Director of Policy & Advocacy

TITLE: Director of Policy & Advocacy

SCALE LEVEL: Director

PROGRAM: Government Affairs Division

SUPERVISOR: Vice President of Government Affairs

SALARY RANGE: $88K – $93K

START DATE: August  2023

ORANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION: In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is the only national Black women’s reproductive justice organization. Our mission is to increase and highlight the leadership of Black women on reproductive health, rights, and justice issues.  In Our Own Voice is a national-state partnership with eight Black women’s organizations: Black Women for Wellness, Black Women’s Health Imperative, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, SisterLove, Inc., SisterReach, SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW, The Afiya Center, and Women With a Vision.

As a Reproductive Justice organization, In Our Own Voice approaches policy issues from a human rights perspective, incorporating the intersections of race, gender, class, sexual orientation and gender identity with the situational impacts of economics, politics and culture that make up the lived experiences of Black women, girls and gender expanisve people in America.

Our major goals are:

  1. To establish a leadership voice for Black women on reproductive rights, health, and justice policy at the national and level.
  2. To lay the foundation for ongoing policy change at the national and state levels that impacts the lives and wellbeing of Black women and their families.
  3. To engage and motivate Black women as a traditionally underrepresented group to use their voting power in the American electorate. 
  4. To build a coordinated grassroots movement of Black women in support of abortion rights and access, including ending the onerous funding restrictions, contraceptive equity, and comprehensive sex education.

SUMMARY OF POSITION: The Director of Policy and Advocacy is a mid-level manager (3-5 years of management experience) and a member of the Government Affairs team, reporting to the Vice President of Government Affairs.  This person is responsible for implementing and evaluating In Our Own Voice’s federal and state policy strategy, and initiatives focused on voter engagement and national and state polling.  The Director of Policy and Advocacy—supervising the Sr. Manager of Federal Policy and the Policy and Operations Associate—is accountable for designing the systems and strategies for tracking and monitoring the federal and state policy landscape to make progress on the organization’s federal and state policy priorities. The Director also implements the partnership engagement strategy for federal coalition tables and state partners, strategically building and managing partnerships and relationships with key reproductive justice, social justice, and otherwise aligned organizations.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Works with the Vice President of Government Affairs to execute strategies to advance In Our Own Voice’s federal and state policy priorities in Congress, with the current political Administration, and within state legislatures.
  • Develop, lead, and oversee the strategy behind partnerships with national and state organizations. Nurture and steward strategic relationships with colleague organizations in the fields of reproductive, social, and economic justice—especially those doing work in communities of color— to advance In Our Own Voice’s initiatives and priorities. 
  • With the Vice President of Government Affairs, support the implementation of strategic planning and work plans to meet the goals and objectives for federal and state policy strategies. 
  • Directly manages the Sr. Manager for Federal Policy and Policy and Operations Associate.
  • Oversee the team that monitors the federal and state policy landscape, advising and overseeing the proper systems to track important policy movement; identify key opportunities for advancing legislative priorities; and ensure that In Our Own Voice has infrastructure in place to remain abreast of policy trends to lead conversations with policymakers on reproductive justice priorities that center Black women, girls, and femmes. 
  • Closely coordinate with the Vice President of Government Affairs to ensure strategic synergies between federal and state work and strategies.
  • Works with state partners to execute the organization’s voter engagement initiatives.
  • Briefs Vice President of Government Affairs and President and CEO on federal and state policy trends, ensuring timely flow of critical information, alongside the development of rapid response strategies and tactics.
  • Serve as the In Our Own Voice liaison to federal issue coalition tables and among state partners; closely monitors and manages engagement with federal coalition partners and state partners, including ensuring that the In Our Own Voice team is kept abreast of key developments. 
  • Writes national and state-specific issue briefs, fact sheets, and other policy documents.
  • Some travel is required.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

  • A Bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree in relevant fields is a plus.
  • 7-10 years of experience in national or state policy and advocacy, with 3-5 years of management experience. 
  • Candidate must have demonstrated understanding of the Executive Branch, federal agencies, and state government, and professional experience working within or closely to federal and state government.
  • Adept at holding relationships and developing strategies to advance policy and legislative priorities through coalition and partnerships work. 
  • Demonstrated ability to create and lead a team in implementing strategic priorities to advance policy and advocacy work.
  • Demonstrated professional experience in voter engagement work is a plus.
  • Candidate must have excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, organizational skills and be a team player.
  • Must have a commitment to the principles of Reproductive Justice and the empowerment of Black women, girls, and gender-expanisve people. Must be a self-starter, able to prioritize and meet deadlines as delineated by the Vice President of Government Affairs. Must be committed to the mission and goals of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda.

This position is based in Washington, DC with a 4-day work week.

TO APPLY: Please send the following to the attention of Human Resources, hr@blackrj.org.

Please submit materials in Word or PDF:

  • A cover letter expressing interest and qualifications for the position.
  • A resume of no more than 2 pages. 
  • 2 writing samples, no more than three pages each.
  • 3 professional references.

All inquiries and applications will be kept confidential.  Interviews will be on a rolling basis so applicants should get their materials in as soon as possible. 

In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is an equal opportunity organization.

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