Description

Modeling our core values to lead with service, respect all people, build community, and deliver results the Advocacy and Policy Manager will lead the advocacy efforts to fulfill the mission principle to advocate for affordable housing, specifically supporting just and fair housing policy and growing the capacity of the affiliate. The Advocacy and Policy Manager will support the effort to implement Habitat’s strategic advocacy and policy priorities outlined by the affiliate relating to cost burden and affordable housing shortage. The Advocacy and Policy Manager is responsible for implementing and supporting strategies with the CAO to fulfill the organization’s advocacy and community impact mission and working with others to meet strategic goals.

Essential Functions

Advocacy:

• Serve as Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties primary point of contact for cities and counties within our jurisdiction.

• In collaboration with the CAO to speak on behalf of the affiliate for its advocacy agenda items

• Engage with other housing practitioners to implement a local housing advocacy platform from a community perspective.

• Support Habitat’s involvement in the Legislative Day in Olympia and follow up activities.

• Forge partnerships with organizations along the housing continuum so that all may work together to advocate for fair and just local housing policy.

• In partnership with the Advocacy Organizer, train homebuyers for hearing and meetings in Olympia, King & Kittitas Counties, and city level during the legislative session and throughout the year.

• Create and maintain relationships with local and state elected officials to be a trusted advisor on housing issues.

• Craft and execute on Habitat’s local legislative agenda by working with the appropriate committees in writing legislation, identifying and recruiting legislative champions, creating messaging for the bills, working with lobbyists in navigation and advancement of bills, coordinating meetings and hearing testimony.

Community Impact

• Partner with housing providers along the housing continuum to increase public awareness of Habitat for Humanity and our policy objectives.

• Support efforts to engage the affiliate’s constituency with the housing advocacy message and present opportunities for our advocacy actions.

• Continually prepare and update materials for the affiliate to study and reflect on housing policy trends and its potential impact on our work.

• Perform research activities to provide analysis to support the public awareness and policy objectives of the organization

Pay

1. For the selected candidate who meets the minimum requirements for the role and has 0-2 years of direct, relevant experience serving in this role and/or at this level, pay for this position is $68,078 to $70,000 yearly, with the potential to go to $76,586 with time and demonstrated success in the role.

2. For the selected candidate who exceeds the minimum requirements for the role and has 2-4 years of direct, relevant experience serving in this type of role and/or at this level, pay for this position is $76,586 to $80,000 yearly, with the potential to go to $85,093 with time and demonstrated success in the role.

3. For the selected candidate who exceeds the minimum requirements for the role and has 4-7 years of direct, relevant experience serving in this type of role and/or at this level, pay for this position is $85,093 to $90,000 yearly, with the potential to go to $93,621 with time and demonstrated success in the role.

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.

Minimum Education, Experience and Skills

• 4 years progressively responsible experience in policy, advocacy, affordable housing, campaigning or government on any level.

• Relevant experience in issues like advocacy, community outreach and civic political processes. Strong commitment to increasing the supply of affordable housing.
• Proven ability to quickly develop working relationships and exceptional communication skills.
• Can maneuver through complex political situations effectively.
• Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact.
• Calm and very pleasant demeanor when working with a wide variety of people.
• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Suite, Social media platforms, web-based meeting proficiency, Adobe and Google products.
• Ability to efficiently and effectively organize work and time, multiple and conflicting priorities and work independently. Ability to work in an office with frequent interruptions. Must be a self-starter and work independently.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders with differing priorities.
• Ability to work within a remote working structure.
• Current driver’s license and vehicle and ability to travel by car or plane.
• Ability to establish and maintain excellent working relationships with Habitat staff and affiliate volunteers, constituents, and elected officials and their staff.
• Must be able to multi-task several activities with differing deadlines, importance, and stakeholders requiring exceptional ability to organize and prioritize work and manage time.

Language Skills: Ability to effectively present information to elected officials and constituents. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common government documents, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to communicate and share the legislative agenda to staff, elected officials, and other constituents. Ability to effectively present information to top management, the public and/or board of directors.

Math Skills: Ability to apply and explain concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to explain complex situations to all levels of staff, board, public and elected officials like legislative rulemaking, county and city policy making and its impact on the Habitat for Humanity Mission. Ability to communicate strategic plan of the organization.

Computer Skills: Strong computer skills, including knowledge of Raiser’s Edge, spreadsheets, word processing, presentations and email. Proficiency with computer usage, especially Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations

• Must be at least 18 and have a valid driver’s license with a good record.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment described below represent the activities and surroundings of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel.
• The employee is required to talk and must be able to read.
• The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
• Extensive keyboarding is required.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate consisting of usual business office sounds including but not limited to computers, printers, telephones, and light foot traffic.
• The employee needs the mobility (with or without accommodation) to navigate construction building sites safely, with exposure to outdoor weather conditions, fumes or airborne particles, and near moving mechanical parts.
• The noise level at the construction sites may be loud, due to machinery, power tools and construction activities.

Benefits

Benefits package to include generous vacation/sick leave, medical/dental/vision insurance, short/long term disability, life insurance, and retirement account with employer matching and professional development program.

Habitat for Humanity of Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties is firmly committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity (EEO) and will provide such opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to sex, race, age, color, religion, mental or physical disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and/or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Statement of Commitment on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties, we build hope for all by tearing down barriers to affordable housing. Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is unwavering.

We have a deep love of humanity and embrace all our differences including race, religion, background or identity.

We act toremove systemic barriers to sustainable, affordable homeownership through advocacy and equity by providing education on housing issues and inequities for public policy makers and eliminating systemic inequities in our policies and practices. We empower our homeowners through education.

We bring people together, leveraging our differences to achieve our mission in our workplaces, building sites, stores, and in our homes.

We build communities where everyone feels a sense of belonging. Our support does not stop when a homeowner receives their keys.

We provide hope by eliminating disparities in home ownership