Director of Policy & Advocacy

About the Opportunity

Internews seeks a Director of Policy and Advocacy to lead its efforts to educate policymakers and mobilize powerful coalitions to advance the organization’s mission: ensuring that everyone has trustworthy news and information to make informed decisions and hold power to account.

The Director of Policy and Advocacy will work with Internews’ CEO and senior leadership to set policy and advocacy priorities and work closely with internal and external stakeholders to advance them. The Director of Policy and Advocacy will create and maintain strong bipartisan relationships on Capitol Hill and within the Administration, closely track legislative developments, and educate policymakers on key issues as necessary.

Internews works in coalition with other organizations in the international development space, so representing the organization with consistent outreach and active participation with other groups is essential. Reporting to the Vice President of External Affairs and serving on the Senior Staff leadership team, the Director of Policy and Advocacy will play an essential role in helping to advance Internews’ reputation in Washington, DC, and globally.

About Internews

At Internews, we believe everyone deserves trustworthy news and information to make informed decisions about their lives and hold power to account.

We train journalists, advance internet freedom, and offer business expertise to help media outlets become financially sustainable. We do all of this in partnership with local communities – who are the people best placed to know what works.

We support independent media in 100+ countries, from radio stations in refugee camps to hyper-local news outlets and digital rights practitioners. We’ve helped our partners reach millions of people with quality, local information that saves lives, improves livelihoods, and holds institutions accountable.

Internews is an international nonprofit with 30 offices around the world, including headquarters in California, Washington, DC, London, and Paris, and regional hubs in Bangkok, Kyiv, and Nairobi.

Logistics

Internews has US offices in Arcata, CA, and Washington, DC, which support a hybrid workforce with staff working remotely, fully in-office, or partially remote.

Candidates must be based in Washington, DC. Internews has a highly flexible remote work policy, and the successful candidate may work partially or fully remote; however, the ability to regularly attend meetings with policymakers, influencers, and others in Washington, DC is essential.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so candidates are encouraged to apply soon.

Our Commitment to Fostering a Culture of Belonging

We are an organization of dynamic, mission-driven individuals who are passionate about our core values and about supporting positive change in the world. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and flexibility.

We believe that diverse teams are strong teams and work to support an ethic of belonging, dignity, and justice for all people. Our current team includes a mix of genders, parents and non-parents, and people of multiple races, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

We are an EEO employer and encourage candidates of all races, genders, ages, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences.

Day-to-Day Tasks

Government Relations

• Lead all aspects of Internews’ engagement with US-based policymakers.
• Create and maintain bipartisan, bicameral member and staff relationships relevant to Internews’ work.
• Develop and maintain principal and staff relationships throughout the executive branch, namely at the State Department and USAID.
• Track relevant legislation, committee and subcommittee markups, and hearings on Capitol Hill. Alert and advise Internews leadership when action is needed.
• Lead policymaker education efforts on matters that may impact the work of the organization.
• Arrange Hill briefings for Internews staff, including leadership, technical leads, and country directors visiting Washington, DC.

Coalition Engagement and Reputation Management

• Serve as the primary Internews representative in Washington, DC policy and foreign affairs circles.
• Represent Internews in various coalitions focused on international development, including organizations such as the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.
• Actively engage with an ad-hoc group of leading democracy and human rights NGOs that have common cause in advocating these issues on the Hill and within the Administration.
• Work closely with colleagues on the External Affairs team to manage Internews’ reputation in Washington, DC, and beyond.

Policy Development and Promotion

• Develop a vision for and build Internews’ in-house policy practice, institutionalizing the approach throughout the organization.
• Lead policy development for Internews, meeting regularly with the Internews CEO and senior leadership to set priorities and identify emerging issues.
• Engage with various country and technical teams to understand the nuances of media and information issues in key countries where we work, so you can effectively educate policymakers on behalf of the people we serve.
• Advise on matters related to foreign affairs policy in Europe, where Internews has a robust presence.

Values and Flexibility

In all duties, uphold Internews’ Core Values and demonstrate a commitment to fostering a culture of belonging.

Qualifications We’re Looking For

Required

• University degree or equivalent lived/professional experience.
• 12+ years of progressively senior experience in an advocacy-related field, including at least 5 years of experience educating Members of Congress or staff on policy issues.
• A network of contacts on Capitol Hill; experience with foreign affairs appropriators or authorizers is a major plus.
• Knowledge of foreign relations/aid policy and players is required.
• Experience working in coalitions to advance common legislative agendas; direct experience with coalition management is a plus.
• Experience with or contacts in the US State Department or USAID are a plus.
• Excellent communication skills in English: speaking, presenting, writing, and listening.
• Ability to work both independently and as an effective team member.

The annual salary range for this position is $120,500 – $156,700.

This position is being offered and hired by Internews Network. Benefits will be consistent with Internews Network’s offerings and will be reviewed during the hiring process. Additional information can be found on our Benefits page.

Internews Network is an EEO/AAP/OFCCP employer. Every qualified applicant will be considered for employment. Internews does not discriminate based on race, gender, gender identity or orientation, genetic information, age, national origin, marital status, disability status, political ideology, military or protected veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.

Learn more here