Director - Economic Security for Illinois

The Illinois Director will play a central role in continuing the efforts of Economic Security Illinois (ESIL), an affiliate of the Economic Security Project (ESP). ESP is an ideas advocacy organization working to build economic security for all Americans.

This new role will lead the execution and strategy of our two core fights: 1) putting cash into people’s pockets with a guaranteed income, expanding and creating refundable tax credits, and driving uptake of all public benefits, and 2) using all available levers to shape and make markets fairer and more inclusive through antimonopoly action and public options.

Critical to converting these fights into wins is developing bold and creative strategies and plans that position ESIL as a go-to organization in Illinois to lead bold economic campaigns across the state. To do this, the ESIL Director will lead and guide the Illinois team, build robust and diverse funding streams, drive advocacy strategies with key stakeholders and audiences, and leverage networks and relationships.

In collaboration with the VP of Build the Field and ESP senior leadership, the Illinois Director will create a strong and sustainable state affiliate poised to scale its work by hiring and managing diverse staff, running effective fundraising campaigns to expand our work, and developing and managing annual budgets. The individual will be a leader within ESP, identifying pathways for cross-collaboration, breaking down silos, actively engaging with the Senior Team, and helping build a vibrant and inclusive organizational culture.

This position reports to the Vice President of Build the Field and supervises the Illinois Director of Policy and Advocacy. The salary range for this position is between $140K and $190K, with the final salary dependent on experience and location.

About Us

We believe in an America where everyone has the freedom and stability required to thrive.

We are strongest when people are the authors of their own lives. But the inequalities in wealth and power created by bad actors, structural racism, and outdated ideas on how the economy should work have left us all more insecure and less resilient. We can make a different set of choices.

The Economic Security Project advocates for ideas that build economic power for all Americans. We legitimize bold ideas by supporting cutting edge research and elevating champions, win concrete policy victories for the communities that need to see change now, and provoke the conventional wisdom to shift what’s considered possible. Our team of academics, organizers, practitioners and culture makers disburse grants, run issue campaigns, develop creative interventions and research products, and convene to encourage investment and action from others.

We pick our fights based on our analysis of where strategic mobilization of people and resources could turn emerging trends into concrete policies. Our current efforts include putting cash into people’s pockets with a guaranteed income and policies like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit; and keeping corporations out of them by checking the unprecedented concentration of economic power with antimonopoly action. We believe these fights will get us closer to a world where families can pay the heating bills and make the rent, where consumers have choices and small businesses, a fighting chance. A future where we all have a chance not to just survive, but thrive with dignity.

Our Track Record

We’ve convened thousands in briefings, workshops, and marquee events to strategize and set the agenda for a more just political economy. We passed policies in over seven states to modernize the tax code, won over $1 trillion in checks for families in response to the pandemic, and spearheaded the federal fight for a guaranteed income for kids in the form of the expanded Child Tax Credit. These cash-based policies reduced poverty in the middle of a recession, in the words of one observer, “defying gravity”.

And we’ve built the field by investing over $25 million directly into groundbreaking research; pilots and task forces; coalitions and campaigns; new initiatives and organizations; and trend-setting narrative and cultural interventions to advance racial and economic justice and reset the conversation. As a result, ideas that were once considered impossible are now at the center of a vision for an economy where people are the authors of their own lives.

We’ve worked alongside thousands across the country exercising political muscle, moral imagination, and on-the-ground experimentation. It’ll take this and so much more in the years ahead; we are in a broader fight for a multiracial democracy and an economy that works for all. Our task is to deliver and we’re looking for talent to join us in the fight.

Our Team & Culture

Our successes are due in large part to the diverse team we’ve assembled from a wide range of fields – from campaigners to policymakers to activists to academics. We’re building an organization that supports and resources our staff to drive forward work that is critical to our mission.

We are committed to creating a best-in-class staff experience that promotes growth and performance, which requires a culture of active problem-solving, feedback, communication, and accountability. As a fully remote organization, ESIL staff can work from anywhere in Illinois. We actively support and encourage people taking time away from work, including two weeks of full office closures and a six-week sabbatical at 5 years of service, in addition to our standard PTO. You can find more information on our full benefits offerings below.

Our internal work is deeply rooted in our values around diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring that our policies and processes are equitable and informed by a wide range of lived experiences. We invest in our people’s professional development and promote regular conversations about career goals and growth opportunities. We provide opportunities to come together in person for both strategic planning and relationship-building, and we’re always up to take a game of trivia a little too seriously.

