Position Summary
Western Center offers a unique opportunity for an experienced and enthusiastic policy advocate to join our successful and dedicated public benefits and access to justice team. This position focuses on family justice advocacy that follows the actual needs of the families. This can include working on CalWORKs and SSI, child welfare, child support, eliminate fines, fees, and debt, end the criminalization of poverty, increase the minimum wage, expand supports like tax credits and guaranteed income, advocate with low wage workers and identify and develop emerging issues.
We seek a team member who has at least 3 years or more of lobbying experience, thrives in a collegial and dynamic team environment, and is committed to addressing race-based inequities. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong interest in California's safety net programs and working to eliminate government and private policies which contribute to poverty. This position reports to the Policy Director and will be located in Sacramento. If the candidate does not live in Sacramento, they must be prepared to work in Sacramento regularly, particularly during the legislative session.
Responsibilities
• Design, execute and lead innovative legislative, budget, and administrative strategies, working with a variety of coalitions and impacted communities. Sponsor and work to pass legislation that benefits our client communities and influence poverty-related policy and legislation.
• Use a race equity lens to analyze, monitor, and advocate for and against pending legislation, budget proposals, and administrative policies and regulations.
• Work collaboratively with the public benefits and access to justice team to plan, design and implement future activities related to poverty issues.
• Work in coalition with other Sacramento-based and statewide policy advocates on budget and poverty-related legislation.
• Work in a team environment to support the organization’s priorities at key legislative milestones, and support the priorities of allies as needed.
• Work closely with impacted communities, community-based organizations, and legal services programs statewide to identify potential issues for legislative and administrative advocacy.
• Develop working relationships with the Governor and their staff, the Legislature and their staff, the Department of Finance, local governments, and administrative agencies.
• Testify for or against relevant legislation.
• Respond to requests for information from public officials, agencies, and the media.
• Create and disseminate legislative reports, analyses of bill and statutes, and administrative materials to our partners.
• Work with team to implement legislation after passage, including work with administrative agencies on guidance and training as appropriate.
• Provide expertise and direction in a variety of training and conference settings and through technical assistance, consultation, publications, and education, particularly to legal services organizations.
• Work within a team while engaging in most work independently.
• Some travel, including overnight travel, may be required. NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, travel must be approved by the Policy Director or Executive Director.
The ideal candidate is a dedicated and committed advocate with knowledge of public benefits for low-income Californians and has the following attributes:
• A commitment to the mission of Western Center, available at www.wclp.org, with a demonstrated commitment to race equity.
• Strong advocacy and coalition building skills. A minimum of three years’ experience in California based legislative advocacy. Experience with the state budget is a plus.
• Ability to build relationships with a broad array of stakeholders that share the mission of Western Center.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with legislators, legislative staff, budget staff and leadership staff.
• Strong writing and oral communication skills including testifying at hearings, speaking with the media and making public speeches.
• Ability to establish and maintain collaborative working relationships in a team environment and in political or potentially sensitive settings.
• Ability to think creatively, be strategic, and exercise good judgment.
• Ability to develop strong working relationships with the Governor’s office, the Department of Finance, the Department of Social Services and other key county, state, and federal agencies.
• Ability to work in a team setting but independent enough to be able to implement team objectives effectively outside the team setting.
• Ability to work under time pressure.
• Exemplary ethical standards.
• Admitted to practice law in California a plus.
• Ability to travel, as needed.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in successfully managing major budget and legislative campaigns.
• Experience working with or coming from historically marginalized communities.
• Experience with community-based organizations or nonprofit legal services agencies.
• Knowledge and understanding of welfare law, economic security, access to justice, racial justice, and anti-poverty policy.
To promote racial and social justice and achieve our mission, Western Center is committed to maintaining a diverse staff and creating an inclusive and respectful workplace. Western Center strongly encourages applications from persons of color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, persons living with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups whose background may contribute to effectively representing low-income people and underserved communities.
Applications received by December 10th will be given priority, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled. In your cover letter, please explain how you think your experience or background has prepared you to contribute to a work environment with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Please email a cover letter, résumé, two writing samples, and a list of references to [email protected].