Director Of Advocacy

• Job Title: Director of Advocacy

Department: Impact - Development
Reports to: Vice President & Chief Impact Officer
FLSA Status: Exempt
Last Review Date: October 2023
Approved by: President/CEO
Approved Date: October 2023

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Advocacy is responsible for managing a multi-faceted advocacy program in support of Hawaiʻi Foodbank’s mission. The Director provides strategic leadership, as well as day-to-day support for all aspects of the Foodbank’s advocacy program, including collaborating with various community stakeholders to drive successful action, advocating for funding for anti-hunger, anti-poverty, and health equity intervention legislative initiatives at the county, state and federal levels. The Director works with internal staff, other nonprofits and food systems organizations, and external partners to expand a growing center of data, expertise, resources and capacity to move the food security agenda at multiple levels.

Through successful education, testimony, relationship-building and advocacy, the Director will elevate the voice of individuals and families struggling with hunger and food insecurity, resulting in meaningful impact and policy change. The Director communicates extensively externally and internally in both verbal and written formats and is highly strategic and detail-oriented.

The Director is a member of the Leadership Team, working closely with peers to advance the strategic work of the Foodbank. With other members of the Foodbank team, the Director is involved with events, and other projects, as assigned. The Director must demonstrate an active commitment to the Hawaiʻi Foodbank mission in all aspects of daily work.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Strategically develop and collaboratively implement Hawaiʻi Foodbank’s policy agenda. Represent the Foodbank’s positions and advocate on hunger issues at the local, state and federal level.

oDevelop and cultivate relationships with public officials and their staff

oWork directly with public agencies, officials and other advocates to accomplish specific goals

oWork with local, state and national anti-hunger organizations to identify and implement advocacy strategies

oLead Hawai‘i Foodbank’s policy and advocacy strategy for supporting anti-hunger, health equity, and anti-poverty efforts

oSchedule, coordinate, and attend virtual and in-person meetings with federal, state and county policymakers and other stakeholders, as needed

oMobilize partners and supporters to take action via advocacy alerts, as needed, generating letters, phone calls, testimony and petitions to elected officials

• Manage Hawai’i Foodbank’s State and County legislative strategy, relationship with lobbyist, and lobbying efforts, both during the January to May session and any preparation before and follow-ups after session

oWork with advocacy partner to follow and track anti-hunger, anti-poverty, health equity and nutrition-related legislation

• Increase awareness and understanding of hunger issues with donors, volunteers, agency partners, staff, and the Board of Directors to strengthen the movement to end hunger in Hawaiʻi.

oMaintain current, accurate information resources to ensure ease of access to information about hunger, poverty and federal programs

oResearch and develop policy briefs, fact sheets and reports on relevant anti-hunger policies

oProvide information, data, or stories of impact that support anti-hunger policy efforts, including writing issue briefs for Hawai‘i Foodbank policy priorities or initiatives

oParticipate in cohorts, webinars, and other learning opportunities offered by Feeding America and other food banks or anti-hunger advocates

oCollaborate with other departments and teams within Hawai‘i Foodbank to build capacity for storytelling and advocacy work

oAttend and actively participate in policy and advocacy coalitions with local and national partners and communicate information and learning back to the Foodbank team

• Support advocacy fundraising efforts and complete grants reporting requirements, as requested

• Attend conferences that build HFB’s advocacy network, relationships, and capacity

• Meet regularly and situationally with VP and other HFB team members to move advocacy projects forward

COMMUNICATIONS

• Acquires working knowledge of Foodbank mission, programs, and Hunger in Hawai‘i statistics to create impactful and persuasive communication.
• During session, provide advocacy reports during the monthly ELT/LT meetings
• Work HFB marketing and communications team to produce written materials, social media posts, blog/website, newletter, and other outreach efforts that advance advocacy messages

OTHER FUNCTIONS

• As a member of the Impact Team, will be actively engaged with Hawai‘i Foodbank events, such as Food Drive Day and Great Chefs Fight Hunger.

• Comply with all federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.

• Maintain confidentiality of certain information pertaining to grant proposals.

• With team, present recommendations and assist in implementing quality initiatives.

• Provide support on any other duties, as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Working evenings, holidays, special events and project work and weekend hours, as needed which is frequently needed during session.

DESCRIPTION OF TASKS

- Most tasks covered in essential duties and responsibilities.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from a four-year college or university and three years of Advocacy or policy experience; or Associate’s Degree (A.A.) with 5 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Interest and knowledge of issues related to food insecurity, hunger, poverty, food systems, economic justice, health equity.

• Experience in policy research and/or legislative advocacy and moving a public policy agenda

• Understanding of local, state and federal legislative processes.

• Ability to work independently, prioritize, organize, and meet deadlines.

• Strong analytical capabilities to interpret data, research findings and to synthesize conclusions.

• Strong work ethic; innovative self-starter and problem solver with a bias toward action.

COMMUNICATION ABILITY:

• Strong written and oral communicator, skilled listener, instinctual information sharer and network builder.

• Demonstrated analytical and persuasive writing skills experience as well as superior editing skills, including ability to convey complex information in a clear manner to a diverse audience.

• Superior written communication and editing skills; strong public speaking capacity; knowledge of the fundraising process and the concepts of donor relations and communications.

• Excellent internpersonal skills, inclding the ability to work and interact well with individuals (partners, staff, volunteers, participants) from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds in a culturally diverse environment.

REASONING ABILITY:

• Highly-tuned detail orientation, strategic thinking and a process and systems mindset.

• Innate ability to prioritize and synthesize information in an analytical and systematic manner.

• Ability to work with ambiguity and competing priorities.

• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

• Possess the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions in the problem solving and decision making process; ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions; and ability to analyze all aspects of a situation and determine win-win outcomes.

EQUIPMENT, MACHINES, TOOL, VEHICLES USED:

• Proficiency with traditional and contemporary office equipment.

• Advanced proficiency of Microsoft office is required with emphasis on proficiency in Word and Excel.

• Proficiency with Adobe Acrobat and research databases and work with fundraising database (currently Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge).

• Insured vehicle with valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Ability to carry and lift at least 35 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Requires driving for planned or spontaneous off-site day, evening and weekend meetings and events, as needed or assigned.

• Requires the ability to work with high profiency in both remote working environments and in office settings.

• Requires the use of computer and common office equipment.

• The noise level ranges from quiet to moderate to loud at times.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee filling this position. Employee will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by management. Management has the right to add to, revise, or delete information in this job description.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

I have read and understand the essential duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this job and am able and willing to perform them accordingly.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Adocacy: 3 years (Preferred)
• Strategic planning: 3 years (Preferred)

Work Location: In person