Director of Policy and Legislation

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: JA-08-2023
OPENS: 09/01/2023
CLOSES: 09/30/2023

Position Title: Director of Policy and Legislation
Location: Washington, D.C. / National Headquarters
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Organization: The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is a non-profit organization and serves as the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with over 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.

Duties/Responsible:

• Lead, develop and execute strategy to advance federal and state policy, and partners with external and regional stakeholders to cultivate congressional/governmental champions.
• Develop and maintain relationships with local, state and federal elected officials, influencers, members of policy and advocacy foundations, coalitions, and key partners to advance policy goals.
• Serve as top policy expert and represent the organization in discussions and presentations with external stakeholders as needed.
• Create tools, reports and op-eds or other various forms of communication that promote the policy agenda.
• Lead, write, and coordinate policy and advocacy initiatives that are relevant to improving the organization and its membership.
• Monitor and identify relevant federal, state, and local policies and prepare appropriate policy analysis.
• Analyze white papers, laws, publications, briefs, case studies and monitor proposed policy efforts at the local, state, and federal level that will influence the organization policy agenda.
• Review and/or recommend on the policy agenda.
• Conduct research and develop briefings on key policy issues as needed.
• Ensure timely and accurate departmental lobbying reporting.

Competencies: 

• Expert understanding of tactics to drive a policy and advocacy strategy.
• Ability to analyze policies for impact on policy agenda.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Constructive and effective relationship building across the political spectrum.
• Capitol Hill experience or experience in a state legislature preferred.
• Strong political acumen and significant experience navigating complex environments to derive creative solutions.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, including building and maintaining coalitions.
• Experience in effectively managing a high-performing team.
• An understanding of advocacy and mobilization of Latino communities.
• An understanding of membership organizations with multiple legal organizations.

Other Duties:

• Other duties as assigned by the management.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• Manage and supervisor legislative staff, lobbyist consultants, fellows/interns and other team members assigned to the government relations team.
• Recruit, interview, and hire staff for the policy and legislation department in coordination with Human Resources and management.
• Responsible for assigning, overseeing, and approving all employee assignment in department.
• Approves employees, time sheet, time off and any other requirements with time and attendance in department.
• Responsible for setting and evaluating employees’ performance standards in department.
• Counsels or mentor’s employees as needed.
• Provides adequate training and assistance when required to carry out the function of the job.
• Communicates all necessary information for employees to be able to complete assignments successfully.

Education:
Bachelor’s or graduate degree in Political Science or other related majors.

Experience:

• Strongly preferred a minimum of 3 years of federal legislative and/or government relations experience required, at the White House Administration level, congressional staff member on Capitol Hill and/or in government relations staff for advocacy organization.
• Strong Understanding of federal policy and government relaitons, including House and Senate policy and procedures, and administrative rulemaking.
• Practical Experience tracking and reporting lobbying hours for both the IRS and LDA filings.
• Fluent in English and Spanish language. Must be able to read, write and translate materials.

Full/Part Time: Full Time

Work Environment:
This job operates in a typical office setting. This position routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. This position daily uses specialty public affairs software to communicate with elected officials, track legislation, monitor trends at the state and federal level, and maintain a scorecard.

Physical Demands:
This is largely a sedentary role; however, some physical aspects may be required. This would require the ability to lift, handle, and open boxes and/or containers; set up and breakdown displays; store and move materials to and from events, stand as necessary.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:
This is a permanent full-time position. This position regularly requires long hours and frequent weekend work.

Salary: $80,000-$100,000/year
Commensurate according to years of experience. All employees must meet a 6-month probationary period. Continuation of this position is dependent on the candidate meeting jointly determined performance goals.

Benefits:

• Accrual of 8 hours of sick time and 8 hours of vacation time per pay month.
• 11 Paid Federal Holidays
• Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance available for enrollment
• Retirement Plan

How to Apply: Candidates should submit their resume demonstrating qualifications, education and work experience required for the position. All applications must be submitted electronically to jobs@lulac.org by 5:00pm EST on the closing date. Any questions may be directed via email to the Human Resource Officer at jobs@lulac.org

LULAC is committed to diversity among its staff, and recognizes that its continued success requires the highest commitment to obtaining and retaining a diverse staff that provides the best quality services to supporters and constituents. LULAC is an equal opportunity employer and it is our policy to recruit, hire, train, promote, and administer any and all personnel actions without regard to sex, race, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity or expression, ethnic identity or physical disability, or any other legally protected basis. LULAC will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination and any such conduct is strictly prohibited.

https://lulac.org/about/jobs/Director_of_Policy_and_Legisation/