in your cover letter or interview.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your passion for the mission and your understanding of the urgent need to transition away from coal and gas.', 'Your track record of leading successful campaigns and achieving tangible outcomes.', 'Your experience working collaboratively with grassroots organizations, frontline communities, and other partners.', 'Your vision for how you would advance the campaign while centering justice and equity.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read the Sierra Club's 'Beyond Coal' campaign website and recent press releases to understand current goals and achievements.
  • → Review the Sierra Club's strategic framework, including its commitment to equity and justice, and its recent 'Living in the New Normal' report.
  • → Look into the Sierra Club's union relationships and its internal culture, as it's a unionized employer with a strong commitment to staff well-being.
  • → Familiarize yourself with key energy policy issues, such as EPA regulations, state-level clean energy standards, and the role of gas in the energy transition.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you approach building relationships with frontline communities and ensuring their voices are central to the campaign?
2 Describe a time you had to adapt your campaign strategy in response to a changing political or regulatory landscape.
3 How do you plan to maintain momentum and morale in a long-running campaign like Beyond Coal?
4 How would you work with the Sierra Club's chapters and volunteers to amplify the campaign's impact?
5 What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for the Beyond Coal Campaign in the next 5 years?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention the Beyond Coal Campaign or the Sierra Club's specific values.
  • Focusing only on your past achievements without showing how they relate to the future needs of the campaign.
  • Ignoring the importance of justice and equity in your application; this is core to the Sierra Club's mission and should be woven throughout your materials.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Sierra Club!

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