Policy and Advocacy Director

Position: Policy and Advocacy Director

Department: Movement Building Department

Supervisor: Deputy Director of Movement Building

Salary: $90,000 - $110,000 annually

Benefits: Full medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance covered at 100%; flexible work schedule; flexible paid time off with approval from supervisor; paid holidays; phone and travel allowance; child and pet-friendly workplace.

Position & Status: Full-time, 40 hrs/week, exempt

Anticipated Start Date: October 2024

Location: Hybrid (based in Oregon). This role allows for up to three days of remote work per week, with a requirement to attend monthly meetings in Multnomah County. Will be required to work extended hours in Salem during legislative sessions.

Physical/Cognitive Details: Regularly required to use a computer and phone to perform work and communicate with others for several hours each day during agreed-upon work days. The noise level in the office is moderate.

ABOUT IMAGINE BLACK

Imagine Black (formerly known as PAALF Action Fund) helps our Black community imagine the alternatives we deserve and build our political participation and leadership to achieve those alternatives. Since our start in 2009, we have envisioned a world where people of African descent enjoy the rights, resources, and recognition to be a thriving, resilient, and connected community.

At Imagine Black, we have strengthened our commitment to a Black Queer Feminist (BQF) theory and practice. BQF provides a more holistic understanding of our conditions and connectedness as Black people. As a result, we understand that liberation for all Black people can only be realized by lifting up the voices and experiences and prioritizing the issues of historically silenced and vulnerable groups within Black communities – specifically, queer, trans and GNC, femme, poor, disabled, working and undocumented people (adapted from BYP100).

Imagine Black is a 501(c)(4) multi-issue grassroots organization in partnership with our sibling 501(c)(3) organization, Imagine Black Futures. We have a staff of nine and an operating budget of around $3.5M.

More information about Imagine Black can be found at imagineblack.org.

POSITION SUMMARY

We’re looking for a Policy and Advocacy Director to lead our local (local governments, city bureaus, Tri-met and school districts), county/regional (Metro and county government), and state (legislative, governor, and some agencies) advocacy activities, primarily by building and maintaining alliances among critical actors throughout the state of Oregon. The Policy and Advocacy Director is a key Movement Building departmental leadership team member.

The ideal candidate will be passionate about engaging with coalition partners, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, industry executives, and constituents to bring about real policy change. They will be skilled in building reciprocal relationships with partners from marginalized communities and fostering collaboration (even when competing interests exist). They should be able to advocate for more equitable policy solutions, paying attention to the role of race, poverty, age, and immigration status in healthcare access and regularly include others in planning and decision-making. They will be committed to getting results in a fast-paced environment without sacrificing input or quality and have the resilience to navigate setbacks with an eye toward new opportunities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Policy & Advocacy (75%)

• In alignment with the Imagine Black Strategic Plan, develop and implement an intentional and comprehensive framework for local, county/regional, and state advocacy and policy change efforts for Black Oregonians.
• Reporting to the Deputy Director of Movement Building, working with staff to chart the course for the Advocacy Division within the Movement Building Department.
• Implement Imagine Black's current and future advocacy agenda, including Reimagining Public Safety and building a publicly-funded Oregon Childcare system.
• Implement Imagine Black's rapid response issue-based advocacy related to anti-displacement, environmental and climate justice and COVID-19 response.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with policymakers, nonprofit leaders, industry executives, leading experts, coalition partners, and constituents.
• Lead direct advocacy efforts in coordination with the Field and Organizing Director,  including, but not limited to, submitting letters, providing testimony and statements, leading grassroots lobbying efforts, participating in ballot measure campaigns, meeting with elected officials, and making comments to local, regional, and state government.
• Use experimental and innovative practices to lead policy research and policy development for lobbying, legislative advocacy, rulemaking analysis and advocacy, racial justice policy awareness and analysis, and related public policy research.
• Lead lobbying activities in alignment with Imagine Black’s organizational mission and program goals, including creating and maintaining relationships with key elected leaders.
• Ensure compliance with all state, county/regional, and local advocacy and/or lobbying laws.
• Represent Imagine Black at advocacy coalition tables, including Child Care for Oregon Coalition, Movement for Black Lives Policy Table and Electoral Justice Project Coalition of Communities of Color, and Anti-Displacement Coalition.
• Monitor legislative proposals and trends.
• Participate in implementing field campaign efforts during and outside of election cycles.
• Collaborate with other movement-building teams on short-term campaigns and projects as needed.

