Public Policy Manager

AT YOUTHCARE: YouthCare envisions a community where no young person experiences homelessness, all young people have the opportunity to thrive, and the systems that oppress them are dismantled. YouthCare serves young people of many racial and ethnic backgrounds, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and religious beliefs, and we seek a workforce that reflects that diversity.

ABOUT YOUTHCARE: YouthCare works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential. Founded in 1974, YouthCare was one of the first programs to serve runaway and homeless youth on the West Coast. The goal was to help young people find safety today and build a future for tomorrow. Over four decades, YouthCare has defined best practices and developed programs that are a national standard for excellence. Using a youth-centered approach, YouthCare ensures that young people experiencing homelessness ages 12-24 have the hope, skills, and confidence to thrive.

ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM: YouthCare’s Development Team works to amplify the stories of young people experiencing homelessness and inspire our community to get engaged. The team provides the support and resources young people need to achieve long-term stability. It is responsible for fundraising, community engagement, external communications, public policy work, volunteer and in-kind donation management, and much more!

POSITION SUMMARY: Under the supervision of Chief Advancement Officer, the Public Policy Manager will develop, assess, and lobby for YouthCare’s federal, state, county, and city policy and budget priorities related to youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. The Public Policy Manager will collaborate across the agency and community—including young people, staff, the YouthCare Board of Directors, and key coalition partners—to inform policy development and engage in collective advocacy. With forty years of success, expertise, and history, YouthCare is uniquely positioned to amplify the needs youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in our region and provide national leadership on policy priories and best practices.

This position is part of a robust and team-oriented Development Team. Success in the role requires: 

• A commitment to advancing racial equity and undoing systems of oppression that lead to youth and young adult homelessness.
• Willingness to collaborate across multiple teams and stakeholders with diverse perspectives and opinions.
• Experience working with young people experiencing homelessness, housing instability, poverty, or systemic oppression.
• Ability to synthesize various inputs into clear policy priories that align with the agency’s mission, vision, and values.
• Comfortability with public speaking, both internally and externally (e.g. testifying before state government committees, leading advocacy 101 trainings, facilitating meetings).
• Ability to translate complex policy issues into clear, accessible, and compelling prose.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and execute annual public policy plan, budget, and activity calendar that reflects YouthCare’s mission, vision, and values.
• Create meaningful and well-supported opportunities to center youth voice in YouthCare’s policy priorities and engage YouthCare clients in agency advocacy efforts.
• Serve as staff coordinator and liaison to YouthCare’s Board of Directors Public Affairs Committee; assess policy priorities and positions; facilitate monthly meetings.
• Represent YouthCare among key state and local coalition partners to advocate for polices that support youth and young adults experiencing homelessness; provide regular updates to YouthCare CEO & Executive Team.
• Collaborate with young people and teams across the agency to inform and identify policy issues, systemic barriers, and agency funding needs.
• Draft position statements, blog posts, white papers, and policy one-pagers.
• Testify, lobby, and coordinate strategic advocacy for YouthCare’s statewide legislative agenda as well as federal, county and city budget priorities. 
• Manage agency advocacy listserv and draft advocacy alerts.
• Build and strengthen relationships with elected officials and their staff at all levels of government (city, county, state, & federal).
• Monitor elections and elected official cycles; work with legislative champions and stakeholder groups to advocate for policies impacting young people experiencing homelessness.
• Organize and coordinate agency participation in Washington State Youth Advocacy Day and Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day.
• Lead advocacy 101 trainings for staff, youth, and board members and promote different ways to engage with advocacy.
• Manage and supervise an annual University of Washington Master’s in Social Work Policy Practicum student

This job description is not intended to cover every aspect of your job at YouthCare. We are a team that works together to meet the needs of our clients and every member of the team is expected to pitch in and help even beyond the specific responsibilities listed in this description.

QUALIFICATIONS –

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:     

• 2 or more years of experience in advocacy, public policy, or government affairs
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines while remaining focused on the needs of the young people we serve.
• Ability to effectively advocate for YouthCare's mission and commitment to social justice and anti-racism.
• Ability to work effectively and maintain positive relationships with young people, internal staff members, and external constituents.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and impeccable follow-through.
• Unwavering commitment to the mission of YouthCare and the young people we serve.
• Self-starter and team player.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Supervision experience and as well as experience working with young people.
• Experience working in nonprofit development.
• Comfort with editing and proofreading various documents and templates.
• Familiarity with MailChimp and graphic design software including Canva and Adobe Creative Suite.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Valid state identification or passport.
• Computer software skills including Windows, Microsoft outlook, Microsoft Word.
• Initiative, creativity, reliability, flexibility, thoroughness.
• High integrity when dealing with a broad array of cultures and restricted and/or confidential information.
• Ability to coordinate overall program functioning.
• Ability to accurately maintain and produce files, records, logs and reports.
• May be required to assume responsibilities or duties within the agency not specifically delineated in this job description for short periods of time or on an infrequent basis.
• Commitment to YouthCare’s initiative to build cultural proficiency across the agency. Acceptance of a variety of lifestyles, behaviors, and cultural and spiritual practices.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to perform range of physical motions, exerting up to 50 pounds. Lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds; standing, walking, sitting for long periods of time, kneeling, squatting, and stooping; running for brief periods of time; and go up and down stairs.

BENEFITS: YouthCare provides a competitive benefits package to full time employees including medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, short-term disability, life insurance, 401(k), vacation, paid holidays, and sick leave after successful completion of the 90-day Introductory Period.

​​​​​​​EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT: YouthCare is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs and YouthCare is committed to recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, regardless of actual or perceived sex; race; color; religious creed; national origin; ancestry; age; marital status; pregnancy; nursing parent status; physical, mental or sensory disability; medical condition; genetic information; sexual orientation; gender (including gender identity or expression); military or veteran status; or any other basis protected by federal, state and/or local laws. People of Color and Members of the LGBTQ community are strongly encouraged to apply.