Senior Manager, Federal Affairs, Environmental Defense Fund

The Senior Manager, Federal Affairs, is a senior member of EDF's lobby team and represents the organization's interests on agricultural and forestry issues in a climate changing world. This role is responsible for planning and executing a creative lobbying strategy that advances the mission and goals of EDF, especially as they pertain to the next Farm Bill.

The Senior Manager, Federal Affairs has knowledge and experience to drive legislative strategy forward, collaborates effectively with team members across EDF programs, manages staff, and cultivates external relationships with key stakeholders and policymakers. This position reports to the Associate Vice President of Federal Affairs.

This position will be based in EDF's Washington, DC office.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a broad and deep network of relationships with policymakers, thought leaders, and other policy professionals connected to food, agriculture, forestry, and environmental issues. Advocate for EDF priorities in legislation or administrative action.
• Manage the day-to-day relationships with Members of Congress who serve on the House and Senate Agriculture Committee and their key personal and committee office staff. Develop and maintain relationships with key executive branch officials, including officials from the Department of Agriculture.
• Represent EDF on various coalitions; identify and advocate for EDF's agricultural and forestry policy priorities within these coalitions and find creative pathways that achieve policy goals. Partner with trade associations, think tanks, policy organizations, and NGOs focused on agricultural and forestry issues to achieve goals.
• Work directly with EDF political and programmatic teams to identify policy goals and strategies to achieve success.
• Conceive and draft funding proposals for C4 political work directly impacting the political strategy and success of the lobby activities.
• Manage 1-3 direct reports who work on various environmental policy issues.
• Participates in advancing EDF DEI goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.

Qualifications

• Minimum eight years of experience in the development and/or execution of agriculture policy. A background in farming is preferred, but not required.
• Proven experience in government relations and agriculture/climate issues.
• Extensive knowledge of federal politics, legislative process, and administrative actions on climate and agriculture.
• Familiarity with the science of climate change and strong understanding of the conservation, forestry, and commodity provisions in the farm bill.
• Able to identify viable legislative or administrative pathways for policy priorities and develop effective strategies to utilize those paths.
• Experience with managing direct staff and leading project teams.
• Demonstrates self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Comfortable working in a collaborative, inclusive workplace.
• Ability to bring together multiple perspectives into a cohesive effort.
• Ability to effectively communicate with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and writing skills with an ability to create materials and/or presentations that represent the organization's positions and priorities.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships quickly.
• Willingness to work across the political spectrum and develop positive bipartisan and bicameral relationships.
• Willingness and ability to register as a federal lobbyist.

To Apply:

https://www.edf.org/jobs/senior-manager-federal-affairs-agriculture-policy