What: YWCA seeks a social justice policy and advocacy manager to launch our newly developed advocacy program. With an entrepreneurial spirit, rigorous work ethic, and a commitment to policy solutions that address the intersectional nature of social justice issues, this position provides leadership and management of YWCA/Evanston North Shore’s policy and advocacy initiatives and takes the lead in collaboratively developing and implementing the organization’s mission-driven policy agenda and stakeholder engagement strategy at the local, state, and federal level. Responsibilities include:
Policy Development & Strategy Management
- Leads a collaborative annual policy agenda development process including but not limited to researching current mission related policy trends, providing strategic analysis and background, interviewing community stakeholders, and soliciting board input in the development of a board approved policy agenda.
- Staff liaison to a board policy committee that supports the annual policy agenda including but not limited to scheduling meetings, developing agendas, minute taking and distribution, and ensuring participants can substantively contribute to advance the organization’s policy agenda.
- Develops and implements strategy for advancing policy goals with key decision-makers in the appropriate institutions including but not limited to tracking priority legislation and regulation development and keeping staff and board informed.
- Develop and maintain relationships with local, state, and federal decision makers in our catchment area to position the organization as the go-to local, legislator resource on civil rights, racial justice, and gender-based violence. This includes in-person meetings, updating database information, and appointment scheduling, written correspondence and attendee preparation.
- Liaison to the national YWCA advocacy team and YWCA Illinois Policy Council to ensure organization maximizes the support and resources provided by the national and state associations.
- Develop and implement impact evaluation framework to capture the success of our policy agenda.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Develop and implement a stakeholder engagement strategy to educate, train, and activate community members around our policy agenda.
- Organize, recruit, and implement legislator meetings and lobby days.
- Work with communications team to develop issue-oriented content for communication vehicles such as blog posts, press releases, social media, marketing materials, and framing policy issues for local stakeholders to demonstrate local impact.
- Develop strategy to support electronic activism including using social media, online petitions, and phone calls to create opportunities for supporter engagement.
- Build knowledge and competency of organizational staff to contribute to and engage in advocacy related to their programs so YWCA becomes a meaningful contributor to development of effective policies and guidelines within the institutions with which we work.
Coalition Building and Community Outreach
- Position organization as a convener of mission-compatible partners committed to supporting and taking action on a progressive policy agenda that strengthens the power of the human services sector in our catchment area.
- Represent the organization on strategically identified coalitions or in collaborative policy efforts.
- Speak on behalf of the organization at mission-critical public events.
View the full job description and apply through LinkedIn here.