Deputy Director of State Policy & Advocacy

JOB POSTING: Deputy Director of State Policy & Advocacy

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1986. CHIRLA is a California leader with national impact made of diverse immigrant families and individuals who act as agents of social change to achieve a world with freedom of mobility, full human rights, and true participatory democracy. CHIRLA organizes and serves individuals, institutions, and coalitions to build power, transform public opinions, and change policies to achieve full human, civil and labor rights. Guided by power, love, and vision of our community, CHIRLA embraces and drives progressive social change.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Deputy Director of State Policy & Advocacy plays a key role in an exciting team who is charged with planning and executing both long term and short-term direction of the organization’s policy agenda. The Deputy Director will collaborate and assist in leading future projects to expand and support the work being done across the state. The Deputy Director will lead in the strategic planning to maintain and cultivate relationships with state elected officials, agency directors, and Governor’s office. The Deputy Director oversees the contract lobbyist and policy staff base in the Sacramento office. The ideal candidate will work successfully with CHIRLA’s California-based staff to engage our membership base in the development and advancement of CHIRLA’s policy advocacy agenda.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
EXTERNAL PROGRAM PRIORITIES

• In collaboration with Director of Policy and Advocacy, Executive Director and consultation with membership base create of annual state policy agenda.
• Work with the Director of Policy and Advocacy to lead CHIRLA’s state policy agenda.
• Under the supervision of the Director of Policy and Advocacy, manage CHIRLA’s support/oppose/neutral positions to legislative/regulatory/budget proposals.
• Advance and implement CHIRLA goals and objectives as they are determined by the organization.
• Assist in developing legislative/regulatory/budget proposals to advance CHIRLA’s agenda.
• Cultivate and maintain positive working relationships with Members of State Legislature, Constitutional Offices, Agencies and Governor’s office.
• Responsible for securing regular meet-and-greets and providing policy analysis to lawmakers and their staff.
• Represent CHIRLA’s position at committee hearings, press conferences, and/or legislative meetings.
• Develop and maintain alliances with immigrant networks to advance CHIRLA’s policy agenda.
• As appropriate, work with the immediate supervisor to develop and implement advocacy strategies and events (to include legislative visits, advocacy days, letters, and call-in campaigns, media relations, hearings, actions, etc.)
• Develop and provide updates, talking points, action alerts, sample letters, etc. as part of advocacy strategies.
• Support CHIRLA staff by providing research and analysis on issues pertaining to immigrant communities.

INTERNAL PROGRAM PRIORITIES

• Produce state legislative research, developing policy fact sheets, and talking points.
• Monitor, manage and analyze and summarize propose and/or new laws and regulations negatively/positively impacting immigrants.
• Develop monthly content for CHIRLA’s Al Dìa policy newsletter.
• Monitor and analyze state trends and issues related to immigration and ensure a proactive focus on pro-immigrant policies.
• Monitor, analyze and summarize propose and/or new laws and regulations negatively/positively impacting immigrants.
• Work with the Director of Policy and Advocacy, Director of Organizing and coalition partners to facilitate legislative visits and lobby days that engage immigrants directly impacted by our nation’s immigration laws.
• Work with the Director of Policy and Advocacy and Deputy Director for the Southern Region and Bi-National Policy in the monitoring and advancement of California border and binational priority policy issues
• Research, analyze and write policy reports and briefing documents on diverse immigrant and immigration issues.
• Supervise and evaluate any staff or policy interns’ performance utilizing CHIRLA’s performance measures on an annual basis.
• Provide regular updates on policy work through progress reports and analysis.
• Create a work plan and confer with the Supervisor as necessary.
• Responsible for ensuring that CHIRLA’s Director of Policy and Advocacy and Executive Director are briefed and knowledgeable about CHIRLA’s state agenda and strategy.
• Meet fundraising and membership goals for CHIRLA’s membership drive and annual Gala.
• Contribute to other program projects as needed.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATION:
Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• At least five years of legislative experience in the State Capitol.
• At least five years of advocacy or campaign experience.
• Must be Bilingual English/Spanish with excellent oral communication, public speaking. 
• Excellent research and policy development skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in both English and Spanish.
• Deep knowledge of how the state of California government and its branch’s function.
• Broad strategic vision that encompasses public policy with an immigration lens.
• Proven experience in a non-profit organization or policy firm preferred.
• Strong knowledge of and experience with regional, state, and federal policy advocacy immigration related stakeholders.
• Strong commitment and passion to building immigrant power within a broader strategy toward achieving social, economic, and racial justice.
• Position requires an employee to use his or her personal vehicle to travel between worksites including District of Columbia, Sacramento and Los Angeles.
• Excellent management and supervisory skills

Preferred: 

• Engagement in immigrant rights and related issues is essential.   
• Strong knowledge of and experience with national, state, and federal policy advocacy stakeholders is necessary.  
• Experience working at a non-profit organization or government agency. 

Desired Traits or Characteristic

• Ability to have positive working relationships with CHIRLA staff, members, and allies.
• Broad knowledge of and strong interest in immigration and migration.
• Comfortable and experienced in a fast-paced environment and handling multiple deadlines.
• Commitment to working in a diverse professional environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to mission and goals of CHIRLA.
• Experience collaborating with community organizations in local geographic area.
• Highly self-motivated, creative, takes initiative, ability to learn quickly, flexible, and able to work as part of an interdisciplinary team of advocates.
• Must be able to work efficiently and manage multiple projects at once, which may be at different stages of design and execution.
• Must have initiative and the ability to exercise good judgment, and a deep understanding of immigration issues.
• Must have the ability to plan, organize and with limited supervision, implement CHIRLA’s policy.
• Strong commitment and passion to building immigrant power within a broader strategy toward achieving social, economic, and racial justice.
• Strong commitment to CHIRLA’s mission of empowering low-income community groups and immigrants.

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JOB TITLE: Deputy Director of State Policy & Advocacy

Salary & Benefits: $97,344 to $105,237
CHIRLA offers a competitive salary based on qualifications and an excellent benefit package, which includes generous time off benefits, 401K Plan, health, dental and vision plans.

FLSA Classification: Exempt/Salary, full-time regular

Classification: CHIRLA recognizes a staff bargaining unit affiliated with AFSCME Local 4501. This position is not included in CHIRLA’s bargaining unit and covered under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

REPORTS TO: Director of Policy & Advocacy

CLOSING DATE OF THIS POSITION: Position will remain open until filled.

LOCATION: Sacramento Branch Office

CHIRLA is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit and administers all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, appointment, promotion, compensation, benefits, transfers, training and educational opportunities without regard to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, genetic information as defined by the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, race, religion or religious creed, color, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age (40 or older), sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS status, pregnancy or pregnancy related disability, military or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation. All such discrimination is unlawful. It also prohibits unlawful discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics. All such discrimination is unlawful.

Open Positions are available at: www.CHIRLA.org/Career Center use link - Career Center - The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights

All Applicants will be required to complete an Application for Employment prior to any scheduled interview.