Legislative Advocate

Who We Are

Catalyst California (formerly known as Advancement Project California) advocates for racial justice by building power and transforming public systems. We partner with communities of color, conduct innovative research, develop policies for actionable change, and shift money and power back into our communities. Rooted in the historic struggle for racial and economic equality, Catalyst California envisions a world where systems are designed for justice and support equitable access to resources and opportunities for all Californians to thrive. The primary programs are Educational Equity, Equity in Community Investments, Political Voice, and Reimagine Justice & Safety.

Position Summary

Legislative Advocate

The Legislative Advocate will report to the Associate Director of Government Relations and represent Catalyst California as a registered lobbyist before the state legislature. As a critical member of the Government Relations team, the Advocate will be responsible for developing and maintaining contact with members and staff of the legislature, executive branch, various state departments, and other statewide partners working in Sacramento. The Advocate will also assist in developing legislative proposals; track legislation, statutes, regulations, policies, and the state budget; gather intelligence; monitor committee hearings; and perform general administrative duties as needed.

The successful candidate will have familiarity or interest in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and/or K-12 policy, knowledge of the legislative and budget processes, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively with Catalyst California’s program areas and partners. Excellent project management, collaborative experience, administrative skills, including strong attention to detail, and the ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines are required. The successful candidate will also possess a proactive work style that anticipates the needs of their supervisor and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Serve as one of Catalyst California’s advocates and spokespersons in Sacramento.
• Serve as a liaison between the Sacramento and Los Angeles offices, including facilitating dialogue between Sacramento and Los Angeles staff to ensure high-quality policy development and engaging in organization-wide planning and communication activities to ensure adherence to Catalyst California’s goals and policies.
• Support the development and implementation of strategic goals set by the Associate Director of Government Relations and Catalyst California leadership.
• Develop and maintain a working relationship with members of the legislature, staff, committees, executive branch representatives, and other partner organizations on subject matters about Catalyst California issues.
• Monitor, track, and provide a fundamental analysis of legislation and budget proposals to determine policy and fiscal implications of key bills in ECE, K-12, and other policy areas for Catalyst California.
• Draft position letters, legislative language, and testimony; and represent Catalyst California at various hearings and meetings.
• Work with other organizations to gain support and/or opposition on ECE, K-12, and other policy issue areas important to Catalyst California.
• Work with Catalyst California’s Communications department to update the Government Relations webpage, write quarterly blogs, and update social media on Sacramento happenings.
• Participate in organization-wide planning, development, and communications activities, as needed, and ensure adherence to Catalyst California’s goals and policies within the project area.
• Other duties as assigned, dependent on organizational needs and employee skills.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree in public policy or law preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential job duties may be considered.
• Sincere and demonstrated commitment to advancing social, economic, and/or racial justice for the highest-need communities.
• 2-3 years of legislative and/or advocacy experience and a general knowledge of the California Legislature’s organization, functions, process, and procedures required.
• Knowledge of and/or experience working on one of Catalyst California’s core policy issues preferred (democracy, education, and/or government budgets and investments).
• Demonstrated success in delivering high-quality work products consistently and reliably in a fast-paced work environment with ambitious goals.
• Experience building and working in coalitions.

Candidate Profile, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to analyze, evaluate and respond to legislative, budget, and regulatory proposals, complex data, and other information on Catalyst California-related issues and legislation.
• Understanding and/or interest in of the critical issues facing public education and opportunities and promising approaches to advancing educational equity and racial and economic justice in California’s ECE and/or K-12 education systems.
• Must be able to travel locally and statewide.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• Mobility to drive a motor vehicle in order to attend meetings.

Salary

In the spirit of pay transparency, we are excited to share the base salary range for this position is $77,000 – $87,000. If you are hired at Catalyst California, your final salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, and/or experience. In addition to those factors – we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the full salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth.

Benefits & Perks

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits with an affordable employee contribution for spouses and/or dependents, including registered Domestic Partners.
• 403B retirement plan with employer-matching benefits after 90 days.
• Flexible Spending Account for eligible employees to allocate pre-tax money throughout the year.
• Yearly professional development allowance and personalized professional development goals.
• Fifteen vacation days, six personal days, eight sick days, two weeks of paid parental leave, and national and office holidays.
• Organizational and team wellness days to help build team cohesion and camaraderie.
• Opportunity to see the meaning and impact of your work at an organization actively building more equitable communities and systems across California.
• Opportunity to work in a flexible work culture sensitive to employee wellbeing and encourages work-life balance.
• Opportunity to work in a company dedicated to pay equity and a diverse work culture.

To Apply

Please send an email with the subject “Last Name, First Name – Legislative Advocate Application” and a cover letter, resume, and policy-related writing sample as a PDF. The attachments should be titled “Last Name, First Name – GR Legislative Advocate.pdf” (e.g., McCorkle, Katrice – Resume.pdf) and sent to:

Katrice McCorkle
Human Resources Senior Manager
[email protected]

Interview Process

• Phone interview with the hiring manager.
• Two-panel interviews (via Zoom).
• Reference Checks.
• Potential final round with team.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Catalyst California is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other category protected by local, state, or federal laws. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive staff team. We strongly encourage applicants who are people of color, LGBTQ, women, people with disabilities; and/or formerly incarcerated people.