Senior Director, State Policy and Advocacy

Position Summary

(Eligible for Hybrid/3 days in office – Alexandria, VA)

The Senior Director of State Policy and Advocacy will be responsible for leading United Way Worldwide’s support of state-specific policy advocacy efforts and providing technical assistance and training to strengthen local United Ways in developing and implementing policy and advocacy strategies.

The successful candidate will work across United Way’s impact pillars that guide the organization’s policy priorities: Healthy Communities, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency.

They will serve as the key point of coordination for the network’s policy-advocacy capacity-building efforts at the state and local levels, including:

• National trainings
• Coordination with state associations and local United Ways on their advocacy initiatives
• Capacity building
• Support for elected official engagement
• Virtual conferences and fly-ins for local United Way staff and board members

The Senior Director of State Policy and Advocacy will also be responsible for:

• Managing or supporting substantive public policy issues
• Leading cohorts of state and local United Ways to engage in issue advocacy
• Facilitating best practice sharing for securing state government funding
• Designing and facilitating trainings for state and local United Ways
• Managing partnerships with coalitions and advocacy organizations

Candidates must have significant experience leading and executing trainings and policy events, including:

• Developing agendas
• Coordinating speaker outreach
• Supporting engagements with elected officials
• Creating materials
• Managing logistics

Additionally, working knowledge of Healthy Communities, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, and Community Resiliency policy areas is expected, along with strong communication, public speaking, and project management skills.

The Senior Director of State Policy and Advocacy will report to the Senior Vice President of Public Policy and collaborate daily with the Global Network Advancement Team and other United Way Worldwide departments.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the vision for United Way Worldwide’s support of state policy engagement, including equipping state and local United Ways to advance state-level policy aligned with the network’s identified priorities.
• Organize, participate in, and conduct trainings, webinars, and conferences, including:
  • State Hill Days and local Days of Action
  • Trainings for local United Ways
  • United Way Advocacy Forum and Capitol Hill Day
  • Additional national network-wide events
• Strengthen and enhance the United Way Policy Team’s state and local policy engagement strategy, including consultation models, communications, outreach, advocacy tools, resources, and trainings.
• Manage or support public policy issues through public awareness campaigns, grassroots and grasstops mobilization, digital advocacy, and strategic influencer engagement.
• Facilitate opportunities for local United Ways to build relationships with their elected officials, including trainings on legislative and executive branch engagement.
• Build and manage relationship cohorts of state and local United Ways to provide targeted support, technical assistance, and consultation to enhance advocacy capacity.
• Cultivate relationships with national advocacy partners to align with United Way Worldwide’s policy and advocacy priorities.
• Collaborate with the Network Engagement Team to strengthen United Way advocacy efforts.
• Lead web and virtual meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and 8-10 years of advanced-level experience in a similar role.
• Familiarity with the United Way network and federal policy landscape (strongly preferred).
• Advanced public policy knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment, build relationships, and work collaboratively.
• Strong project management skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to work on-site in Alexandria, VA (relocation assistance is not offered).

Salary Statement

The budgeted lifespan salary range for this position is currently $130,000 to $150,000 per year. Salary is determined by factors including applicant’s knowledge, skills, experience, position, equity, and market.

Competencies

Accountability/Results Orientation

• Accountable for work results and budget performance.
• Ensures high work quality standards and team training.
• Demonstrates ethical behavior and commitment to United Way Worldwide’s values.

Decision Making/Risk Taking

• Evaluates information and recommends effective courses of action.
• Assesses risks and implications of decisions.
• Develops and proposes alternative solutions.

Organization

• Highly organized in planning, managing, and executing projects.
• Utilizes strategic tools to monitor and achieve goals efficiently.

Teamwork/Collaboration

• Shares information and keeps team members informed.
• Adapts quickly to changing conditions or expectations.

Relationship Management

• Embodies and promotes United Way Worldwide’s values.
• Builds key relationships to advance organizational goals.

Communications

• Expresses ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Actively listens to understand different perspectives.
• Seeks input and feedback to improve performance.

Innovation/Creativity

• Develops and champions new ideas and solutions.
• Maintains knowledge of emerging trends in public policy and advocacy.

About United Way Worldwide

United Way Worldwide seeks diverse, qualified professionals passionate about making a difference in the world. If you want to help others achieve enhanced education, income, and health, United Way Worldwide is the place for you.

United Way Worldwide is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, disability, veteran status, marital status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or ancestry.

For more information, see the EEO is the Law poster.

If you need a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the employment process, email [email protected] with details of your request.

United Way Worldwide is a charter member of Employers of National Service and encourages AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni to apply.

Location: Old Town Alexandria, VA

Benefits Include:

• Competitive salary
• Health, dental, and life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Employee assistance program
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Tuition assistance
• Paid time off
• Family sick leave
• Medical appointment leave
• Parental/adoption leave
• Onsite gym
• Monthly volunteering opportunities
• Free parking

United Way Worldwide’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement

We take the broadest possible view of diversity.

We value the visible and invisible qualities that make you unique.

We believe that each United Way community member, donor, volunteer, advocate, and employee must have equal access to solving community problems.

We strive to include diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in our daily work.

We commit to using these practices for our business and communities.

Join us in embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion for every person in every community.

LIVE UNITED.

Learn more here