Policy Advocate, Higher Education – Public Advocates Inc. (Sacramento)

Who: Public Advocates Inc., a bold and highly regarded civil rights law firm and policy advocacy non-profit.

What: Energetic and collaborative Policy Advocate or Senior Policy Advocate with relevant issue experience. The successful candidate will join Public Advocates’ Education Equity Team with a specific focus on advancing the effort to advocate for equity for low-income communities and young people of color in California’s higher education system.

Specifically, the Policy or Senior Policy Advocate will engage in: (a) effective representation before members and staff of the California Legislature, the Governor’s Office and state agencies; (b) deep collaboration with students and grassroots groups to ensure state policy advocacy is driven by residents of low-income communities of color across the state; and (c) close collaboration with our San Francisco- and Sacramento-based legal and policy teams to ensure alignment of our state advocacy with local and regional campaigns. The Policy or Senior Policy Advocate will report to the Director of Legislative & Community Affairs. Responsibilities include:
• Policy, Legislative and Administrative Advocacy: Assess the landscape to help develop equity-based higher education policy proposals. Monitor, analyze and respond to policy proposals through oral and written advocacy, and promote the policy agenda of Public Advocates and our coalition partners in both legislative and administrative agency decisions.
• Community Partnership & Coalition Building: Work with team leaders to ensure that the Education Equity Team’s policy advocacy priorities are developed and pursued in authentic collaboration with our community partners so as to reflect the high priority needs of low-income communities and communities of color. Build and strengthen relationships across multiple community partners, campaigns and coalitions, and represent Public Advocates in community coalition activities.
• Resource Development: Assist the team in identifying and pursuing funding opportunities and contribute to foundation relations.
• Supervision: Supervise junior policy and community outreach staff and law clerks/interns as appropriate.

Qualifications:
• Minimum of 1 year for the junior-level role, or 5+ years for the senior-level role, of policy advocacy or legislative experience or equivalent, at the federal, state or local level
• Knowledge and understanding of higher education and/or K-12 education policy issues
• Strong written and oral communication skills and, specifically, the ability to communicate clearly, concisely and persuasively about policy issues to various audiences
• Experience working with communities of color, youth of color and/or low-income communities and commitment to community empowerment
• Strong political instincts and judgment
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to successfully manage multiple and changing priorities and deadlines
• Experience supervising the performance and professional development of other staff (for the senior-level role)
• Preference for one or more of the following: Experience working on collaborative advocacy efforts and/or coordinating community coalitions and/or policy coalitions; Ability to communicate in written and spoken Spanish; Masters of Public Policy, J.D. or other graduate degree

Qualities expected of all Public Advocates staff include integrity, high professional standards, commitment to progressive social change and working successfully with diverse colleagues, clients and community partners. This includes active participation in promoting healthy workplace culture through our organizational diversity and inclusion initiative. We value cooperation, candor, flexibility, resilience, optimism, curiosity and sense of humor.

Benefits: Competitive salary range starts at $47,500 for the junior-level role; actual salary is commensurate with relevant experience. Benefits include full health and dental insurance for employee and eligible family members; life and long-term disability insurance; generous vacation; and 403(b) retirement plan.

To be considered, applications must include: 1) a written piece that a) explains your specific interest in this role, b) addresses how your identity and background have informed your interest in Public Advocates and c) describes a policy campaign you have worked on that will help us understand your qualifications (you are encouraged to include supporting work samples); 2) a resume; and 3) names of three references, at least two of whom have directly supervised your work. Submit your application by email to policyadvocate@publicadvocates.org. NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE.
Read the full job description here.