Application Guide
How to Apply for Coalition Secretariat and Engagement Associate, Food & Agriculture
at Friends of the Earth
🏢 About Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth is a bold and enduring environmental advocacy organization with over 50 years of fighting for global environmental justice and sustainable reforms. Working there means joining a mission-driven team that challenges powerful institutions and champions systemic change, often at the international level. The Food & Agriculture program specifically targets multilateral development banks to shift global food systems toward sustainability and equity.
About This Role
This role is the operational and engagement backbone of a global coalition focused on food-system reform through multilateral development bank advocacy. You will manage budgets, grants, contracts, and governance logistics while also building relationships with coalition members and partners to strengthen collective action. It's a unique blend of behind-the-scenes coordination and front-facing engagement that directly enables high-impact advocacy campaigns.
💡 A Day in the Life
You might start your day with a steering committee call to align on upcoming advocacy milestones, then dive into updating budget trackers and processing a grant agreement. Later, you could be drafting an engagement strategy for a new coalition member or coordinating logistics for an upcoming international meeting. The role balances financial and administrative tasks with relationship-building and strategic support, all in service of advancing food-system reform.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Friends of the Earth Is Looking For
- Has 3+ years of experience in coalition coordination, campaigning, organizing, or project management, ideally in food systems, environmental, or international development contexts.
- Demonstrates hands-on experience administering budgets, grants, and contracts, with strong financial tracking and reporting skills.
- Is a skilled relationship-builder who can engage diverse stakeholders—from grassroots groups to international NGOs—and foster collaboration across time zones.
- Possesses a bachelor's degree in political science, international affairs, public policy, environmental studies, or a related field, and is fluent in English (additional languages a plus).
📝 Tips for Applying to Friends of the Earth
Highlight specific examples of coalition or network coordination, especially if you've worked with global or multi-stakeholder coalitions.
Quantify your budget and grant administration experience—mention dollar amounts, number of grants managed, and any financial tracking tools you've used.
Show familiarity with multilateral development banks (e.g., World Bank, Asian Development Bank) and their role in food systems; mention any advocacy or campaign work targeting them.
Demonstrate your ability to work remotely and across time zones by referencing past experiences with distributed teams or international partners.
Tailor your resume and cover letter to emphasize both operational (budget, contracts) and relational (member engagement, strategy) aspects of the role, as the job blends both.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your experience coordinating coalitions or multi-partner initiatives, particularly those involving advocacy or policy change.', 'Concrete examples of managing budgets, grants, and contracts, including how you ensured compliance and accurate reporting.', "Your ability to build and sustain relationships with diverse members and partners, and how you've strengthened participation in a coalition or network.", "Your passion for food-system reform and environmental justice, and why you want to support Friends of the Earth's mission specifically."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Learn about Friends of the Earth's current campaigns and positions on food and agriculture, especially any work related to multilateral development banks.
- → Research the specific coalition this role supports—its members, mission, and recent advocacy wins or challenges.
- → Understand the structure and key players of major multilateral development banks (e.g., World Bank, IMF, regional development banks) and their involvement in food systems.
- → Explore Friends of the Earth's organizational culture, values, and history to align your application with their tone and priorities.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on advocacy or campaign experience without demonstrating concrete budget, grant, or contract management skills.
- Using generic language about 'saving the environment' without connecting to the specific food-system reform and multilateral bank advocacy focus of this role.
- Neglecting to mention remote work experience or cross-cultural communication skills, which are critical for a global coalition role.
📅 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:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Friends of the Earth!