Description

The National Advocacy Center (NAC) educates and advocates on social justice issues for the transformation of society and the benefit of all people, and reflects the spirituality, history and mission of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, known as the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. We focus on issues that primarily impact women, children, and families on the margins. We seek an Associate Director -- a position that reports to the Executive Director -- to join us in this mission, and to advocate and help develop NAC’s issues agenda, lobby Congress, and educate the Good Shepherd community. The successful candidate would embody and convey the spirit and mission of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, and understand or be willing to learn the Good Shepherd philosophy and social teaching and its relationship to NAC’s work.

Primary Responsibilities - Legislative / Mobilizing / Education / Collaborative

With Executive Director, identify priority legislation focusing on human trafficking and family related issues, particularly those that impact U.S. Good Shepherd Agencies, including poverty / economic justice, immigration, domestic and gun violence, mental health / substance use disorder, and foster care. As appropriate, NAC also looks at U.S. policies that impact Good Shepherd programs in other countries. We recognize all these issues are inseparable from environmental degradation, racism, and gender equality. Associate Director will take the lead on poverty / economic justice and immigration issues.

•        Develop working relationships with Good Shepherd Agencies & identify their legislative / policy needs
•        Develop working relationships with Members of Congress & staff, educate them about NAC & lobby for our agenda through in-person meetings, phone calls, conferences, etc
•        Track legislation, regulations, executive orders etc & assess their impact on Good Shepherd Agencies
•        Write issue & legislative briefs along with status reports
•        Collaborate & build coalitions with faith-based and civic organizations to advance issues agenda
•        Develop strategic outreach & mobilization planning of NAC’s constituency & public for specific issues
•        Draft & send action alerts & blast emails; engage in social media advocacy, sign-on letters & petitions
•        Participate in prayer vigils, nonviolent demonstrations, coalition events that promote shared priorities
•        Prepare educational & advocacy materials, contribute advocacy updates to website & publications
•        Plan & conduct advocacy & lobby workshops / webinars for various constituencies
•        File lobbying & financial reports, submit expense reports, assist with grants
•        Supervise volunteers & interns as assigned; participate in staff meetings & advisory board meetings

The NAC office environment is small, and the position requires considerable time on the Hill and working in coalition with other advocacy organizations. While the position has the potential to be hybrid, the candidate must be local to MD/DC/VA given the frequent in-person meetings on Capitol Hill.

Requirements

•        Background in law, political science, peacebuilding, or related area preferred with min 5 years legislative advocacy / Hill experience (federal/congressional preferred); demonstrated record of work for justice
•        Registered lobbyist or willing to register as one
•        Knowledge of DC legislative advocacy community preferred; experience building/working in coalitions
•        Ability to engage with networks of religious congregations and human service agencies
•        Outstanding communications skills & comfortable with public speaking
•        Experience and/or interest in working with both sides of the aisle and building bridges
•        Ability to work in teams & independently; highly self-motivated; supervisory experience helpful
•        Must be able to travel nationally as needed & able to attend evening & weekend events