Responsibilities

Advocacy (50%)

• Contributes to and leads Illinois campaign strategy development and execution, working alongside and in partnership with ESP state and national teams to ensure that work is mutually reinforced
• Develop a policy and advocacy agenda around ESIL’s core fights to expand tax credit and cash programs and harness all available levers to shape and make markets fairer and more inclusive using research, coalition building, and funder organizing.
• Develop and drive advocacy strategy, cultivate key champions and partners, engage new constituencies, amplify influential data and research, and coordinate public events with ESIL coalitions.
• In partnership with the VP of Field Building, design a multi-year plan for building political power in Illinois: identify and engage new political and grassroots partners in different regions of the state, evaluate strategic campaign opportunities, and develop and maintain a process to assess progress over time.
• Inform the national team on cash and market-shaping program development in the state.
• Serve as the chief spokesperson for ESIL to media and external stakeholders.

Organizational Management, Development, and Growth (50%)

• Monitor ESIL operations and collaborate with the VP of Field Building to ensure continuity of culture from ESP national to ESIL and across the organization, serving as a positive change agent within the organization.
• Contributes to and executes a fundraising plan to raise $1.5m towards the annual state budget from current and prospective donor relationships in partnership with ESP’s Development Team and other principals. Recruit foundations and major donors; help draft proposals with the ESP Development Team.
• Develop and manage a sustainable budget plan for ESIL forecasting growth, fundraising potential, and annual expenses; oversee effective administration of financial and operational systems.
• In partnership with the VP of Build the Field, recruit, hire, train, and oversee a diverse, high-performing team of staff and consultants, including the Illinois Directory of Policy & Advocacy. Communicate job expectations, mentor and support their professional development, and facilitate their ability to meet goals.

Experience and Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience as an advocate, legislative aide, policy expert, organizer, or director
• 4+ years of experience with proven results in fundraising, having expanded and cultivated existing individual and foundation relationships over time
• Ability to create and maintain an effective and vibrant team while using diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices
• Deep roots and experience in state and local policy and advocacy for economic justice
• Experience with legislative advocacy, with demonstrated ability to organize allies, persuade targets, and create momentum for an issue or campaign
• Experience with earned media and/or other types of public communications, including serving as a spokesperson, being interviewed by reporters, or driving digital and social media strategy
• Significant experience working on public policy through advocacy, organizing, or politics
• Demonstrated track record of building and growing political power through coalitions and partnerships
• Proven experience integrating racial equity into strategy, outreach, and communications
• Ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders while using diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices

Desired Attributes/Skills

• Ability to manage all aspects of ESIL operations, including nurturing a culture of collaboration and teamwork while exemplifying ESP missions and values
• Experience and ability to bring an economic, social, and racial justice lens to bear to ESIL and ESP
• Self-reliant and results-oriented, with excellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills
• Ability to operate as an effective tactical as well as strategic thinker who can make decisions in a changing environment and anticipate future needs
• Excellent and persuasive communicator with strong written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills for both insider and public audiences and the ability to effectively interface with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to develop subject matter expertise and display curiosity about other ESP areas of work
• Understands how to wield outside power to win
• Ability to work on deadline and manage detailed tasks or projects across multiple workstreams and to work flexibly and collaboratively as part of a team.

Benefits

ESP provides a robust benefits package which includes the following:

• Medical, vision, dental insurance with premiums fully covered for employees and their dependents
• Worker’s Compensation
• Long and short term disability insurance
• Basic Life Insurance with a 50K maximum
• 401K with up to a 3% match
• Full office closures for Summer & Winter breaks
• PTO - 136 vacation hours, 80 sick leave hours, 9 standard holidays, 2 floating holidays, and 20 hours of volunteer leave
• 6-week paid sabbatical after 5 years of full-time service
• Connectivity and home office stipends, and wellness use bonuses (taxable)
• Annual professional development budget
• Organization-provided computer or $50/month bonus for employees who choose to use their own
• Access to commuter and flexible spending accounts

Because the Economic Security Project values a diverse and representative workplace, people who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and people of all gender identities are strongly encouraged to apply. ESP is committed to attracting, developing and retaining exceptional people, and to creating a work environment that is dynamic, rewarding, and enables each of us to realize our potential. Our work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.