Policy Associate, Heartland Alliance
Job Classification: Policy Associate
Reports To: Director – Policy and Advocacy
Summary: The Policy Associate is a key player in Heartland Alliance's groundbreaking efforts to advance policy solutions and strategies to eliminate poverty and realize human rights. He/she works to achieve systemic change that improves the quality of life for and affirms the dignity of poor and vulnerable people. The Policy Associate is responsible for policy analysis and development, advocacy, public education and coalition building efforts to increase investments in and solutions for the most poor and vulnerable in society. This position specifically focuses on strategies to eliminate poverty and expand positive youth development opportunities through Heartland’s From Poverty to Opportunity and Teen Poverty and Youth Development campaigns.
Heartland Alliance is a service-based, human rights organization whose direct service work in housing, health care, legal protections, and economic security serves more than 100,000 people annually, helping them build better lives. Through its Policy and Advocacy division, Heartland Alliance develops policy proposals, builds strategic alliances, and pursues collective action to achieve systemic change that improves the quality of life for poor and low-income individuals and families. We combine our unique service-based understanding of the administrative and policy barriers that plague public systems with our expertise in developing and advancing proven solutions to achieve meaningful, sustainable social change. Heartland Alliance’s unique advocacy presence on the issues impacting vulnerable people helps ensure that macro-level decision making is indeed addressing inefficiencies, gaps and unmet needs at the local level.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Analyze state and national public policies, programs, and legislation for their impact on vulnerable populations. Provide information and analyses, both verbally and in writing, to agency leadership, policymakers, advocates, the general public and other stakeholders.
• Develop and execute successful advocacy strategies for educating policymakers and other decision makers about the needs of vulnerable populations and advancing policy solutions.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of appropriate communications strategies, including fact sheets, policy briefs, action alerts, website and new media content, letters to the editor, and other written materials.
• Develop strategic partnerships with allied individuals, coalitions, and organizations to pursue specific program and policy changes affecting vulnerable people; Conduct outreach to community-based organizations and affected populations across Illinois; Foster input from impacted populations into policy and advocacy processes; Provide staff support to committees, working groups, and advisory panels for relevant projects.
• Represent Heartland Alliance externally at events, speaking engagements, trainings and presentations, with policymakers, and other key stakeholders.
• Prepare and facilitate trainings on poverty and human rights.
• Participate in Heartland Policy and Advocacy team – Collaborate with Heartland program staff to identify policy/systems barriers and identify macro-level solutions; Assist with fundraising activities; Assist with overall advocacy activities in support of Heartland Alliance priorities.
• Supervise graduate level policy interns as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Education and/or Experience: A graduate degree in public policy, law, public administration, social work, urban planning or related field, plus two years experience; or a Bachelors Degree plus six years experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience includes:
• Experience working with community-based organizations, social service agencies, community organizing and diverse coalitions;
• Experience with administrative and legislative advocacy.
• Language/Communication Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills. The ability to work at both grass roots and administrative levels. Bilingual in English/Spanish, prefered.
• Computer Skills: Demonstrated proficiency with computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets and internet usage, including new media. Familiarity with Microsoft Office package.
• Other Skills: Experience and comfort with public speaking and facilitation. Commitment to effective networking and collaboration and demonstrated ability to build productive working relationships with diverse staff and external stakeholders. Working knowledge of policies and programs related to youth development, poverty as well as administrative and legislative advocacy. Strong planning, facilitation, and organizational skills. Ability to work under tight timelines, think conceptually, and take a proactive role in executing and completing projects. Ability to work well in groups and within teams as well as individually.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.
• The employee is frequently required to use hands to key, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The noise in the work environment is moderate
• This position includes a moderate amount of travel, including some overnight and occasional weekend hours.
Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Employee Services Office at (312) 660-1431.
|
