Community Advocacy Director

Overview

As we celebrate our Centennial year, we invite you to join us in shaping the next century of impact. Be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives as we remain devoted to a future of health and hope for everyone, everywhere.

At the American Heart Association, your contribution matters, and so does your career.

The American Heart Association has an excellent opportunity for a Community Advocacy Director.

The Community Advocacy Director is responsible for coordinating and supervising strategy and efforts to foster the public policy priorities of the American Heart Association in the assigned communities.

Responsible for serving as the primary representative of the American Heart Association to community level public officials and relevant community public agencies to generate awareness and support for the American Heart Association’s public policy agenda.

Responsible for building and managing teams of American Heart Association staff, volunteers, coalitions and partner organizations to build support for and integrate advocacy issues messaging into all other American Heart Association programs / events.

The Association offers many resources to help you maintain work-life harmonization through your changing needs and life situations.

To help you be successful, you will have access to Heart U, our award-winning corporate university, as well as additional training and support, locally.

TheAHALife is our company culture, our way of life, reflecting our diversity, equity & inclusion, our focus on work-life harmonization and our Guiding Values.

Discover why you will Be Seen. Be Heard. Be Valued at the American Heart Association by following us on LinkedIn , Instagram , Facebook , X (formerly Twitter) , and at heart.jobs.

Responsibilities

Strategically coordinates and supervises all elements of successful public policy priority campaigns at the assigned market levels.

Meets one on one with elected community officials, their staff, and other community government officials to gain support for the American Heart Association’s advocacy issues.

Monitors and engages on legislative and regulatory issues of concern to the Association’s and apprises appropriate Association volunteers and staff of emerging advocacy issues.

Provides policy research, development of support materials, recruiting of spokespersons, preparing testimony, and other activities as needed to advance the Association’s community public policy agenda.

Participates in coalition efforts and other collaborative partnerships to leverage opportunities that advance the Association’s public policy priorities.

Recruits membership for and provides staff support to a volunteer community advocacy committee. In collaboration with the committee, and with strategic direction from the Association’s advocacy program, develops a community legislative agenda.

Provides strategic direction on community grassroots and key contact, recruitment, retention and mobilization efforts.

Collaborates with communications staff partners on development and timing of media advocacy efforts.

Assurances compliance with lobbying requirements and prepares all necessary reporting.

Provides advocacy presentations and training opportunities to volunteers and staff as needed.

Attends and participates in relevant American Heart Association meetings throughout the year.

Qualifications

Three (3) years of experience and success in legislative and regulatory lobbying

Three (3) years of demonstrated experience building and managing issue advocacy coalition(s)

Three (3) years of experience developing and implementing grassroots and media advocacy tactics

Outstanding oral and written communications skills

Policy analysis and technical (legislative and regulatory) writing skills

Ability to simultaneously manage multiple, sophisticated projects in varying stages of development under time constraints

Knowledge of the principles and practices of strategic planning, budgeting, and managing work

Preferred Qualifications

Three (3) years of experience working in health care policy

Three (3) years of experience in volunteer management

Knowledge of voluntary health organizations or nonprofit organizations

Demonstrated understanding and appreciation for the use of technology and information systems

Compensation & Benefits

Expected pay range will be $70,000 - $80,000. Pay is commensurate with experience; geographic differentials to the pay range may apply.

Compensation Our goal is to ensure you have a competitive base salary. That’s why we regularly review the market value of jobs and make adjustments, as needed.

Performance and Recognition You are rewarded for achieving success by merit increases and incentive programs, based on the type of position.

Benefits We offer a wide array of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, along with a robust retirement program that includes an employer match and automatic contribution.

As a mark of our commitment to employee well-being, we also offer an employee assistance program, employee wellness program and telemedicine, and medical consultation.

Professional Development You can join one of our many Employee Resource Groups (ERG) or be a mentor / mentee in our professional mentoring program.

HeartU is the Association’s national online university, with more than 100,000 resources designed to meet your needs and busy schedule.

Work-Life Harmonization The Association offers Paid Time Off (PTO) at a minimum of 16 days per year for new employees. The number of days will increase based on seniority level.

You will also have a total of 12 paid holidays off each year, which includes several days off at the end of the year.

Tuition Assistance - We support the career development of all employees. This program provides financial assistance to employees who wish to further their education and career in relation to their current duties and responsibilities, or for potential future positions in the organization.

The American Heart Association’s 2024 Goal : Every person deserves the opportunity for a full, healthy life. As champions for health equity, by 2024, the American Heart Association will advance cardiovascular health for all, including identifying and removing barriers to health care access and quality.

At American Heart Association American Stroke Association, our mission is to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, religion, age, language, sexual orientation, national origin and physical or cognitive abilities.

We're committed to ensuring our workforce, workplace culture and mission have a shared impact across a diverse set of backgrounds.