HECHO Policy and Advocacy Manager

Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) was created in 2013 to help fulfill our duty to conserve and protect our public lands for future generations. In 2017, HECHO became a program of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) through a unique and mutually beneficial partnership built upon values of inclusion and equity and a commitment to elevating underrepresented perspectives as part of our conservation missions.

HECHO provides a platform for Hispanics to contribute knowledge and perspectives about public lands conservation issues, enhance leadership capacity of Hispanic leaders, and promote Hispanic cultural heritage and connections to nature. While our focus is on the conservation of public lands in the American Southwest, our work has a national scope and impact. To achieve our mission of empowering Hispanic leaders to engage their communities in the conservation of our nation’s public lands, we are seeking a Policy and Advocacy Manager to work based out of our Washington, D.C. office. (Due to COVID-19 all employees are working remotely until we make return to work decisions). This is a full-time position.

Reporting to the HECHO Executive Director, the HECHO Policy and Advocacy Manager is responsible for leading the implementation of a federal policy that will drive HECHO’s advocacy work, and include state and local policymaking in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. This role is responsible for identifying, analyzing, and promoting public lands conservation policy opportunities and working with HECHO’s and NWF’s staff and advocacy network to translate policy opportunities into policy wins. This role will advance our goal of increasing public lands conservation wins led by Hispanic leaders, and will be responsible for building relationships with congressional offices to inform, update, and educate about HECHO’s work.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as an advisor on federal public lands conservation policy, as well as state and local conservation policy in HECHO’s geographic region.
• Identify, monitor, analyze, and prioritize public lands policy advocacy opportunities, and seek to improve policy outcomes for HECHO’s constituencies.
• Build and maintain relationships with elected officials and their staff, administration officials, community leaders, government agencies, non-profit partners, etc.
• Advance and adjust, as needed, HECHO’s policy priorities, and develop and implement public lands policy advocacy action campaigns.
• Collaborate with NWF’s programs, National Advocacy Center, and affiliates to coordinate on federal policy opportunities.
• Advise and assist the HECHO program and communications staff on the development and delivery of educational, training, and advocacy tools, including: webinars, factsheets, opinion media, talking points, reports, etc.
• Work with the HECHO Advisory Board and Conservation Leadership Council to identify and analyze local or state public lands policy opportunities, recommend policy outcomes, and provide support for advocacy.
• Identify funding opportunities and collaborate on securing funding for programs, and assist with writing grant proposals and reports.
• Serve as an ambassador and champion of HECHO.
• Carry out additional duties, as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in public policy advocacy required.
• Excellent writing and research skills, and ability to prepare timely issue briefs, position statements, reports, letters, and advocacy materials required.
• Exceptional knowledge of conservation and public land conservation issues and the various public land management agency missions, structure, and regulatory authorities.
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.
• Passionate about understanding and communicating the impact legislation and other policies will have on western Hispanic communities and culture.
• Familiarity of and demonstrated commitment to Hispanic cultural heritage.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively navigate and understand government policy-making processes, particularly with Congress and the Executive Branch.
• Conversational Spanish language skills preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree required; graduate degree in environmental policy, public policy, law, or other related field preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• Previous experience developing policy agendas and advocacy strategies.
• Proven success in persuasive or advocacy writing and oral communication skills, particularly with decision-makers.
• Experience working with people from different backgrounds and ability to bring people together to work toward common goals.
• Ability to collaborate, communicate, and coordinate effectively and efficiently with both internal multi-disciplinary teams and external partners to achieve results.
• Experience managing simultaneous work streams and tracking deliverables, through various organization systems and work flow processes.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to establish priorities and manage activities independently.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Hispanic heritage, in particular cultural and historical connections to the land, air, and water, and ability to share knowledge in a culturally responsive way.
• Experience securing and managing grant funding preferred.

Travel Requirements

• Initially, the position will work remotely with an expectation for location in the Washington, D.C. office. (Due to COVID-19 all employees are working remotely until we make return to work decisions).
• When travel is allowed, expect travel 4-6 times per year, 12-15 nights per year.

Salary Range and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $65,000 to $75,000 (depending on experience).

HECHO is a partner and program of the National Wildlife Federation.  The National Wildlife Federation values work-life balance and a family-friendly atmosphere.  Our paid time-off includes 3 weeks of vacation leave, open wellbeing leave, 10 paid holidays, 3 floating holidays, a week-long winter break, and additional leave options, per year.  In addition, our benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, company paid life insurance, AD&D, short and long-term disability, 16 weeks of paid FMLA leave, 403b retirement plan with employer matching and annual contribution, adoption benefits, and flexible work options including telecommuting, non-traditional work hours, and compressed work weeks.  Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s benefits package at https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers.

We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of wildlife and people in a rapidly changing world.  We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at nwf.org/equity. 

If you have a disability and require an accommodation or assistance with our online application process, please tell us how we can help by calling us at 703-438-6244.

The requirements listed in our job descriptions are guidelines, not hard and fast rules, and if you have 75% of the qualifications listed we encourage you to apply.  Your experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work, which helps build the competencies, knowledge, and skills that translates directly to our openings.  Applying gives you the opportunity to be considered.

Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume.  Applications will be accepted through July 27, 2021.

If selected for this position, a background check will be conducted.

www.nwf.org