Director Of Government Relations & Advocacy 2024

About NCJW

National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is the oldest Jewish feminist civil rights organization working for equity and justice for women, children, and families in the United States and Israel. Through the efforts of our 210,000 grassroots advocates and 50 local sections, NCJW combines education, direct service, and advocacy to affect lasting social change at the local, state, and national levels.

We approach our work Jewishly and through the intersections of gender, economic, and racial justice to center those most impacted. NCJW's intersectional work in progressive and Jewish spaces has resulted in deep partnerships with secular and faith-based human rights organizations, BIPOC-led grassroots organizations, and governmental allies. NCJW had lead roles in many civil rights coalitions and legacy networks.

Position Summary

The Director of Government Relations and Advocacy is a key member of the Government Relations and Advocacy Department and reports to the Chief Policy Officer. In concert with the Chief Policy Officer and Associate Director of Government Relations and Advocacy, the Director helps determine department goals and budget, manage and run the department, directly manage team members, determine federal legislative priorities, and establish and implement policy and advocacy strategies to advance department and organizational goals.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Build and grow NCJW lobbying practice to deliver wins on key issues by:

  • Developing and implementing direct lobbying strategies

  • Overseeing the advocacy team?s relationship management plan, developed and executed by the Associate Director, with Congressional Members and staff, relevant administration officials, and other ?Washington Insiders? and thought leaders

  • Setting specific goals and monitoring progress toward achieving goals

• Manage the Government Relations and Advocacy Department by:

  • Supervising two-three full-time direct reports which includes overseeing their work, providing feedback and coaching, and ensuring a cohesive and coherent team-wide approach to advancing NCJW?s policy priorities

  • Planning annual Government Relations and Advocacy work and related budget

  • Serving as liaison to the Chief Policy Officer and NCJW CEO on specific issue portfolios

  • Representing management directives and decisions to Government Relations and Advocacy staff

  • Working with Chief Policy Officer and finance department as needed on grants

  • Working with Associate Director to plan and facilitating department-wide meetings and strategy sessions

  • Developing, motivating, and leading the team; setting team goals and evaluating performance

• Effectively communicate NCJW?s positions, work, and impact by:

• Producing high-quality written content, including press releases, articles, and social media posts, to articulate the organization's work and impact.

• Developing compelling narratives that resonate with our network and enhance the brand.

• Representing NCJW at conferences, events, and public forums, delivering impactful presentations.

• Engaging with media outlets to secure coverage and interviews as appropriate, ensuring accurate representation of the organization's work.

• Creating messaging frameworks to effectively communicate the organization's positions on key issues and coordinating among the various departments to ensure consistent messaging.

• Expand role in NCJW to help fulfill its mission by:

  • Taking part in the development and execution of NCJW strategy

  • Representing the department in cross-departmental projects and programs often working closely with communications, engagement & leadership, development, and programs departments and NCJW professionals

  • Ensuring alignment of projects within the department and across the organization

  • Helping plan and execute NCJW?s trainings and conferences as needed

  • Staffing board committees as appropriate

• Advocate for NCJW?s key priorities by managing a diverse portfolio of issues that could include Israel and antisemitism, gun violence prevention, and gender based violence by:

  • Representing NCJW on national grassroots policy and advocacy coalitions and playing a leadership role where appropriate

  • Developing talking points, testimony, comments, and other written materials as relevant to the issue portfolio

  • Keeping abreast of relevant information, resources, tools, and developments in federal domestic policy, especially as it relates to NCJW policy priorities

  • Monitoring budget and appropriations processes and relevant federal court cases impacting key policy priorities

• Advance NCJW?s mission through collaboration with grassroots and communications teams, including:

  • Overseeing the development of written policy resources, including but not limited to testimony, talking points, letters and comments for the record, questions to committee staff in advance of relevant hearings, action alerts, and toolkits

  • Leading advocacy training and related materials development

  • Coordinating with Communications Department on messaging to NCJW network

  • Providing technical assistance and information on issues to volunteer advocates

  • Developing and conducting advocacy trainings for State Policy Advocatess, NCJW local sections, and other groups internal and external on an as-needed basis