Policy Coordinator - Climate

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:        Policy Coordinator – Climate

Reports to:    Co-Executive Director

Classification: Full time, Exempt

Salary Range: $67,000 - $80,000

Position Summary

The Policy Coordinator position is an exempt, professional position performing work that is predominately intellectual and varied in character related to high level policy work in furtherance of the organization’s mission and goals. The position regularly requires the use of professional, independent judgement to exercise discretion in matters related to the duties set forth below.

The Policy Coordinator will be primarily responsible for working in coalition with community residents, partner organizations and governmental representatives; conducting research and analysis of potential, proposed and existing policies at all levels of government; developing strategic communications to support advocacy; supporting fundraising and resource development; managing policy campaigns; and developing local, regional and state level advocacy campaigns to improve conditions in Inland California.

Duties & Responsibilities

The essential functions are as follows:

Develop and implement a strategic advocacy agenda in relevant substantive areas

•      Develop and implement strategies to effect long term policy change at the statewide and regional level in relevant substantive areas

•      Develop and implement strategies to advance short- and long-term policy campaigns at the statewide and regional level

•      Support RPMs and PAs to effect long term policy change at the local level in relevant substantive areas

•      Support RPMs and PAs in development and implementation of strategies to advance short- and long-term policy campaigns at the local (community level, city-level, or county level)

•      Engage in statewide and national and regional regulatory / administrative advocacy through testimony, written comments, coalition development and other activities

•      Engage in statewide and legislative advocacy through testimony, written comments, coalition development and other activities

•      Work with Communications Director to use media to advance program and policy priorities

Develop and maintain relationships with relevant coalitions, partner organizations, governmental agencies, community-based organizations, academic and research institutions, and other relevant stakeholders

•      Participate in relevant coalitions, networks, collaboratives to advance Leadership Counsel priorities

•      Represent and speak on behalf of Leadership Counsel at community events, conferences, convenings, etc.

•      Build and lead coalitions and networks to advance Leadership Counsel priories

•      Meet with partner organizations, representatives of government, residents as needed to develop relationships

•      Ensure contacts are maintained in relevant databases

Support community education, outreach and organizing efforts related to issue area expertise

•      Develop curriculum for education, outreach and organizing

•      Develop relationships with community residents

•      Support development of strategic advocacy plan in collaboration with RPMs, PAs, and community leaders

•      Attend community events and community meetings

•      Participate in or otherwise Support Leadership Development Program

Develop and Support Leadership Counsel’s Expertise and Capacities in Relevant Areas

•      Develop and maintain content area expertise related to relevant substantive areas

•      Develop and maintain procedural expertise related to relevant governmental entities and decision-making processes

•      Develop and implement internal trainings

•      Lead internal area or issue-specific teams as necessary, participate in other teams as necessary

•      Author and co-author reports and studies

Fundraising and development

•      Work with Director of Development and Co-Executive Directors to identify funding opportunities

•      Work with Director of Development to draft grant proposals and grant reports

•      Support other fundraising activities including drafting appeals and cultivating donors

Administrative duties

•      Maintain time records of all activities as directed by co-directors

•      Maintain files in accordance with office policies

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive and the employee will also perform other reasonably related duties as assigned by the supervising manager or co-executive directors.

Skills and Qualifications

The following qualifications are required for this position:

•      Education

o  Bachelor’s Degree or comparable experience

•      Prior Experience:

o  1-2 years of demonstrated experience working with and on behalf of low-income regions of the State

o  2-3 years of experience dedicated to social justice

•      Technical Skills/Proficiencies

o  Computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite and Google Office Suite

o  Excellent verbal and writing skills

o  Excellent project management skills

o  Subject matter expertise on relevant social justice issues impacting low-income communities in Inland California

•      Other Traits:

o  Ability to work long hours and weekends when necessary

o  Ability to travel within the State of California including throughout California and 1-2 times out of state

o  Access to personal vehicle and insurance coverage

o  Access to a cell phone

o  Reliable access to the internet

o  Comfortable with working with residents and organizations from diverse backgrounds

o  COVID-19 vaccinations required, accommodations can be requested for medical or religious reasons for individuals not fully vaccinated

The following qualifications are a plus:

•      Technical Skills/Proficiencies

o  Bilingual in English and Spanish or other relevant language

 Physical Requirements & Work Environment

The physical demands listed are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Ability to drive frequently and for up to 8 hours in a day to community meetings, hearings, conferences and other related activities, ability to work long days occasionally up to 14 hours in a day, ability to conduct door-to-door outreach and conduct meetings, lifting materials and supplies such as chairs, easels, tables. Typically, these will weigh 30 pounds or less. Position involves sitting at a desk and working on a computer for most the workday. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit; use hands for clerical duties and keyboarding. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms; stoop and kneel. Specific vision abilities required by this job includes close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Acute hearing is necessary for telephone and in person communication with callers and community members, and visual acuity sufficient to read a computer screen and paper documents. This position engages in functions both indoors and outdoors, in office environments with light to moderate noise, and in community gathering venues, private homes or government buildings with both small and large groups of people where noise levels may be higher than in a typical office setting. Employees share office space with one or more other staff members. Out-of-office meetings both meetings will include meetings in other offices, in community centers, in homes, in government buildings, and outside.

 Equal Employment Opportunity & Accommodations

Leadership Counsel is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and strictly prohibits any unlawful harassment and/or discrimination against applicants for employment or anyone in its employ based on sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity (including transgender status), gender expression, religious belief or practice, race (including natural hairstyle or hair texture related thereto), color, national origin (including possession of a driver’s license issued under Vehicle Code Section 12801.9 which authorizes licenses to individuals who cannot provide satisfactory proof of their presence in the U.S. under federal law), ancestry, age (40 and over), physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer-related physical or mental health impairment or history of same), genetic information, military and veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws. To comply with applicable laws ensuring equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with a disability, Leadership Counsel will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with a disability who are applicants or employees unless undue hardship would result. Any applicant or employee who requires an accommodation in order complete the application process or to perform the essential functions of the job should contact their supervisor or one or both of the co-executive directors to request the accommodation.

Currently offered benefits for full-time positions include: up to $70 monthly cell phone reimbursement; 100% employer-paid health, vision, and dental insurance for employee; 50% employer-paid health, vision, and dental insurance for employee's dependent(s); up to 6% 401(k) match for employee; annual professional development allotment; 16 accrued paid vacation days per year and additional paid vacation days after 4 years of employment; 15 accrued paid sick leave days per year; 12 paid holidays per year; and paid family leave. Benefits may change from time to time.