Director of Government Relations and Community Impact

Director of Government Relations and Community Impact

Reports to President and CEO 

Full Time, Exempt Position  

Based in Seattle, hybrid office (two days in person preferred) 

WHO WE ARE

Seattle Parks Foundation is a 26-year-old nonprofit with a history of successful planning, organizing advocacy, and fundraising on behalf of our region’s public spaces. We want every resident of Seattle and King County to be connected to safe and beautiful green spaces and have access to rich recreational opportunities that meet their needs. Support for our public spaces requires advocacy, community engagement, and recognition of their role as critical to our quality of life. Our workplace is highly collaborative, professional, and respectful while nurturing a sense of fun. We are led by a strong and strategically engaged board of directors, and we strive to ensure that our team reflects the diversity of Seattle and King County and has the cultural competence to ensure that we serve all residents of the region.  

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Director of Government Relations and Community Impact leads Seattle Parks Foundation’s overall city, county and state advocacy efforts and oversees the measurement and impact of our strategic plan. They will lead relationship building with city, county, state, and tribal leaders who influence public space initiatives and are critical to advancing public funding for parks projects. The Director will convene political coalitions aligned with our strategic priorities and focused on advocating for park levies, parks and open space plans, city and county policies, and government funding for parks. They will collaborate with our Partner Team to ensure our grassroots community-based groups have access to government leaders, influence relevant policies, and ensure budget priorities for neighborhood-based efforts. The Director of Government Relations and Community Impact will also guide our action alerts and other community organizing efforts in support of advancing our mission and strategy.   

In addition to leading both our grassroots and system wide government relations, the Director will develop and establish the organization’s system of measurement of our community impact. They will work cross-departmentally and with experts to collect, share and use data according to best practices. This impact data will be critical for both advocacy and fundraising campaigns.  

Strategy, Leadership, and Management

• Develop strategy for advocacy on local policy and regulations that align with SPF’s mission 
• Develop and lead coalitions focused on ensuring public funding for parks and public spaces 
• Represent Seattle Parks Foundation with elected leaders, while coordinating with the CEO as needed 
• Hire contractors who will work on behalf of SPF for impact measurement and government relations 
• Participate in all Leadership Team meetings and the development of organizational strategy 
• Evaluate organizational effectiveness at reaching strategic advocacy and impact outcomes 
• Attend board meetings and present as needed  
• Act as staff lead for the board Policy and Advocacy Committee 
• Uphold the values of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in every aspect of your work  

Advocacy and Impact

• Lead Seattle Parks Foundation’s 2027 Metropolitan Park District Levy renewal campaign 
• Build and steward relationships with local elected officials and city and county staff, aligned partner organizations, and active community leaders 
• Collaborate with the Partner Team to develop government relationship strategies that ensure the work done by our fiscal partners is supported by public agency partners. 
• Lead development of rigorous data collection and analysis to support the impact of SPF’s work and the role parks and public spaces play in the health of the region 
• Identify projects with opportunities for public funding and develop strategies to secure those funds 
• Collaborate with the Partner and Communications Teams to grow volunteer base, mailing list, and mobilize grassroots advocates to take advocacy actions  
• Track and analyze existing and proposed local public lands policies, convene technical work groups and develop new policy proposals 
• Oversee work plan development and project management to ensure successful implementation of government relations and community impact strategy  
• Represent Seattle Parks Foundation and related coalitions in public forums 
• Organize meetings, develop agendas, and plan and execute internal and external advocacy events 

Primary Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience working in policy, planning, government relations or a related field  
• 5 years of experience working in impact measurement and evaluation oversight 
• Experience managing consultants in government relations and data management  
• Experience working with local government staff and elected officials; Seattle and King County preferred 
• Experience with parks, open space, land use planning and policy, zoning, comprehensive planning and policy  
• A successful track record of lobbying for public funds to support a program, project, or campaign  
• Interest and expertise in a variety of policy areas such as: parks and public spaces, land use, climate resilience, food systems, water resource management, habitat conservation and restoration, and environmental justice 
• The ability to develop and analyze new policy proposals, evaluate and respond to existing policy ideas, and experience passing legislation through a city or county council  
• A successful track record of building broad political coalitions and bringing together unlikely partners to bridge political divides  
• Ability to navigate delicate political and organizational dynamics while maintaining positive relationships  
• Strong verbal and written communication skills  
• Self-motivated and able to work flexible hours that may include some evenings or weekends  
• Fluency in Spanish and/or other languages in addition to English an asset 

Compensation

• Annual Salary Range between $80,000 - $110,000/year, based on experience 
• 3% employer contribution to 401k retirement plan  
• Flexible hours and schedule with hybrid and Seattle office time 
• Full-time employees earn 24 days of Personal Time Off (PTO) per year, additional week of office closure between Christmas and New Year’s Day 
• 90 - 100% employer-paid medical insurance  
• Dental insurance  
• Wellness program 
• Flexible Spending Account and transit benefits 

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to hr@seattleparksfoundation.org. Position open until filled. For best consideration, apply by December 5, 2025.