Director, Advocacy & Public Policy

About the Organization

It is an exciting time at the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) as we continue to undertake our mission of providing good, nutritious food today and food to enable brighter futures. On an annual basis CAFB distributes about 40 million meals worth of food through a network of hundreds of partners across the DMV. We know that creating long term solutions to food security requires more than meals. It requires education, training, and collaboration across the public, private and social service ecosystems. We are seeking people with strong ideas and a passion to come together to address the complex interrelated issues of food security, poverty, and equity. We are expanding in multiple ways: providing food for today and addressing the root causes of hunger by partnering with organizations that provide critical services like job training programs, health care and education. Food has the power to transform lives and move everyone forward. Find out how on our website at capitalareafoodbank.org. Let us discuss how food is at the center of everyone’s healthy life!

Description

Director of Advocacy & Public Policy

The Director of Advocacy & Public Policy is responsible for advancing the interests, influence and reputation of the Capital Area Food Bank and its clients, in governmental and political arenas. This entails advising, developing, and implementing legislative, political, and governmental advocacy strategies across federal, state, and local levels of government (includes 10 unique jurisdictions), as well as building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders across Maryland, DC, and Virginia. The Director is required to produce an annual legislative agenda, oversee, and recruit for an annual Client Leadership Council, administer a governmental fundraising effort across cities, counties, states, and the United States Congress, and create a programmatic strategy and staffing plan to enroll, refer, and inform clients of social safety net benefits. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in understanding and dealing with hunger and food policy on the local and national level and/or have experience in addressing directly related issues, including healthcare, health equity, social determinants of health, or other connected issue areas. This position reports to the Deputy Director of Regional Partnerships.

Essential Functions:

Advocacy and Lobbying – 50%

• Oversees a legislative and advocacy portfolio and implements strategic lobbying efforts.
• Builds and maintains strong internal and external relationships within the CAFB network, across government and political landscapes, and within the Feeding America Network.
• Monitors and analyzes emerging regulatory, budgetary, and legislative issues.
• Creates an annual policy agenda across all levels of government in several disciplines and arenas, including understanding the emerging legislation and opportunities surrounding food is medicine efforts in support of stronger health outcomes.
• Prepares CAFB staff for external, government related events and appearances (such as testimony, briefing memos, governmental fundraising, etc.).
• Develops and executes legislative and regulatory strategies to benefit the operations of the food bank and the livelihood of its clients.
• Performs stakeholder mapping of influential elected officials, governmental administrators, and advocates to cultivate relationships and build rapport.

Client Leadership & Utilization – 15%

• Creates, reviews, and updates programmatic functions geared toward outreach and informing on social safety net programs including, but not limited to: SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, EITC, CTC, TANF, free/reduced school meals, the Medicare Savings Program, and Supplemental Security Income.
• Revises and updates curriculum for the Client Leadership Council (CLC ), a ten-month advocacy and leadership training program for CAFB clients.

Governmental Fundraising – 15%

• Devises and administers cyclical, non-cyclical, and stimulus-based governmental fundraising efforts across 3 levels of government and 14 unique jurisdictions ensuring investment in food distribution, reimbursements for nutrition in support of improved health outcomes, staffing, transportation, partner credits, and capital infrastructure projects.
• Reviews non-cyclical and stimulus-based governmental contracts to ensure operational support, staffing, and capacity correspond with legislative asks and strategic outcomes.

External Affairs – 10%

• Represents the food bank in panel, coalition, stakeholder, and donor engagements.
• Works across and alongside donors and food bank nonprofit partners to effectively design and execute government affairs, advocacy initiatives, and client leader pipelines.
• Supports the development of external talking points, framing, and documentation for high-level press, media, and donor engagements for CEO and other staff.
• Oversees organization and utilization of advocacy-based client relationship management tool (EveryAction).

Leadership and Management – 10%

• Other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements

• At least 8+ years of public policy experience, including experience at state, and local governmental levels.
• At least 3+ years overseeing governmental fundraising efforts at all levels of government.
• At least 3+ years of management experience, including a combination of program and people management.
• Demonstrated ability to create and foster strong relationships across a diverse range of constituencies.
• Successful record of managing complex public policy analysis, political, and advocacy strategies, including policy communications with senior government officials.
• Exceptional level of policy, political, and social acumen required to navigate a myriad of complex issues, policies, and programs.
• Exercises strong judgement on complex topics at the intersection of politics, policy, and government.
• Strong background of existing relationships on the local, state, and federal level, as well as across key advocacy and coalition groups in the region.
• Demonstrated expertise in communicating complex, technical, or policy issues to diverse, non-technical audiences.
• Ability to successfully lead cross-functional teams (internal and external) utilizing strong organizational skillset to drive and lead complex campaigns and projects.
• Graduate degree in public policy, public health, or a related field strongly preferred.

Other Skills, Abilities:

• Familiarity with community organizing, advocacy training, or social-justice oriented pedagogy.
• Experience in healthcare and/or healthcare equity, particularly participating in or leading advocacy within this arena is a plus.
• Familiarity and experience working with diverse clients experiencing food insecurity.
• Demonstrated ability to write clear, concise policy reports or memos.
• Demonstrated ability to self-direct work and operate in a deadline-intensive environment with strong, versatile interpersonal skills and a positive, professional attitude.
• Possesses superior research, writing, and oratory skills.
• Familiarity with client relationship management tools preferred.
• Multi-lingual, Spanish speaking, a plus.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions:

The physical demands and working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Sitting: over 2/3 percent of the time
• Keyboarding: over 2/3 percent of the time
• Driving: under 1/3 percent of the time
• As required by the duties and responsibilities of the position.

Reporting:

Chief Operations Officer

Schedule:

Normal working hours are 9am to 5pm Monday – Friday Hybrid schedule available

Compensation:

Compensation is $125,000 to $140,000/annually

NOTE: Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

We Offer:

At Capital Area Food Bank, we understand that great people make a great organization. We value our people and offer employees a broad range of benefits including competitive compensation and benefits, free onsite parking, complimentary shuttle to metro, professional development, growth, and volunteer opportunities, fun work in a diverse environment

Application Process:

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter and resume. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

EOE Statement

Capital Area Food Bank welcomes and supports a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities (EEO) for all applicants seeking employment and for all our employees. CAFB makes employment decisions based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, personal appearance, military status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation, educational status, unemployment status, place of residence or business, source of income, reproductive health decision making or any other characteristic protected by law. Additionally, harassment or discrimination based on these characteristics will not be tolerated at CAFB. To perform the essential functions of this position, reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities.