Policy Associate - Food Marketing to Kids

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has long worked to reduce the amount of unhealthy food marketing to children, strengthen marketing regulatory practices, and counter food industry messaging. This work has resulted in the establishment of an Interagency Working Group on Food Marketed to Children, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports on food marketing to kids expenditures, and the establishment of the food industry’s marketing to kids self-regulatory program, the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI). CSPI is looking to continue food marketing to kids federal legislative, regulatory, corporate, and research activities, as well as expand its work on digital marketing to create a healthy digital food environment as food marketing increasingly shifts online.

We are searching for a Policy Associate to join the Healthy Food Environment team and lead CSPI’s food marketing project. This is a 12-month, grant-funded position with the likelihood of extension, and reports to the Deputy Director, Healthy Food Environment. The anticipated start date is mid-September 2024. 

CSPI’s office is in Washington, DC, where we offer a hybrid work environment, but many of our staff work remotely across the US. We will consider DC-based or remote applicants within the US. As a public health organization, CSPI makes efforts to maintain a safe workplace for employees and visitors. We require all employees to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they are eligible, and the vaccine is available to them. Proof of vaccination is required during the onboarding process.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee CSPI’s food marketing to kids strategy and tactics, including federal legislative, regulatory, corporate, and research activities, particularly as it pertains to digital food marketing to kids.
• Develop organizational strategy and position on federal privacy and tech regulation legislation as it relates to food marketing and other organizational priorities.
• Work with other CSPI teams on projects intersecting with digital marketing issues (e.g., digital targeted advertisement of supplements, restaurant kids’ meals, and online groceries; digital out-of-home campaigns for unhealthy foods and beverages).
• Develop and maintain advocacy materials, including toolkits, factsheets, comments, letters, website content, petitions, social media content, and action alerts to support digital marketing priorities.
• Engage food manufacturers, entertainment companies, tech companies and other relevant industry groups and associations on initiatives to improve their products and practices. Lead corporate campaigns.
• Prepare grant applications, and reports, and manage project budgets in collaboration with the senior leadership team and development and accounting departments.
• Build new and strengthen existing relationships with community-based organizations, academics, policymakers, and advocates to expand the base of support for relevant food policy and digital rights and privacy campaigns at the national, state, and local level.
• Organize events, including workgroup meetings, convenings, briefings, and webinars.
• Work with CSPI’s communications team on traditional and social media campaigns on food marketing topics.
• Represent CSPI in coalitions, meetings, events, briefings, webinars, and calls. 
• Manage contractors, interns, and other project staff where applicable.
• Carry out other departmental activities as needed.

Key Skills/Qualifications:

The ideal candidate would possess: 

• Advanced degree (e.g., MPH, MPP) and at least 3 years of legislative, policy, or advocacy experience; or bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., public health, public policy, human rights) and 5 years of legislative, policy, or advocacy experience.  
• Demonstrated interest in food and nutrition, public health, and/or nutrition policy.
• Basic knowledge of evidence-based food and nutrition recommendations for health.
• Knowledge of food marketing issues and digital privacy issues is required.
• Experience working with the FTC preferred.
• Experience working with a variety of diverse stakeholders credibly and professionally.
• Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to speak effectively and persuasively.
• Excellent research and writing skills.
• Excellent judgment and consistent professionalism, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and projects.
• Ability to work as part of a cross-disciplinary team in a collegial manner.
• Interest in and commitment to CSPI’s work and mission.
• Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the intersection of public health and social justice.
• Proficient with MSOffice applications, social media, advocacy tools, and other web-based applications.

CSPI on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

CSPI is committed to including and valuing diverse voices and fostering a culture that ensures all staff feel a sense of belonging and are encouraged to be their best selves. In that spirit, each of us is committed to putting in constant work to live up to our organization’s core values:

• We are inclusive. We seek to foster an environment where all staff feel a sense of belonging and are affirmed. We are not looking for everyone to think and look the same. We actively welcome and value staff with different experiences, backgrounds, attributes, abilities, and perspectives.
• We are open. We are honest and direct in how we communicate with each other in order to build trust and integrity within our organization.
• We are accountable. We acknowledge and assume responsibility for our actions.
• We are kind. We communicate and treat one another in a respectful, generous, considerate, and compassionate way.
• We are collaborative. We work together for the common good and shared success.

Compensation

The salary range is $58,000 to $70,000, based on experience. CSPI offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: 3 weeks of annual vacation leave; additional paid holiday leave between December 24 and January 1; 8 weeks of paid parental leave; excellent medical and dental insurance with CSPI paying a significant portion of employee and dependent premiums; and a 3% employer match contribution to the retirement plan after six months of service. We also offer ½ day Fridays which means our work week is 36 hours.