Government Affairs and Advocacy Director

The Government Affairs and Advocacy Director is a remote, Washington D.C.-based leadership role on the management team for both Farm Action and Farm Action Fund, reporting to the Senior Director of Programs. This position provides leadership, strategy, and direction for the organizations’ policy priorities and advocacy efforts, aiming to maximize their presence and impact at national and state levels.

The Director will lead strategic engagement with Congress, the Executive Branch, and various stakeholders to advance the organizations' agenda. This role involves close collaboration with senior leadership, the communications team, and other team members, as well as coordination with grassroots partner organizations nationwide.

Responsibilities

Government Affairs Responsibilities for Farm Action Fund:

• Develop and implement a strategic government outreach strategy, collaborating with executive and program leadership to advance organizational policies through regulatory and legislative initiatives
• Cultivate relationships with government officials, legislators, and regulatory agencies
• Track and analyze legislative and regulatory proposals at the state and federal levels, analyzing their impact on the organization’s mission and objectives
• Ensure compliance with lobbying laws and regulations and manage reporting of lobbying and advocacy activities
• Represent the organization in meetings with legislators, government officials, the advocacy community, and other influential stakeholders
• Develop and implement outreach initiatives supporting the organization’s mission and policies
• Foster relationships with stakeholders to allow for the coordination of lobbying efforts
• Manage organization’s grasstops volunteer program
• Assist with the development and implementation of fundraising strategies
• Engage in public speaking and effective communication with co-workers, constituents, and outside agencies
• Attend conferences and other networking events related to the organization’s mission and public policy
• Serve as media spokesperson
• Other related assignments as necessary

Advocacy Responsibilities for Farm Action:

• Lead Farm Action’s efforts to strategically position the organization, its partners, and its agenda within targeted states and in Washington, D.C., engaging with stakeholders, policymakers, and influencers
• Lead national coalition-building strategies and maintain key relationships with partner organizations and stakeholders to establish state and national policy strategy aligned with organization’s priorities
• Manage organization’s grasstops volunteer program
• Stay informed and responsive to policy developments impacting the food and farm sector, identifying opportunities for Farm Action to take a leadership position in strategy and communication
• Provide leadership, alongside staff and partner organizations, in the development and implementation of policy priorities and strategy
• Measure the effectiveness of policy work and campaigns, identifying and executing necessary changes to meet objectives
• Collaborate with the communications team on the organization’s positioning across core areas of focus, enhancing stakeholder engagement through strategic use of diverse media platforms
• Assist in developing and disseminating materials about legislative developments to national partners, policymakers, and the media
• Engage in public speaking and effective communication with co-workers, constituents, and external agencies
• Attend conferences and other networking events relative to the organization’s mission and public policy
• Serve as media spokesperson
• Other related assignments as necessary

Note: This remote position is based in Washington, D.C., and requires travel, with varying and unpredictable travel requirements based on projects and assignments.

Qualifications

• Five years’ experience in a leadership position advocating for food, farming, agriculture, or rural policy issues
• Strong commitment to nonpartisanship
• Extensive knowledge of legislative and administrative processes and federal policies that pertain to the food and farming sectors, including experience analyzing and interpreting legislative and regulatory language
• Proven leadership skills and staff management experience, including the ability to develop team performance and a genuine desire to coach and mentor
• Excellent advocacy, consensus-building, and coalition-building skills; demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively with other staff and other organizations; demonstrated ability to work with groups and individuals across the political spectrum
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral; experience as a public spokesperson and advocate; ability to analyze and articulate policy concepts and other complex issues and to communicate them to a variety of audiences; a “quick study” on a dynamic array of issues
• Ability to produce consistent, high-quality work in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to manage several projects simultaneously and to adjust to frequently changing demands