Vice President of Policy Advocacy

About the job

Vice President of Policy Advocacy
Location: Washington, DC
Reports to: CEO

About I AM ALS

I AM ALS is a community-led organization with the revolutionary goal of changing ALS from fatal to chronic. We provide support and resources to those impacted by ALS; empower advocates to raise awareness; and lead the movement against ALS in driving the development of cures. Founded in 2019 by husband and wife team Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya, I AM ALS was born out of their desire to rewrite the ALS story for Brian and the tens of thousands of other people with ALS.

The Opportunity

In just six years, I AM ALS has established itself as a patient-centered force focused on increasing the speed and urgency of ending ALS. This role offers a unique opportunity to lead a grassroots movement in continuing to make progress in the ALS landscape through ambitious changes in health policy and research funding. I AM ALS has built a team of government relations strategists and advocates who have had success in advancing legislative priorities in bipartisan environments, including increasing federal funding for ALS research by more than $1 billion and gaining bipartisan support for the landmark 2021 law, ACT for ALS. We will continue to make progress in a new Congress and Administration, and need a leader in this role who can mobilize champions, grow momentum, and move forward policy action.

About You

You are passionate about good public policy and believe in the power of community-driven advocacy to drive real change. You recognize that strategic, smart integration of grassroots advocacy and traditional government relations work is necessary to make progress. You are organized, curious, and creative. You are an excellent communicator with the ability to engage diverse groups of stakeholders along the way. You are skilled at project management, process development, and strategic planning. You love to analyze and draft public policy. You have strong relationships on Capitol Hill as well as history in the broader health policy and research landscape. You understand bipartisan politics and can help the team navigate DC expertly.

Responsibilities

The Vice President of Policy Advocacy will coordinate all aspects of I AM ALS’ government relations work. This includes meeting with federal and government champions and partner organizations and managing workflow between a team of government relations consultants, a powerhouse group of volunteers, and I AM ALS leadership and board members. The person who assumes this role will play a key role in determining I AM ALS policy priorities and developing strategies to execute on them. This role also involves extensive engagement with Congress, the White House, and federal agencies, including NIH, FDA, CDC, and DoD. The VP, Policy Advocacy will report directly to the CEO and will serve as a member of I AM ALS’s leadership team.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Lead the organization in shaping a government relations strategy that aligns with and helps achieve policy goals based on identified patient, caregiver, and family priorities.
• Develop and maintain general knowledge of legislation and current events relevant to the ALS community, and be responsible for ensuring I AM ALS can respond to policy changes and opportunities.
• Lead and participate in frequent meetings with a broad range of stakeholders, from community members to members of Congress to partners in the biopharma industry.
• Coordinate the day-to-day execution of all government relations efforts by I AM ALS, ensuring an overall view of the status and progress of multiple policy priorities.
• Work closely with the organization’s volunteer grassroots advocacy teams as well as government affairs consultants.
• Establish clear goals and milestones for I AM ALS’s policy agenda and provide regular updates on progress or challenges ahead.
• Serve as an active member of the leadership team on organizational strategy, team leadership and culture, and community engagement.
• Work with colleagues and stakeholders to develop high-quality deliverables/assets in a timely manner.
• Build systems and processes as necessary to achieve organizational and community goals.
• Other duties as determined by the emerging needs of the organization.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• 10+ years of professional experience, including at least 5 years in public policy, government relations, and/or federal policy advocacy.
• At least 2 years of experience working in a Congressional office or standing committee and/or for a federal government agency.
• Bipartisan experience and government relationships.
• Comfort collaborating with Congressional health committees.
• Experience with federal health care agencies including FDA, NIH, VA, and/or DoD.
• Comfort with policy communications, digital advocacy, and grassroots approaches.
• Exceptional communication skills, including listening to stakeholders and communicating complex policy processes with people from diverse technical, ethnic, and experiential backgrounds.
• Strong project management skills, highly collaborative, and flexible in a fast-paced environment.
• Natural problem solver with creative solutions and open to receiving and giving feedback.
• Experience in a disease community or with ALS is always valued.

Travel Requirements

• Position is located in Washington, DC (non-negotiable).
• Travel up to 5% for meetings and events.

Salary and Benefits

The range is expected to be between $130,000-$180,000 annually, though a candidate whose qualifications and experience exceed our stated requirements shouldn’t hesitate to apply. Final salary will be dependent on experience.
This position is full-time/exempt.
Although this position must be based in Washington, DC with the ability to attend regular meetings on Capitol Hill, we are a fully remote organization and team.
I AM ALS offers an extremely generous benefits package and leave policy. Highlights include employer-covered health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents; unlimited PTO; flexible spending accounts; and a 401(K) with an employer match.

To Apply

If you believe you can deliver on these responsibilities, we encourage you to apply. Please upload your application materials to our VP, Policy Advocacy application form by Wednesday, February 12th. We will have a rolling review process, and will be in touch no later than February 14th if you are selected to interview.

You can reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions, but please note that all application materials must be submitted using the application form.

I AM ALS is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, social class, marital status, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply.

We are committed to creating access for all qualified individuals in the hiring process, including but not limited to those with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the application or interview process, please contact [email protected].