Temporary Associate Director of Government Relations

Temporary Associate Director of Government Relations

October 16, 2024

Jobs at NJEA

4 minutes to read

October 16, 2024

Jobs at NJEA

4 minutes to read

NJEA is a union of nearly 200,000 members working in the best public schools in the nation and across our community colleges.

Currently announcing a vacancy for a temporary associate director of Government Relations - Office of Member and Political Organizing.

The duration of this temporary position will be through Nov. 30, 2025.

Duties

• Promote NJEA and NEA legislation with state, county, and local association leaders and members through campaigns, workshops, etc.
• Contact legislators in Trenton, Washington, D.C., and in their home districts.
• Assist in the preparation of NJEA position statements and arguments on legislation and regulations.
• Analyze legislation and regulations pertaining to education, public employment, and other matters of concern to NJEA.
• Present NJEA positions at meetings of NJ Assembly and Senate committees, US Congress, and NJ State Board of Education.
• Work with other NJEA and NEA divisions and staff members on activities involving legislation, regulations, and political action.
• Work with NJEA Government Relations and Congressional Contact committees and other appropriate NJEA committees in promoting state and federal legislation and regulations.
• Work with other NJEA committees in the development of policy recommendations to the NJEA Delegate Assembly.
• Contact NJEA affiliates regarding legislation and regulations pertaining to their organizations.
• Assist with political action programs such as NJEA PAC fundraising, training, assistance to county and local education associations in such efforts.
• Work in campaigns of NJEA PAC-endorsed candidates in state and federal elections. Assist with mayoral, county, and school district elections.
• Assist in coordination of the routine work and details of the operation of the division, such as : replies to inquires on legislation, county legislative dinners, NJEA Legislative Conference, NJEA Legislative Guide, NJ Legislative Index;

review agenda of the NJ legislative committees, maintenance of information materials related to priority legislation.

• Register as a legislative agent for NJEA and file required quarterly reports with the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission.
• Assist with the NJEA-NEA Congressional Contact Team effort.
• Monitor pertinent NJ state agencies and NJ Register.
• Assist with NJEA PAC and NEA's Fund for Children and Public Education efforts, including reporting to the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission.
• Perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the NJEA executive director or the director of government relations.
• Track and report daily field activities, member engagement, and member voter contacts using campaign-specific software (e.g., VAN, NGP).
• Coordinate members efforts to support NJEA PAC endorsed candidates through phone banking, canvassing, and other outreach to NJEA members.
• Lead and coordinate logistics for member canvassing events, rallies, and other grassroots activities.
• Lead member volunteer teams to meet campaign goals, including but not limited to, petition-gathering.
• Organize and manage member campaign events, such as : rallies, meet and greets, petition drives, and voter registration drives.
• Manage local / statewide organization and development programs. Develop and implement cooperative partnerships to move shared organizing priorities.
• Engage in direct interaction with HQ and field staff on statewide, regional, and local organizing issues.
• Take a leadership role in developing and managing statewide organizing initiatives.

Member Campaign Development

• Develop, update, produce and distribute resources and materials related to data-based member campaign organizing.
• Develop training packets for field staff to use when training members in the use of data-based organizing.
• Develop, update, and produce training modules for field staff to use to train members in the use of data driven coalitions within their affiliates in order to support NJEA PAC endorsed candidates.

Qualifications

• A basic understanding of how legislation is developed, introduced, and processed through the Legislature and Congress.
• Experience and knowledge of New Jersey and the US political structure and operation.
• Ability to analyze NJ agencies, regulations, and NJ Register.
• Ability to analyze legislation.
• Demonstrated competence in promoting legislation and political action.
• Successful experience in working with legislators.
• Ability to recruit and train member leaders and help them to become effective.
• An assertive attitude in working with legislators, NJEA members, and the public; a "make-it-happen" style and personality.
• Aptitude for speaking and writing in a clear, concise manner.
• Sufficient physical and emotional stamina to spend long hours in the Legislature and in the field.
• A bipartisan outlook on politics.
• A thorough understanding of and dedication to NJEA goals and the methods used to accomplish them.
• Experience in public schools and organization activities.
• Proven experience as a statewide lead field / campaign organizer or similar role is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with the Voter Activation Network (VAN) system or other similar databases.
• Experience developing and leading campaign staff in data driven organizing campaigns.
• Demonstrated ability to initiate, plan, execute, and lead member organizing campaigns or other similar campaigns with a minimum of guidance.
• Proven experience successfully leading individuals, teams, projects and / or campaigns.
• General knowledge and experience with communications and public relations techniques.
• Effective skills in decision-making, oral / written communications, policy analysis, interpersonal relations, team building, and collaboration.
• Proven experience as a statewide lead field organizer or similar role is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor's / master's degree(s) desirable.

Apply

The deadline to submit letter of interest and resume via email to [email protected] is Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. Completed applications are due by Nov.

13, 2024. An application will be forwarded for completion based upon review of the submitted resume.

NJEA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of any kind. All aspects of employment decisions including but not limited to the application process, the decision to hire, promote, discipline or discharge without regards to race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy or breastfeeding, sex, gender identity or expression, disability or atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait of any individual, or because of the liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States or the nationality of any individual.

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