Advocacy Deputy Director, Chispa AZ

Title: Advocacy Deputy Director, Chispa AZ

Department: State Capacity Building

Status: Exempt

Reports to: State Co-Director, Chispa AZ

Positions Reporting to this Position: Chispa AZ Public Lands Fellow

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Union Position: No

Job Classification Level: M-I

Salary Range (depending on experience): $84,728-$108,000

General Description:

LCV believes our earth is worth fighting for because everyone has a right to clean air, water, and a safe, healthy community. To ensure those rights are protected, we help people use their power to shape policy, hold politicians and polluters accountable, and influence elections.

LCV launched Chispa in 2014, a grassroots community organizing program to ensure the voice and power of Latinx communities influence the environmental policies and decisions that impact our health and environment. Currently, Chispa has programs in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and Texas.

Chispa Arizona is a leader in advocating for clean energy and clean air, climate justice, public lands and parks, and fighting for a reflective democracy in the federal, state, and municipal governments. Our fight for climate justice is at the Arizona Legislature, the Arizona Corporation Commission and the municipalities.

LCV is hiring an Advocacy Deputy Director to join our Chispa Arizona program who will be responsible for advancing Arizona-based legislative and policy priorities and ensuring that our members are seen as policy change leaders by decision-makers. This position will be joining a team that is motivated by and invested in taking action in the fight against polluters and climate change, and making progress on promoting clean air, clean energy, clean water, access to public lands, and a free and fair democracy for all. The ideal candidate is an experienced leader with a track record of effective advocacy and deep understanding of Arizona policy issues and priorities.

Responsibilities:

• Monitor policy activity at the Arizona legislature, the Arizona Corporation Commission, and other policies at state and municipal levels around environmental justice, clean energy, climate change, democracy, and public lands issues that impact Arizona communities.
• Research and write policy analysis and positions, incorporating a racial justice and equity lens and how specific policies impact the people of Arizona.
• Develop strategic advocacy plans to advance Chispa Arizona campaigns and policy priorities around environmental justice issues.
• Work with the Chispa AZ Public Lands Fellow on public lands issue priorities including research on Latinx issue as it relates to public lands, Chispa AZ’s Clean and Green Campaign, and overall mentorship.
• Represent the organization and work with lobbying consultants on key decision-makers on priority issues.
• Lead presentations and develop tools that provide culturally competent and accessible information to Chispa Arizona members on legislation and how to influence the policymaking process.
• Track legislators’ voting records and oversee the development of an Arizona annual legislative scorecard, tracking scores related to priority issues.
• Work with the Chispa AZ Communications and Organizing teams to write policy-related content for action alerts and other communications tools.
• Build relationships and partnerships with allies including environmental, faith, labor, community, and others.
• Build relationships with legislators, legislative staff, key individuals within administrative agencies, and the executive branch and provide information on Chispa AZ’s policy priorities via emails, workshops and meetings.
• Coordinate with counterparts at national LCV and the Conservation Voter Movement state affiliates on key federal issues.
• Collaborate with the Chispa Arizona team to put together reports, educational workshops and material related to advocacy priorities.
• Participate in and support the preparation of fundraising materials and reports, and other activities of Chispa AZ.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Work Experience: Required - At least 5 years experience in issue advocacy campaigns. Experience working with policymakers, media, community organizations and in diverse and intersectional coalitions. Experience developing strategic advocacy plans. Experience managing and supervising volunteers or staff. Preferred - Experience working in climate, clean energy, public lands and/or democracy policy from a justice-centered lens. Experience in electoral work.
• Skills: Required - Ability to convert policy complexities into digestible, meaningful content. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong attention to detail. Familiarity with legal rules regarding 501(c)3, 501(c)4 and PAC organizations. Excellent organizational and time management, and supervisory skills, and the ability to delegate, prioritize, and effectively manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced work environment. Flexibility, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, cultural competence, and ability to juggle multiple tasks, solve problems, and set priorities in a fast-paced, high-performance environment. Ability to work under one’s own initiative as well being an integral team member. Ability to work collaboratively across teams and with coalition partners. Preferred - Bilingual in English and Spanish.
• Cultural Competence: Must share a commitment to advancing racial justice and equity and ensuring an inclusive organizational culture. Familiarity with the complexity of issues and obstacles facing communities’ of color engagement in the environmental movement. Familiarity with Arizona and in-state community preferred. Demonstrate deep understanding of environmental priorities, movement issues, Arizona’s lay of the land and political arena. A strong belief in everyday peoples’ ability to affect change and their fundamental right to be heard by decision-makers and influence the policies and decisions that affect their community. An understanding of systemic racism, inequity and how they intersect with environmental issues.
• Working Conditions: This job operates in a professional office environment, and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and audiovisual systems. This position is largely sedentary, often standing or sitting for prolonged periods. The person in this position frequently communicates with journalists and must be able to exchange accurate information. This position is based in Phoenix, Arizona. Applicants need to be located in and legally authorized to work in the United States. Ability to travel, potentially up to 10% of time, and work some evenings and weekends, as needed (currently paused due to COVID). Position requires a valid Arizona driver’s license and access to reliable transportation. Please note that most LCV staff are currently working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, through April 30, 2022.

To Apply: Send cover letter and resume to hr@lcv.org with “Chispa AZ Advocacy Deputy Director” in the subject line by April 14, 2022. No phone calls please.

LCV is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a racially just, equitable and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected status. LCV is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact hr@lcv.org.

https://www.lcv.org/careers/lcv-job-openings/chispa-az-advocacy-deputy-director/