Staff & Department Leadership  (15%)

• Serve as a collaborative member of Imagine Black’s Leadership Team.
• Monitor the advocacy budget with the Deputy Director of Movement Building and the Executive Director.
• Provide input on staffing, structure, and resource decisions to achieve department goals supporting the Deputy Director of Movement Building.
• Supervise and support the professional development of advocacy and civic engagement staff through goals and growth opportunities, resources, and ongoing feedback and coaching.
• Supervise external consultants and kinfolk members as needed.
• Manage the advocacy team's administration, including approving timesheets, PTO requests, purchases and reimbursements, and contracts.
• Develop and strengthen departmental policies and processes as needed.

Organizational Support (10%)

• Collaborate with the Administration and Resource Development Department on grant identification and editing, social media management, and event attendance.
• Work with staff to integrate advocacy and communications strategies.
• Attend internal staff, leadership, and department meetings and collaborate with other staff as needed.

The above mentioned duties are not intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties required in this position. This job description is intended to provide a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. This role may only be required to perform some duties listed and may be required to perform additional duties as requested.

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience working with community-based labor or electoral organizations with proven success in developing and winning advocacy campaigns.
• Minimum of five (5) years of developing policy, lobbying, and/or passing legislation. 
• At least two (2) years of experience supervising staff, with a strong track record of building teams and developing staff leadership.
• Knowledge of movement building and approaches to increase community power through integrated voter engagement.
• A passion for the mission and vision of Imagine Black.
• A passion for how self-determination and radical Black imagination can directly influence policy and advocacy.
• Proven skills in working and communicating with communities within the African diaspora, especially with descendants of enslaved Africans, African immigrants and refugees, and Caribbean immigrants and refugees.
• A commitment to applying a Black Queer Feminist lens to organizing and civic and political participation.
• Familiarity with the unique challenges facing Black Oregonians.
• Strong work ethic and flexibility to accommodate multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Superb writer; skilled at making complicated ideas (such as complex laws, policies, and legislative initiatives) accessible to the general public through policy one-pagers, briefs, and reports.
• Ability to work effectively with elected leaders and members in complex political situations.
• Ability to frequently travel locally and commute to meetings and events in Salem and throughout the state, often on short notice as needed.
• Ability to occasionally work on evenings and weekends.
• Creative thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong work ethic and flexibility to accommodate multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office and/or Google Suite.
• Commitment to confidentiality and ability to exercise absolute discretion.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Extensive knowledge of voter databases such as NGP VAN.
• Familiarity with Asana, Slack, Zoom, or similar systems.
• Knowledge of local, county/regional, and state political strategy and landscape.
• Bi- or multi-lingual (Arabic, Amharic, Swahili, and Somali-speaking applicants are encouraged to apply).
• Lived experience with Black community issues, particularly in Oregon.
• Results- and deadline-driven.
• Proficient computer skills and ability to learn new systems as needed.

Benefits

Imagine Black offers excellent benefits, including full medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance covered at 100%; flexible work schedule; flexible paid time off with approval from supervisor; paid holidays; phone and travel allowance; child and pet-friendly workplace.

TO APPLY

Please apply through the provided link by submitting your resume and cover letter. In your cover letter, detail your interest and qualifications for the position, emphasizing experiences and competencies that align with the role’s requirements.

Please do not send emails or make phone calls regarding your application.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled, with priority given to those received by Monday, September 30, 2024.

Racial equity is of utmost importance for our search. If you do not meet all of the required qualifications for this role but feel you can be a great addition to our team, please apply and let us know why we should meet you!

Imagine Black embraces diversity in a profound way. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool - because we know the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.