URGE: Western States Regional Policy & Movement Building Director (OH or KS)

URGE is looking for a Western States Regional Policy & Movement Building Director—a collaborative and values-aligned leader—who is energized by our work of building a movement for Reproductive Justice that centers the leadership of young people and builds power through organizing, shifting culture, and advocating for meaningful policy change. In this role, you will manage our policy agenda and advocacy campaigns in California and Texas and represent the organization across the social justice ecosystem in the Western region. You will report to the Director of State Policy and work collaboratively across the organization to hold our shared vision for a world where all people can live justice, freedom, safety, and joy. Join us!

For more information on this and other job opportunities at URGE, please visit our website.

About Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity

URGE is a Reproductive Justice organization driven by young people, for young people. URGE envisions a liberated world where we can live with justice, love freely, express our gender and sexuality, and define and create families of our choosing.

URGE centers the leadership of young people 18-30 years old who are Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, women, queer, trans, nonbinary, and people working to make ends meet and infuses Reproductive Justice principles and values throughout our work. Working across the progressive landscape, URGE works together to build strong communities where sexual health is valued, Reproductive Justice is sacrosanct, and each body is celebrated and supported.

As a state-driven national organization, URGE organizes our communities, provides a political home for young people, advocates for meaningful policy change, and shifts culture, working in states where the challenges and opportunities are greatest.

Our values guide our work internally and externally. URGE is:

Member-focused: Our work is defined by the vision, desires, and leadership of young people.

Impact-driven: We measure our work in meaningful wins for—and defined by—young people. Bold and creative: We push cultural and political boundaries to demand change and achieve our vision.

Anti-racist: We challenge and work to dismantle systemic white supremacy and anti-Blackness through cross-racial collaboration. We recognize how all communities of color are impacted by and engage with white supremacy.

Sex-positive, gender-expansive, and abortion positive: We create celebratory and supportive spaces for our bodies, genders, abilities, sexual expression, and reproductive self-determination.

Position Overview

The Western States Regional Movement Building & Policy Director will plan, implement, and advance URGE’s state policy agenda at the statehouses within their region. This role will drive state advocacy campaigns in California and Texas on Reproductive Justice issues identified in URGE’s Young People’s Reproductive Policy Agenda, including abortion access, defending trans youth from attacks, protecting democracy, access to healthcare, comprehensive sex education, and economic justice.

This position reports to the Director of State Policy and works closely with them to further the programs in the Western region. They will work collaboratively across their team to contribute to the policy department’s role of engaging young people and supporting their advocacy to local, state, and federal decision makers. They will also work collaboratively across the organization, supporting the policy department’s work with our field, communications, and voter engagement teams to build political power that can be leveraged to impact policy and culture change at the state level and nationally. Responsibilities include:

