Associate Director Of Policy And Government Relations

Description:

Associate Director of Policy & Government Relations

Direct Report: Development Director, Executive Director

Full-time: Exempt

Salary: $82,000

Benefits: Blue Cross Medical/Dental/Vision, 403(b) retirement

plan, Holidays, Paid Time Off, 10 weeks Paid Parental Leave after 1 year of employment.

Alternatives Overview

Our mission is to inspire young people to create a just future through practices that heal individuals, restore

communities and transform systems. Since 1971, Alternatives has modeled innovative alternatives to the

status quo in Chicago’s youth services field. Our school and community based therapy, prevention and

leadership development programs support young people to individually and collectively address causes of

substance abuse, grief and trauma while building social-emotional, career and social change skills. In addition

to working directly with young people, we train, coach and advocate for youth serving institutions like Chicago

Public Schools to be restorative and trauma-informed.

We create culturally responsive environments in which young people build knowledge, skills, and abilities

through positive youth development, trauma informed counseling, leadership development, and

community-based healing.

Position Overview

The Associate Director of Policy & Government Relations, in collaboration with the Executive Director and

Executive Team, will oversee the continued development and implementation of Alternatives’ policy agenda

in line with Alternatives’ Policy Platform. Given that the position and program are both new to the

organization, the position should evolve as we learn more about this area.

Responsibilities

Perform the following from a racial, gender, sexuality, and ability lens:

• Supervise Policy & Advocacy team in line with Alternatives’ mission, vision and values, strategic plan and policy platform
• Recruit, hire, supervise, train, support, and evaluate, directly or indirectly, assigned staff
• Work collaboratively with and advises Executive Director and Executive Team at Alternatives to advance Policy and systems change that positively impacts the lives of program participants and those who have been historically marginalized
• Serve as an external and internal ambassador and advocate to position Alternatives as a Policy and systems change thought- leader within our identified priority areas.
• Establish, build, and maintain relationships with lawmakers and elected officials and represen Alternatives and our policy positions in the community, with government officials and with our stakeholders
• Identify and collaborate with like-minded organizations around our policy platform
• As needed, testify at legislative hearings on issues related to Alternatives’ policy platform
• Collect, review, and submit to the Development Director all monthly, quarterly, general and statistical reports as required for compliance with various grants or government requirements
• Propose Policy and legislative positions to the Executive Team for collaborative decision making
• Pursue innovative funding and shape bold partnership opportunities that further the organization’s strategic vision
• Collaborate with the Development Director on event planning, marketing, and communication as needed to support the policy platform and agenda and increase awareness of Alternatives’ policy work
• Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director

Requirements:

1. Bachelors Degree in public policy, social work, social sciences or related field AND/OR proven experience in related field preferably within the nonprofit sector.
2. Is already or willing to register as a lobbyist and lobby on behalf of Alternatives’ policy agenda. Must be willing to travel to Springfield as needed.
3. Advanced knowledge of Chicago’s political climate and policy issues impacting ourcommunities.
4. Proficiency in Microsoft Office
5. Must work effectively with agency staff, board members, funders, donors and volunteers.
6. Must be driven to succeed, organized, proactive, flexible, innovative, responsible, possessintegrity and the ability to motivate others.
7. Strong project management skills working with multifaceted and complex programs.
8. Excellent verbal, writing, editing skills.
9. Experience leading a team of professionals.
10. Commitment to the mission, vision, values, and beliefs of the organization.
11. Knowledge of the legislative process preferred.
12. Deep commitment to building a diverse staff engaged in significant work with youth and theirfamilies at a community level.
13. Flexible nights and weekends as needed, particularly when legislators are in session.
14. The COVID vaccine is mandatory of all employees to the full extent permissible underapplicable law.