Marijuana Policy Project

Alaska Political Director

The Marijuana Policy Project is seeking a full-time campaign operative to work in downtown Anchorage (with occasional trips to Fairbanks and Juneau) from the spring of 2013 through September 2014.  This new position -- the Alaska Political Director for MPP -- will work from the office of a political consulting firm that MPP is retaining for this campaign.

This position is an excellent opportunity to play an integral role in what will probably be the most important marijuana-related campaign during the 2013-2014 election cycle:  The goal is to pass a statewide ballot initiative to regulate marijuana like alcohol during the primary election in August 2014.  (This ballot initiative will be very similar to the landmark ballot initiative that MPP passed in Colorado in November 2012.)

The statewide signature drive will take place from approximately May to November of this year.  Once the state government certifies that a sufficient number of signatures were collected, the Alaska legislature will review (and probably hold hearings on) the measure during the first few months of 2014.  After the legislature adjourns, the initiative campaign will kick into high gear, leading all the way up to the statewide vote on August 26, 2014.

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates for this position should have exceptional oral communication skills, flawless writing, an understanding of public policy, and a professional appearance.  Candidates should also be highly organized, self-motivated, and able to accomplish a defined and ambitious set of goals.  Previous campaign experience isn't required; having a connection to Alaska is preferred.

 
RESPONSIBILITIES

The Alaska Political Director will be in charge of most day-to-day campaign operations, such as:

• Being the first (and only) point of contact for voters who have questions about the initiative or want to assist the campaign.
   
• Providing periodic instructions for updating the Alaska campaign's Web site to MPP's Web developer (in Seattle).
   
• Overseeing the statewide signature drive for six months of this year -- including validating the signatures and issuing weekly checks to petitioners -- for the purpose of ensuring that at least 30,169 valid signatures are collected.
   
• Tracking (and possibly testifying on) marijuana-related legislation in Juneau during the 2014 legislative session.
   
• Collecting endorsements from in-state organizations and opinion leaders, such as local Republican clubs, city councils, physicians, clergy, former law enforcement officials, and former and current policymakers.
   
• Giving speeches about the initiative at rotary clubs, college classrooms, summer festivals, and other public venues. And, in some cases, arranging for volunteer campaign spokespersons (such as the opinion leaders cited above) to speak at such venues.
   
• Coordinating volunteers to be active in their communities and to table at public events, for the purpose of distributing literature, talking with voters, registering voters, and collecting email addresses.
   
• Handling the logistics of the campaign's news conferences and the filming of the campaign's TV ads.
   
• Engaging in occasional research projects to help the campaign produce the best arguments and data supporting the passage of the initiative.
   
• Maintaining meticulous records of all revenues and expenses for the campaign, and providing this information to MPP's bookkeeper (in D.C.) on a monthly basis.

The Alaska Political Director reports to MPP's National Political Director (in D.C.), who in turn reports to MPP's Executive Director (also in D.C.).

COMPENSATION

The salary for this position is $3,500 per month, plus full health insurance and an optional retirement plan. 

TO APPLY

To apply, please follow MPP's application instructions.  Phone interviews will take place on a rolling basis through the middle of March, and in-person interviews will take place in Anchorage and/or MPP's D.C. headquarters during the second half of March or the first half of April.  The starting date for this position will be sometime in April or May.

Thank you for your interest in MPP.