• Contribute to the development of URGE’s strategy for regional policy agenda and advocacy campaigns in the Western region.
• Manage the implementation of strategic objectives, developing and implementing an annual work plan and regional state policy plans that align with the department goals and broader organizational goals.
• Monitor progress and proactively identify obstacles and opportunities, providing ongoing assessment and evaluation of metrics for legislative and advocacy objectives, tracking all relevant state legislation, litigation, and other policy developments.
• Serve as a regional expert for our team, contributing knowledge on the Western states and policy areas, sharing new and updated information with the team as it becomes available.
• Coordinate closely with URGE’s communications, field organizing and voter engagement teams across the region to integrate policy advocacy with organizing and canvassing work.
• Coordinate closely with URGE’s communications team to amplify the voices of young people on policy issues and leverage policy moments to spur culture shift.
• Develop policy materials, including state and regional policy agendas, fact sheets, policy briefs, talking points, and other materials, to describe state and regional issue-based advocacy campaign goals for stakeholders by translating complex policy issues into messages and advocacy actions for young people.
• Lead state-and regional advocacy actions, including advocacy days and direct member-focused policy events that engage URGE’s membership more deeply in state and regional policy campaigns.
• Represent URGE externally in the Western region, nurturing existing relationships and identifying opportunities to expand our presence and build power with new partners and allies.
• Develop and manage a coalition of state partners within the region with intention, follow-through, and sensitivity to partners' needs and existing power dynamics.
• Develop and manage relationships with local and state elected officials within the region.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience relevant to the work described here (e.g. campaign, legislative, organizing etc.) that includes moving a policy agenda in an area that intersects with our Reproductive Justice agenda* or a combination of equivalent work and policy-related educational experience (e.g. JD, MPP, MPA etc.)
• Demonstrated alignment with URGE’s mission and values; strong commitment to reproductive and gender justice, to the rights of all individuals to make their own decisions about sexual and reproductive health, and to government’s responsibility to defend and support those rights.
• Highly-relational and collaborative leader with the heart of an organizer who is able to meet people where they are and move with them towards justice-oriented outcomes. Related work experience could include experience participating in coalitions, partner and stakeholder engagement, advocacy training, political education, integrated voter engagement, and/or civic engagement skills. (Bonus for prior experience working with youth activists.)
• Experience working closely with communities of color, and successful track record of relationship-building with organizations led by Black, Indigenous, Latinx, AAPI, and LGBTQIA+ people.
• Knowledge of the region’s state legislative process and political environment. (Bonus for existing positive relationships with social justice organizations in the region.)
• Strong legislative analysis skills and ability to efficiently summarize the effects of proposed policy changes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to make complex materials accessible to a wide variety of audiences.
• Exceptional project management skills with an ability to track day-to-day activities at a granular level across multiple areas while also maintaining cohesion with a longer-term vision.
• Growth mindset with an ongoing commitment to continuously learning and modeling our organizational culture, co-creating a work environment that is just, equitable, and inclusive to all, including Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, LGBTQIA+ people, women, and people with disabilities.
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced, team-based, participatory environment as well as work autonomously. Prepared to work remotely with long-distance supervisory relationship.
• Please see

Young People’s Reproductive Justice Agenda for intersecting issue areas, which include: abortion access and affordability, reproductive health and rights, access to gender affirming care, access to healthcare and sexuality education, multiracial democracy, voting rights, LGBTIA+ liberation, immigrant rights, health equity, menstrual equity, economic justice, workers rights, (de)criminalization etc.

Location, Travel, Compensation & Benefits

This is a FTE remote position based in the Western region. The person in this role must reside in Texas.

In-region travel will be required roughly 20-25% with additional travel as needed related to major campaigns/projects. During active legislative session periods, candidates can expect to travel approximately 4–8 days per month, which may include: Time at the state capitol for advocacy days, hearings, and coalition actions; In-state partner meetings and coalition convenings; Regional policy events and member engagement activities. Outside of legislative session, travel significantly decreases to approximately 0–2 trips per month, primarily for: Regional occasional partner meetings; Regional trainings 1-2x per year; National Leadership Summit and other key movement-building convenings (1 week per year, all staff.)

Applicants must be able to drive, possess personal transportation, hold a valid driver’s license, maintain a clean driving record, and provide proof of automobile insurance. [Mileage and expenses reimbursed by URGE]

Additionally, FTE employees receive a benefit package, including the following items and more: 100% employer-paid health coverage for employee; dental and vision insurance; life insurance; Flexible Spending Accounts for Health and Dependent Care; 401k Plan; and generous PTO that includes Flexible Fridays, sick leave, vacation leave, holidays plus two-weeks of organizational-wide office closure per year, twelve-weeks parental leave, and a six-week paid sabbatical after five years of employment.

To further support wellness, URGE contributes $4,000 per year to a Health Fund for each FTE.

All staff receive a monthly stipend of $125 for home office support. Staff who use personal vehicles for organizational purposes will be reimbursed for mileage. Airfare, lodging, and per diem also provided as needed for travel.

Staff at URGE are members of Nonprofit Professional Employees Union excluding, however, management and certain other categories. This position is in the bargaining unit.