Manager - Policy

Summary

Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) is seeking a Manager Policy to deepen and amplify the Organization’s policy platform. The Manager - Policy is responsible for advancing DWC’s policy agenda, including through research, coalition-building, and direct advocacy to elected officials and local, state, and federal agencies.

An effective Manager - Policy will have a demonstrated commitment to social and racial justice, strong research, writing, and communication skills, the ability to engage with a variety of stakeholders, and a passion for strengthening the political power of marginalized and underserved communities.

The Manager - Policy reports to the Chief Communications Officer and regularly briefs the Executive and Leadership Teams on legislative developments and advocacy actions.

As part the Communications and Policy Team, the Manager - Policy will also support the Organization’s efforts to raise public awareness of women’s homelessness and promote the voices of women with lived experience.

Essential Functions

• Policy monitoring, research, and analysis
• Track city and county meeting agendas for motions, decisions, and funding-related items related to homelessness, housing, and related issues areas (employment, public health, domestic violence)
• Track the status of local and state legislation, check all legislative agendas, hearing schedules, committee assignments and voting records.
• Gather and disseminate information regarding local, state, and federal laws or policies that address or otherwise impact women’s homelessness.
• Develop policy documents such as fact sheets, briefs, talking points, presentations, and policy positions
• Lead internal policy meeting and convene cross-departmental discussions as necessary; brief the Board Communications and Policy Committee as needed
• Foster meaningful relationships with elected officials, their staff, other policy makers, and other interest groups and community partners
• Represent DWC at public events, community and coalition meetings, industry conferences, public policy meetings
• Help lead campaigns for selected legislation and ballot initiatives; conduct outreach to secure organizational endorsements;

and mobilize the DWC community

• Revamp DWC’s policy platform; review the Advocacy Pillars to ensure conformity with organizational mission, strategic plan
• Author letters of support, calls to elected officials, and organizational responses to policy developments and current issues
• Manage requests for letters of support
• Redesign and manage DWC’s advocacy actions tracker
• Develop a policy contacts database
• Research lobbying parameters for 501c3 organizations
• Incubate and launch an advocacy volunteer program to increase public understanding and mobilization around key motions, ballot initiatives, and state legislation.
• Brief and prep DWC staff and for media interviews, public comment, meetings, and other advocacy actions
• Draft talking points, speeches, presentations, and other materials for senior leadership
• Train DWC participants and residents to tell their stories illustrating the difference trauma-informed services have made in their lives.
• Draft policy content for social media, newsletters, and other corporate collateral
• Plan and mobilize for opportunities highlighting women's homelessness and the successes of DWC programs
• Support with communications and policy events as needed

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Competencies

• Writing and Researching
• Public Speaking
• Problem Solving
• Relationship Management
• Time Management
• Flexibility

Supervisory Responsibility

This position supervises department interns as needed.

Work Environment

This position will start as a hybrid between remote work and office work at our office in Skid Row, Downtown Los Angeles.

The Manager - Policy will drive to venues and events throughout Southern California and regularly attend virtual and in-person city and county meetings.

Occasional overnight travel for industry conferences is expected.

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary.

Schedule and Benefits

This is a full-time exempt position. Office hours are 9 : 00am to 5 : 30pm, with flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed.

This position is eligible for DWC’s comprehensive benefits package that includes training, paid time off, and medical, vision, dental, and transportation benefits.

Travel

Local travel to meetings in Los Angeles is expected for this position during regular business hours;

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, including written and verbal presentations to various individuals and organizations.
• Excellent research, drafting, and editing skills
• Demonstrated ability to gather and synthesize information and perspectives from multiple sources into clear, easy-to-read, engaging formats.
• Knowledge of the Los Angeles policy and media landscape; existing contacts a plus
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to connect with diverse populations, and to work collaboratively with multiple partners on project assignments
• Ability to lead organized groups of members, lead delegations to policy makers and run membership and coalition meetings.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Teams.
• Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of homelessness, women’s rights, and public policy
• Highly organized and able to undertake multiple projects simultaneously, track detailed project tasks, set priorities, and ensure deadlines are met.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, problem-solve, and work independently.
• Ability to work within a small staff and handle diverse duties.
• Ability to communicate in Spanish a plus.
• Reliable access to transportation. The Policy Manager will need access to a car to drive to venues, events, and meetings and transport materials.
• Cultural humility.
• Must be a CA resident and live no more than 75 miles from DWC; must be available for in-person meetings at DWC.
• Must provide documentation of a negative TB test result within the last twelve months, on first day of hire.
• You will be required to be up to date on your vaccinations against COVID-19 and provide documentation. If you are fully vaccinated and not yet eligible to receive a booster dose, then you must receive the booster dose within 30 days of becoming eligible and eligibility begins 5 months after receiving final primary dose.

If you are fully vaccinated and have received a booster dose, you are considered up to date with your vaccinations. Unvaccinated individuals must receive their 1st dose before their first day of hire.

Partially vaccinated (for 2-dose series) individuals must receive their 2nd dose within 30 days of being hired. The second dose of a two-dose vaccine series is due 4 weeks after the primary dose.

Preferred Education and Experience

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in political science, public policy, journalism, communication, or another related field
• Relevant policy-based internship, volunteer, or work experience which includes public affairs, media relations, public policy, community organizing, journalism, and other communication-related functions.

Pay Range

Starting at $70,928

Work Authorization / Security Clearance (if applicable)

Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. DWC does not sponsor employment visas, such as H-1B.

Downtown Women’s Center provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants and actively seeks candidates who reflect the rich diversity of the communities that we serve.

We are committed to a work environment that embraces and promotes individuality and inclusion. We believe that diversity and inclusion of varied perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences are essential to our organization’s effectiveness, and allow us to serve our clients in the respectful, responsive, and understanding way that they deserve.

We define diversity in broad terms to include race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, mental or physical disability, marital status, pregnancy, military and veteran status, medical condition, geography, socio-economic status, and other unique attributes that make us who we are.

Downtown Women’s Center complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.

Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.