Stop Data Centers Canvass Director

Food & Water Watch is a leading national organization that mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold and uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people’s health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests. 

In the Lehigh Valley, we are fighting data centers.

About Food & Water Watch:

Food & Water Watch is organizing on some of the biggest issues facing Pennsylvanians today. Increasingly that means working to stop data centers. The Lehigh Valley faces several proposed big data centers. If approved, these projects would drive up electricity costs and increase regional pollution, putting corporate profit over the needs of working families.

Food & Water Watch has been working for years, organizing to build power in Pennsylvania. Our work gets real results. We have stopped data centers and proposed fracking projects around the state.  

About the position: 

The Stop Data Centers Canvass Director will report to the Political Director and will work with other staff on the Pennsylvania Organizing and administrative teams to support Food & Water Watch’s work. The position will run a canvass operation that knocks on tens of thousands of doors to educate and engage Lehigh Valley residents on the data centers we are fighting. This is a full-time temporary position starting as soon as possible, running through November 6.

Salary: $54,200 to $71,800 dependent on experience.

Location: This position will be based in Lehigh County (Allentown, PA).

This position will start as soon as possible, running through November 6, 2026.

We are not planning to rent office space for this campaign. Instead, we plan on running the canvass remotely, with regular meetups in the field for canvassers to get training and materials.    

Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Recruit and hire canvassers. Publicize our canvasser application to maximize applicants, and efficiently follow up with those who apply
2. Training canvassers. Teach canvassers to effectively conduct canvassing conversations.
3. Cutting and assigning turf using VAN, create walk lists for canvassers that maximizes their time talking to community members.
4. Analyzing canvasser performance, including running VAN reports, tracking petitions and pledge cards collected.
5. Quality control. Checking submitted data for errors, to maximize canvasser success and minimize submission of fraudulent canvass data
6. Scheduling and tracking hours. Working with the Finance team to ensure canvassers are paid in a timely fashion.
7. Canvass. Completing at least one canvass shift themselves each week.
8. Manage logistics. Ensuring a daily transportation plan for canvassers to get to turf and back, including acquiring rental cars when necessary. Also identify meetup locations for canvass sendoffs.

Required Qualifications:

• At least one election cycle canvassing and/or organizing experience (either electoral or issue organizing works!).
• Familiarity with VAN or a similar voter database tool.

Desired but not required skills and experience: 

• One election cycle canvass directing or one year organizing on an issue advocacy campaign.
• Experience training others.
• Experience with using Microsoft Excel/Google Sheets to track work.
• Knowledge of the region.
• Relationships with organizers and potential canvassers in this area.
• Strong interest in Food & Water Watch issues and commitment to social change.
• Strong verbal and written communication and time management skills.
• Desire to develop campaign organizing skills.

Compensation: $54,200 to $71,800 dependent on experience.

Please include your resume, cover letter and three professional references to be considered. Position open until filled. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas.

We will review your application and if we feel that your knowledge, skills and abilities are potentially a good match for our organization, we will be in contact with you. 

Food and Water Watch is an equal opportunity employer who encourages applications from women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and other members of underrepresented groups. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Food & Water Watch (FWW) is committed to the health and safety of its staff members. Moreover, FWW, as an organization, promotes science-based policy. Science clearly shows that unvaccinated populations drive the spread of the coronavirus and the emergence of new variants, and that unvaccinated people are more likely to contract COVID and experience severe symptoms. FWW requires new staff to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, subject to availability, unless they receive an approved religious or medical accommodation and will be required to provide proof of vaccination.