General
Job Description:
The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative seeks a
U.S. Policy Manager to manage the U.S. side of our Mayors Commission on Water
Equity and support other water-equity policy efforts of the Cities Initiative,
including the Great Lakes Lead Pipes Partnership.
Specifically, the U.S. Policy Manager will work with the Mayors Commission on
Water Equity to mobilize Great Lakes mayors to accelerate equitable lead
service line replacement and advocate for funding and policies to address the
waterequity needs of their respective communities. This position will also be
responsible for ensuring the inclusion of marginalized and Indigenous
communities in our policy initiatives.
The Mayors Commission on Water Equity is a mayor-led body
dedicated to promoting equitable access to clean, safe, and affordable water
for all residents of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin. The
Commission focuses on several priorities, including lead service line
replacement, water affordability, water workforce development, and urban
flooding, advancing them through advocacy, collaboration, and education. The
Commission’s U.S. policy agenda is accessible here and here.
Major
Responsibilities:
•
Provide day-to-day management of the U.S. side
of the Mayors Commission on Water Equity by:
o
Recruiting and retaining U.S. members; o Tracking
relevant legislative and policy issues at the U.S. federal, state, and local
levels; o Circulating
regular updates and keeping informed U.S. co-chairs and members; o Identifying
advocacy, collaboration, and education opportunities for the Commission; o Organizing
virtual and in-person advocacy meetings, press conferences, and other events to
advance the Commission’s U.S. policy agenda, coordinating all necessary
logistics and preparing U.S. members for successful engagements;
o
Crafting key messages and actionable
recommendations; o Running meetings of the Commission and U.S. Advisory Team; and o Handling
all administrative tasks.
•
Lead day-to-day engagement of marginalized and
Indigenous communities in our policy initiatives, especially water equity.
•
Develop and maintain a deep understanding of
U.S. members’ water-equity challenges through research and consultation.
• Cultivate enduring relationships with key U.S. federal and state stakeholders and partner organizations focused on water-equity issues.
•
Support the Chief Policy Officer in managing the
Great Lakes Lead Pipes Partnership by soliciting and integrating input from
community-based organizations, handling all administrative tasks, and assisting
on specific assignments.
•
Determine organizational policy priorities on
water-equity issues in close consultation with the Mayors Commission on Water
Equity, the Commission’s U.S. Advisory Team of subject matter experts, and the
Board of Directors.
•
Help coordinate organizational efforts to build
towards strong compliance with the proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements.
•
Contribute to organizational and Policy Team
preparations for the Annual Conference/Annual General Meeting, Mid-Year
Meeting, Board of Directors meetings, Great Lakes Day, One Water Summit,
webinars, and other key events, as assigned.
•
Draft content for communication and policy
products, including but not limited to the annual report card, monthly
newsletter, federal priorities, member resolutions, and lead service line
replacement case studies.
•
Assist with funder relations and grant
management/reporting.
Key
Qualifications and Competencies:
•
Minimum three years’ relevant professional
experience, ideally in the water-equity space.
•
Past experience working with marginalized and/or
Indigenous communities is preferred.
•
Past experience managing funder relationships
and grant management/reporting is desired.
•
Substantial knowledge of U.S. federal, state,
and/or local policies related to lead service line replacement and other
water-equity issues.
•
Superior oral and written communications and
presentation skills.
•
Proven ability to analyze legislation and
policies, develop key messages and actionable recommendations, and implement
advocacy tactics.
•
Sound judgement and strategic decisionmaking.
•
Effective interpersonal skills and evidence of
teamwork.
•
Demonstrated ability to multi-task, prioritize,
and deliver on multiple demands under tight deadlines.
•
Eagerness to learn and grow from direct
mentorship and professional-development opportunities.
•
Self-discipline to work at a virtual
organization.
•
Fluency in English is required.
Salary
and Benefits:
$60,000 to $70,000 annually contingent on qualifications. Benefits include a healthcare plan, a SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with a two percent employer match, paid parental leave, three weeks’ paid vacation, and sick time.
Classification:
Full-time (40 hours/week), salaried, professional.
Reporting:
This
position reports to the Chief Policy Officer and will be an integral member of
the Cities Initiative’s Policy
Team.
Work
Location:
This position is fully virtual, though it will require
limited travel to support organizational events and policy efforts. We welcome
candidates based in the Great Lakes region or Washington, DC.
Application
Process:
Send a cover letter, a resume, and three professional
references to Travis Wheeler, Chief Policy Officer, at twheeler@glslcities.org. The subject
line should read “U.S. Policy Manager – First and Last Name of Applicant.” Applications will be reviewed on
a rolling basis and accepted until the position is filled.