The Senior Public Policy Manager will serve as one of the organization’s policy advocacy voices and represents and boldly champions Advocates’ policy priorities in national and state coalitions related to their issue portfolio; analyzes the impact of legislation and regulation on young people; drafts legislation or public comments; develops materials, policy briefs and reports; provides technical assistance to advocacy coalitions, partner organizations, youth activists, and policy makers; tracks targeted legislative, legal and regulatory trends; organizes lobby visits for youth and adult allies and other staff members; and works closely with other Advocates’ teams, including Youth Organizing, Communications, and Programs Teams to inform programmatic and campaign work.

The Senior Public Policy Manager will advocate for policies that improve young people’s reproductive and sexual health and rights. The Senior Public Policy Manager will drive leadership for a reproductive and sexual health, rights, and justice portfolio that includes abortion, birth control, and sex education; as well as other issues that impact young people’s reproductive and sexual health and rights.

SUPERVISOR: Director of Public Policy

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Organizational Description

Advocates for Youth partners with young people and their adult allies to champion youth rights to bodily autonomy and build power to transform policies, programs, and systems to secure sexual health and equity for all youth.

Advocates for Youth envisions a society in which all young people are valued, respected, and treated with dignity; sexuality is accepted as a healthy part of being human; and youth sexual development is normalized and embraced. In such a world, all youth and young adults are celebrated for who they are and afforded honest, affirming, inclusive sex education; access to confidential, universal sexual health services; and the economic, educational, and social power to exercise their bodily autonomy and make informed decisions regarding their health and well-being. ‍

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Responsibilities

• Track and assign priority level federal and state legislation, regulatory processes, and judicial cases relevant to young people’s reproductive and sexual health and rights
• Provide analysis of federal and state legislative and administrative activities on reproductive and sexual health/rights issues to Advocates’ staff, Board of Directors, youth activists, and partner organizations
• Plan, coordinate, and facilitate advocacy meetings between young people and policy makers on the state and federal level, and represent Advocates in these meetings
• Develop materials, policy and issue briefs, testimony, public comments and reports for dissemination to colleague organizations, policy makers, federal and state agencies, and youth activists
• Help develop action alerts, organizational statements, and/or op-eds on policy issues as they arise
• Collaborate with Public Policy, Communications, Programs, and Youth Organizing Teams to develop and implement policy priorities and support a youth advocacy strategy, including developing objectives, timelines and activities
• Conduct policy and advocacy trainings and presentations for national and state-based audiences and youth activists
• Directly support the work of youth activist’s campaigns. These activities include, but are not limited, to providing and developing targeted issue analysis and materials; advocacy and issue-based training for youth activists; and assisting in building policy and/or campaign/action week strategies.
• Serve as organizational representative and take leadership on key policy groups and coalitions working on federal and state policy reproductive and sexual health issues with an emphasis on young people
• Foster relationships with policy makers, legislators, and other decision makers in the policy sphere on the state and federal levels
• Assist with at least one major annual conference, including trainings, program planning, and other administrative and logistical tasks, as necessary
• Conduct other duties, as assigned‍

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Qualifications

• Minimum of three to five years experience in federal and state policy on reproductive and sexual health and rights, with specific knowledge of abortion, birth control, and sex education policies
• Demonstrated experience working directly with legislators, leading lobby meetings, and conducting policy advocacy at both federal and state levels
• Ability to analyze policies through a reproductive justice, racial justice, gender justice, and youth-focused lens
• Ability to digest large amounts of information quickly and turn it into concise, accessible materials for youth activists, policy makers, and colleagues
• Familiarity with linking policy to grassroots organizing and communications strategies
• Demonstrated experience conducting advocacy trainings, running advocacy events, or working with legislative or administrative offices
• Strong understanding of federal and state legislative and administrative processes and how they impact reproductive and sexual health policies
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and highly collaborative environment and to manage multiple projects while maintaining clear communication and timelines with supervisor, the Policy Team, and other organizational teams
• Must be a self-starter who is capable of both independent work and cross-team work
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and the ability to remain calm under pressure while balancing multiple projects and timelines
• Commitment to clear, timely communication and maintaining strong working relationships, internally and externally
• Alignment with the mission and vision of Advocate for Youth with a deep commitment to reproductive justice, racial justice, gender justice, and trust in the autonomy and leadership of young people
• Must be a team player that is excited to jump in and support other staff’s work, at times with short notice, while being willing to assert appropriate boundaries for personal work/life balance and self-care‍

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Salary Range

$68,000 – $75,000 depending on experience. For the purpose of equity across the organization, this range is non-negotiable. ‍

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Hours & Benefits

This is a full time position (32 hours per week, Monday-Thursday). Advocates for Youth is closed on Fridays. The position includes flexible compensatory time, health and dental insurance plans, life and short- and long term disability insurance, 403(b) retirement plan, professional development funds, and student loan pay-down benefit upon start date.

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Location

While Advocates for Youth is a remote organization, the ideal candidate will live in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia (DMV) area for coalition meetings, legislative events, and/or advocacy opportunities. Advocates for Youth has an office space in downtown Washington, D.C. The Senior Public Policy Manager will have access to this office but can work from home. Advocates for Youth does not currently have hybrid office work requirements. ‍

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Application Procedure

Submit the following items to afyhr@advocatesforyouth.org with subject line “Senior Public Policy Manager” by November 29, 2024.

1. 1. Resume (2 pages max) and, in the same PDF,
   2. In lieu of a traditional cover letter, responses to the following questions:

• What would you say to a young person who questions the importance and effectiveness of policy advocacy?

• Which coalitions or workgroups have you been a part of, and what was your role?

• Please share an example of specific legislation you have worked on (providing analysis, strategy, drafting, etc)

1. Previously written sample such as a policy memo, issue brief, or one pager (1-2 pages, PDF or Word doc) that you think demonstrates your ability to write clearly, accurately, and concisely

The projected start date is January – February 2025.

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Advocates for Youth is an Equal Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act employer and strongly encourages people of color and LGBTQ people to apply.