Senior Legislative Advocate

Salary scale: $100,000 – $120,000 (based on experience and qualifications)

Location: Based in Sacramento, CA. All candidates for this position must be able to report in-person to a CWC office at least two days per week. Staff are expected to report in-person for work more than two days a week if needed based on job responsibilities.

The Community Water Center (CWC) is building a movement for community-driven water solutions. CWC has offices in Visalia, Watsonville and Sacramento, CA. The Center employs four primary strategies in order to accomplish our goals:

• Educate, organize, and build the capacity of low-income communities and communities of color to address local drinking water challenges.
• Support low-income communities and communities of color in the development of drinking water solutions through technical assistance projects.
• Advocate for systemic change to address the root causes of unsafe drinking water in California.
• Serve as a resource for information and center of expertise on community water challenges.

CWC’s team is passionate, dynamic, and believes in the cause of water justice and making real change that is driven directly by impacted communities themselves. Our organizing and advocacy work, community collaborations, and organizational culture all reflect a concern for equity, mutual respect, appreciation for diversity, and environmental and social justice.

The position is a regular, full-time, exempt, salary position based out of our Sacramento office and will report to the Policy Director. All employees at CWC are “at will.” This position will work closely with the CWC Policy team, as well as other CWC staff and interns, community members, ally organizations, and agencies.

Ideal Candidate

The Senior Legislative Advocate position will be primarily responsible for CWC’s legislative package to secure funding for and address barriers to achieving safe and affordable drinking water in low-income communities and communities of color. The ideal candidate is an experienced legislative advocate with proven ability to collaborate with a team internally and key external stakeholders to secure policy wins for underserved Californians.

Major Responsibilities

• Lead California legislative strategy, in close collaboration with the Policy Director.
• Serve as a direct advocate on behalf of CWC in the California Capitol, including representing the Center at public hearings, legislative meetings and other events as needed.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key legislators, committee staff, and leadership in the Capitol, and external stakeholders to advance water justice priorities and strengthen CWC’s long-term influence.
• Manage Policy Advocate by providing direct supervision, including setting goals, reviewing work product, and ensuring alignment with advocacy (CWC’s) initiatives.
• Develop relationships with community residents and support their advocacy efforts.
• Maintain a strong understanding of California’s political environmental landscape and an understanding of the landscape within specific legislative districts.
• Serve as project manager for legislative events including lobby days, pressers, and rallies.
• Regularly update staff on relevant, critical, and timely information pertinent to passing legislative priorities.

General Duties

• Actively participate in team meetings, strategy development sessions, and other events.
• Support and contribute to internal reporting processes, fundraising efforts, and staff retreats.
• Actively participate in program strategy, planning, tracking, and reporting, and staff meetings.
• Actively participate in CWC fund development activities, such as donor drives, online appeals, and other events.
• Other duties as assigned.

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

Required Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience in California legislative advocacy.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills, with sensitivity to appropriate delivery depending on target and audience.
• Proven ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders in a legislative push.
• Strong project management skills to oversee campaigns, delegate appropriately, meet deadlines and ensure high quality work.
• Proven ability to work in a collaborative, fast-paced office environment and meet deadlines.
• Ability to accept and provide critical feedback – the ideal candidate would value accountability across the organization.
• Proficient technical and basic computer skills including Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Zoom.
• Ability to travel to communities within the San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast.
• Ability to work weekends and evenings when necessary.
• Valid CA driver’s license and the ability to drive on highways and between CWC’s offices efficiently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience directly supervising staff.
• Experience working in the San Joaquin Valley and/or Salinas Valley or familiarity with key environmental justice issues facing these regions.
• Conversational and written fluency in Spanish.
• Experience in CA water, environmental, and local government law.
• Experience working in low-income communities and/or communities of color.
• Experience living in small and/or unincorporated low-income communities of color.

Salary scale: $100,000 – $120,000; based on experience and qualifications.

Application: Email resume and cover letter to [email protected].

Benefits: We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package which includes: medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; retirement contributions; generous vacation, family and sick leave and holiday policies; hybrid (remote and in-person) work location policy; work from home reimbursements; flex-time; professional development opportunities and more. (Benefits guidelines and eligibility vary based on tenure and employment status, among other factors.) Community Water Center is a 501(c)(3) organization. As such employees may be able to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Community Water Center is committed to providing equal opportunity to qualified job applicants and employees and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability (including pregnancy), mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, age, gender, sexual orientation, citizenship, military service status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.