Policy & Advocacy Manager

Organizational Summary:

The New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ) is the state’s largest immigration coalition. Together with over 60 member organizations, NJAIJ fights for policies that empower and protects immigrants. We are seeking applications for a Policy & Advocacy Manager.

NJAIJ brings together the power and strength of our member organizations to ensure immigrant communities are leaders in campaigns that advance justice, inclusion, and belonging. Our recent campaign wins include a state-wide ban on ICE detention centers, the first of its kind on the East Coast, and driver's licenses for all regardless of immigration status.

The Role:

The Policy & Advocacy Manager leads NJAIJ’s non-partisan advocacy work. The role manages staff who lead state and federal advocacy and provides strategy and direction for the organization’s work on the whole. The qualified candidate for this role will be the premier expert in the state on all issues immigration, whether they’re happening in a rural New Jersey farm town or in the halls of Trenton or Washington DC.

This is a hybrid position that combines some remote working from home with regular presence in Trenton and our Newark, New Jersey office. The role will occasionally require periods of standing, walking, and light lifting (boxes with outreach materials, banners, etc). NJAIJ requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all staff.

Role Responsibilities:

In addition to supporting NJAIJ’s overall mission, the Policy & Advocacy Manager will be responsible for:

• Crafting, managing, and executing strategy for NJAIJ’s core campaigns by
  • Convening campaign calls with NJAIJ member organizations and using member input, guidance, and feedback to craft campaign strategies
  • Scheduling and attending advocacy meetings with legislators and decision makers
  • Creating toolkits, talking points, testimony templates, letter drafts, and other advocacy collateral for member organizations to use in support of NJAIJ campaigns
  • Identifying targets, allies, and opposition for campaign issues and determining opportunities for escalation, education, or base building
• Positioning NJAIJ as the premier voice on immigration issues by
  • Convening educational briefings for community stakeholders and policy makers
  • Tracking and monitoring changes in federal policy for NJAIJ membership
  • Serving as a spokesperson for immigrant justice issues in New Jersey and beyond
  • Working with members and the Executive Director to identify opportunities that further NJAIJ’s mission and position the coalition as a thought leader on immigrant rights and policies
• Strengthen NJAIJ’s advocacy presence by
  • Maintaining and forging new relationships with public officials and their staff
  • Developing a strong network of policy, research, and social justice allies at the state and federal level
  • Strategizing and deciding the organization’s level of involvement in support and core campaigns
  • Positioning NJAIJ to influence policy for issues that are not immigration-specific (for example, the impacts of the housing or eviction crisis on New Jersey’s immigrant communities)
• Providing management of NJAIJ’s Policy & Advocacy Team and/or seasonal interns

Qualifications & Core Competencies:

The selection process will consider a wide range of lived and earned experiences. Competitive applicants will possess a majority of the following:

• Deep personal ties or commitments to New Jersey immigrant communities
• Strong commitment to racial, social, and economic justice and critical analysis of systemic racism and structural inequities in the state
• Demonstrated management or supervisory experience
• Ability to communicate complex ideas in concise, accessible language (verbal and written)
• Eagerness to work in fast-paced environments that require transitioning quickly between tasks
• Sense of independence and ability to make strategic decisions, even with limited information
• Careful attention to detail and well-developed time and project management skills
• Experience in advocacy coalitions, consensus building, and conflict resolution
• Experience with the New Jersey legislature or in State-level issue-based campaigns
• Strong computer literacy and willingness to incorporate new tools and technology into their work
• Bi- and multilingual candidates strongly preferred

Compensation:

Full time NJAIJ staff receive a benefits package including health care, dental, vision, life insurance, commuter benefits, and more.

NJAIJ staff receive 15 vacation days per year in their first year and 20 days per year in all subsequent years. Annual leave also includes 4 personal days, 12 sick and health days. Staff leave also includes 14 paid holidays, and 3 heritage days for staff who observe celebrations outside those 14 days.

This position has a salary range between $68,000 - $72,000 annually. NJAIJ uses a fixed compensation structure to provide pay parity across similar roles in the organization. To preserve equity, salary range is not up for negotiation.

To Apply:

Interested applicants should submit PDF versions of their resume to jobs@njimmigrantjustice.org with the words, “Community Response Coordinator: (First & Last Name)” in the subject line. Applications with cover letters will receive priority and are encouraged but not required.

Interview Process:

Applicants will be notified if they are invited to a first round screening. Following first-round screenings, applicants will be notified if they have proceeded to the next stage of the interview process and will be expected to complete a case exercise. Applicants will have 4 days to complete the case exercise, for which all participating applicants will be compensated $100 for their labor, regardless of final selection for this position.

Following the completion of the case exercise, final applicants will be notified if they have been selected for final interview, during which we will request candidates provide 3-5 contacts for professional reference.

Bi- and multilingual candidates who have reading and writing proficiency in Arabic, Haitian Creole, French, and/or other West African languages, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish are strongly encouraged to apply.