Description:
- The Policy Director, in conjunction with NSAC staff and member organizations, leads NSAC’s public policy work. The Policy Director represents the Coalition to policymakers and to the media, coordinates and oversees the policy development and advocacy work of the Coalition, leads and staffs the Policy Council, oversees all policy campaigns, and manages the policy team (currently 7 full-time policy staff). The Policy Director shares in the leadership of the organization along with the Grassroots Director and the Coalition Director. The Policy Director and Grassroots Director work together to develop campaigns and help ensure coordination and cohesion between NSAC’s direct and grassroots advocacy. The Policy Director and Grassroots Director report to the Coalition Director.
Duties:
- Policy and Strategy Development
- Advocacy and Coalition Building
- Communications and Fundraising
- Organizational Development
Qualifications:
- A strong understanding of sustainable food and agriculture policy – including federal policy related to conservation, environmental protection, beginning farmers, commodity, credit, and crop insurance programs, civil rights and underserved producers, rural development, agricultural research, food safety, climate change, local and regional food systems, and healthy food access.
- 7-10 years of policy experience, including experience advocating on Capitol Hill and within federal agencies.
- Ability to lead and manage a team of seven policy specialists, and to work cooperatively.
- Ability to push incremental change with broader long-term goals in sight.
- Ability to work well with decision makers of all political stripes, and a willingness to develop deep and lasting relationships with stakeholders and decision makers.
- Strong experience writing policy papers, testimony, legislation, advocacy materials, and comments related to federal policy and rulemaking.
- Ability to distill the interests and priorities of farmers and NSAC’s farm and food systems-based member organizations into a federal policy campaign, and to interpret policy language to understand how it will affect farmers on the ground.
- Experience with large, multi-organization grassroots coalitions or networks and experience with grassroots advocacy campaigns.
- Experience analyzing and advocating policy reform from a racial justice standpoint.
- Excellent written and verbal communication and public speaking skills.
- Obvious passion for NSAC’s mission and work.
- Strong interpersonal skills, with strong ability to listen and to build trust among a wide range of constituents.
- Willingness to work around a demanding congressional schedule and administrative deadlines.
- Willingness to travel domestically several times per year.