The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI), North America's leading trade association for the plastic pipe industry, has announced the creation of a Director of Sustainability & Advocacy position. This strategic hire represents a significant organizational commitment to advancing sustainable infrastructure and influencing policy development affecting the plastic pipe sector. According to PPI president David M. Fink, this role marks a crucial step in building consensus and promoting the use of plastic pipe systems through focused sustainability and advocacy initiatives.
The new director will report directly to the PPI president and assume leadership of the PPI Sustainability Committee. Primary responsibilities include developing messaging that emphasizes the sustainability and resilience of plastic pipes, managing dedicated webpages on these topics, and creating case studies, promotional materials, and social media content. These efforts aim to highlight plastic pipe benefits while supporting PPI's mission to create better infrastructure systems for the future.
Government advocacy represents a substantial component of the position. The director will assist with policy development, direct lobbying activities, and represent PPI and its members on Capitol Hill. Additional duties include overseeing the PPI Umbrella Government Advocacy Committee, maintaining legislative issue tracking, and collaborating with lobbyists and association partners to develop key legislative proposals. This dual focus on sustainability and advocacy positions PPI to address both environmental concerns and regulatory challenges simultaneously.
The position offers remote work flexibility or the option to work from the company's Dallas-area headquarters, potentially expanding the candidate pool nationally. Required qualifications include an accredited four-year degree in engineering, public relations, political science, governmental affairs, marketing, or communications. Ideal candidates should possess three to five years of relevant experience, strong communication skills, digital public relations expertise, and familiarity with Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Advocacy experience is preferred.
This organizational development reflects broader industry trends toward sustainability integration and policy engagement. As infrastructure development remains a global priority, the emphasis on sustainable and resilient materials grows increasingly significant. The plastic pipe industry, through PPI's leadership, is positioning itself to address environmental concerns while promoting product benefits. The creation of this director role signals a proactive industry approach to shaping legislation affecting plastic pipe applications across various sectors.
For HR vendors serving the infrastructure and manufacturing sectors, this development indicates growing demand for professionals who bridge technical knowledge with sustainability expertise and government relations capabilities. Organizations seeking to influence policy while demonstrating environmental responsibility may follow similar hiring patterns. The position's requirements suggest that future talent needs will increasingly combine engineering or technical backgrounds with communications, advocacy, and sustainability competencies.
PPI's initiative has implications for infrastructure development standards, environmental practices, and industry competitiveness. By aligning industry practices with global sustainability goals, PPI aims to ensure plastic pipe systems remain relevant in modern infrastructure projects. The full job listing provides additional details about this strategic position at https://plasticpipe.org/PPI-Home/About/Employment-Opportunities.aspx.
