Director of Strategic Relationships

The Institute for Responsible Technology Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) was founded by Jeffrey M. Smith, the leading spokesperson on the health dangers of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and author of Seeds of Deception, the world's bestselling and #1 rated book on the subject. IRT's Campaign for Healthier Eating in America educates consumers about GMO health risks and provides easy access to non-GMO brand choices. The Campaign is designed to generate the tipping point of consumer rejection of genetically modified (GM) foods, in order to force them out of the market.

The Problem with GMOs:

The current generation of GM foods is one of the greatest threats to human health and the environment. GMOs are linked to toxic or allergic symptoms, thousands of sick, sterile, and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals. FDA scientists warned about these potential problems, but were ignored by the person in charge of policy-the former attorney for biotech giant Monsanto, and later their VP. The FDA requires no safety tests.

GM crops:

• Concentrate corporate control of food
• Increase herbicide use without increasing average yields
• Endanger food security
• Are detrimental to sustainable and organic farming
• Trap farmers in a cycle of debt and dependence
• Shrink biodiversity
• Harm beneficial insects
• Damage soil bacteria
• Contaminate non-GM varieties, and
• Work against solving the problem of hunger

Moreover, the self-propagating genetic pollution from GM crops might outlast the effects of global warming and nuclear waste.

The Solution: A Tipping Point Strategy Based on Success

The consumer revolt in Europe provides a successful model to stop the genetic engineering of the food supply in North America. After the European media reported the health risks of GM foods in early 1999, consumer concern reached a tipping point. Within a single week, virtually all major food manufacturers committed to remove GM ingredients from their European brands. This market rejection has kept GMOs out.

If GMO health risks got onto the national radar screen in the US, a European-style tipping point could be achieved. Since food companies do not gain any advantage from using GM ingredients, even a small percentage of consumers changing brands based on GM content could accomplish it. We believe that 5% of shoppers-15 million people or 5.6 million households-is more than sufficient to trigger an industry-wide cleanout.

The Institute, as part of a coalition, has already been successful in generating a tipping point against milk from cows injected with genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rbGH). Most of the top dairy brands, including Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Kroger, Dannon, Yoplait, have committed to stop using rbGH in the past three years.

Health Concerns Motivate; Non-GMO Brands Provide Direction

IRT has packaged information about the health dangers into books, films, audio CDs, PowerPoint presentations, brochures, reports, websites, podcasts, scripted PowerPoints, and articles. We offer compelling expert content for others' websites, list serves, magazines, newsletters, handouts, conferences, etc. We also produce a printed and electronic Non-GMO Shopping Guide, making it much easier for people to make healthier non-GMO choices.

Position Overview:

Director of Strategic Relationships: Enrolls organizations and key opinion leaders to participate in our Campaign for Healthier Eating in America.

Responsibilities:

To enroll organizations and key opinion leaders to participate in our Campaign for Healthier Eating in America and thereby establish distribution of our GMO-related materials to tens of millions of people. Groups willing to partner with us include: green, health-conscious, medical, foodie, sustainable, spiritual, parent, school, chefs, and others.

Qualifications:

• Must have terrific nonprofit to nonprofit, or business to business, experience in sales, networking, or coalition building
• Easily interacts with CEO or Executive Director levels
• Able to inspire enthusiastic support
• Meticulously organized
• Able to work independently in a virtual office
• Competent in business communications
• Experience in one of the targeted outreach areas is a plus.

Position Details:

We can accommodate full time or multiple part time positions. You are welcome to work from your home. (You will NOT be required to work onsite at IRT's Iowa headquarters.)

Compensation: Salary is commensurate with experience. Support towards health insurance is available for full time positions.

To Apply:

Please send resume using the subject line Strategic Relationships Director.