Director of Government Affairs

  • Raise the Future
  • Denver, CO
  • Sep 22, 2022
Full time Other

Job Description

Who We Are

At Raise the Future, we believe every young person goes through life knowing they have a caring adult by their side. So, every day, we show up for kids in foster care by listening to their needs and introducing them to adults they can rely on. We then surround those connections with support so that they grow into meaningful, lasting relationships that help our youth heal from the past. Because to truly raise the future, we must raise the bar for what it means to support vulnerable youth and families as they navigate life.

Since our founding in 1983, Raise the Future has designed and implemented evidence-based, wraparound services that reduce the amount of time youth in foster care live without a permanent family. Our programs increase the likelihood of forming and sustaining positive connections that help to transform their futures.

What You Will Be Doing

The Director of Government Affairs will lead the creation of a strategic approach to government relationships and contracting for Raise the Future. In collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team and public affairs and execute the strategy that will allow Raise the Future to support and nurture relationships with government and civil society leaders in multiple states and jurisdictions that will ensure the public revenue needed to sustain and scale programmatic work in support of youth and families.

The Director will report to the VP of Development and will play an integral part of revenue generation within the organization. Alongside other senior leaders and board members, they will represent the organization at local, regional, and national scales. The ideal candidate will have a passion for transforming the lives of children and families and experience collaborating with diverse groups to enable lasting impact for communities.

The Director will join other leaders in nurturing a positive culture that brings to life Raise the Future's organizational values: Embrace Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging / Value You (meet people where they are) / Foster Relationships / Strengthen Partnerships / Raise the Bar.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • In partnership with the VP of Development; CEO; VPs of Programs in CO, NV, UT; and the Senior Director of Capacity, define and lead the Government Affairs strategy for Raise the Future.
  • Lead the organization's understanding of the federal, state, and county-level funding streams that support, or could support, work across a three-state territory. Use that information to build strategies that will yield sustainability and growth and identify opportunities to grow government revenue from $5 to $9 million annually.
  • Manage contract lobbying support in each of Raise the Future's states
  • Create and implement outreach and engagement strategies that will enhance collaboration and deepen opportunities for better service delivery and long-term funding.
  • Work in collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team and the Development Team to find synergies between public and philanthropic funding and co-develop strategies that will lead to robust public/private partnerships that support innovation and amplify Raise the Future's impact.
  • Oversee key grant and proposal cycles, including partnering with Raise the Future's Grants, Finance, Programs, and Operations teams to create content and budgets for proposals and ensure reports are submitted in a timely and accurate fashion.
  • Partner with Raise the Future's Finance and Programs teams to ensure adherence to approved budgets and maximize spend-down of approved grant funds.
  • Work closely with Raise the Future's liaisons for our two key partner organizations, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and the Karyn Purvis Institute for Child Development, to leverage opportunities for national influence and best practices.

Who We Are Seeking

Knowledge and Experience:

  • Deep and dynamic understanding of public funding systems, trends, and processes, including how federal, state, and county funding streams intersect.
  • Proven track record of creating successful funding proposals for large institutional and/or public funders.
  • Demonstrated success in building relationships and collaborations with government agencies and/or legislators.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including comfort and experience communicating with political, civic, and organizational leaders, staff, and other stakeholders, such as nonprofit leaders, community members, and philanthropists.
  • Experience in child welfare or child welfare policy is a plus.

Characteristics

  • Mission-driven.
  • Unwavering commitment to connecting with others as a basis for increasing impact and good in the world.
  • Moves through the world with a sense of cultural humility and curiosity and understands how to engage a wide range of stakeholders.
  • Self-starter with an optimistic attitude.

Understands leading by influence and team building. This is an individual-contributor role that relies on internal and external partnerships and consulting support for success.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Undergraduate (Bachelor's) degree or equivalent experience.
  • 3-5 years of government affairs or related experience.
  • Demonstrated ability to successfully manage a budget.
  • Strong relationship skills as demonstrated by track record of effective collaboration with diverse groups of people.
  • Ability to be a team player who can relate to and work effectively with peers and other associates within a collegial, yet demanding, work environment.
  • Strong demonstrated experience in securing revenue streams.
  • Demonstrated commitment to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultures; understands systemic racism and its impact on marginalized communities.
  • Ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and thrive in a complex environment with competing priorities.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office (i.e., Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams), online communication platforms (i.e., Zoom)

Preferred Qualifications

  • Demonstrated knowledge of the issues and challenges inherent in the public child welfare system.
  • Expertise in trauma-informed care and the challenges related to permanency for children/youth and families.
  • Advanced degree in related field, or commensurate professional experience.

What We Offer

As a nonprofit organization, we are mission driven, and our employees are highly engaged in the work they do. The best reward is when our efforts payoff and youth leave the child welfare system and find lasting connections with families.

We offer a great culture and a full benefits package too. We value the need for work life balance offering four (4) weeks of PTO, one (1) week of paid personal time, 10+ paid holidays per year, plus much more--that's 35+ paid days off per year! Our benefits also include:

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental & vision insurance
  • 100% Paid life, long-term and short-term disability insurance
  • Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and childcare
  • Health Savings Accounts
  • 401k with matching contributions & immediate vesting
  • Flexible work arrangements available on case-by-case basis
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Discount programs
  • Paid Parental Leave

This is a full-time position with benefits. The hiring range for this position is $90,000-$110,000 annually*.

* This is the expected pay range for someone hired in Colorado. Actual hiring range may vary based on qualifications and geographic location.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

This position works in a typical, mostly indoor office environment with windows, office equipment noise and may include frequent interruptions. Considerable time is spent sitting at a desk using a computer terminal and telephone, and/or attending meetings with others. There is also up to 30% travel (air or automobile) to meet with partners and funders across Raise the Future's service area (currently CO, NV, UT) and to conferences. Raise the Future's current policy is that all employees who live within 45 miles of one of our offices must be in the office a minimum of two days per week. That policy is subject to change.




For more information, or to apply now, you must go to the website below. Please DO NOT email your resume to us as we only accept applications through our website.

https://www.applicantpro.com/j/2577799-573943

URL

Salary

$90,000-$110,000