RESPONSIBILITIES

Building Grassroots Advocacy

• Oversee significant growth in the number of engaged RESULTS grassroots advocates, and expansion of RESULTS presence into new key districts and deeper presence in key states.
• Collaborate closely with counterparts in policy and government affairs teams to develop and deliver robust annual campaigns that translate policy goals into powerful grassroots-driven strategies, actions and “asks” for policymakers, with regular touch points to inform and adjust as the policy landscape evolves.
• Lead team in sustaining a grassroots network which welcomes new advocates of all backgrounds and experiences and which builds awareness and sensitivity among volunteers in the network of privilege, oppression, and trauma of lived experience of poverty.
• Oversee the successful delivery of programs that support increased representation among the volunteers of those with lived experience and expertise of poverty and poverty-related policies.
• Coordinate with Communications team to develop opportunities for grassroots network to advocate by using different modes of mass media, i.e. LTEs, op-eds, blogposts, etc.
• Develop and strengthen structures for starting new volunteer groups, sustaining existing groups, engaging local action networks, generating media, building relationships with Congress, and connecting with volunteers’ local communities.
• Deliver an annual grassroots training curriculum across the RESULTS volunteer network that builds knowledge and skills in advocacy, organizing and outreach, anti-oppression, and leadership.
• Deliver programs that support RESULTS’s new and existing advocates in achieving breakthroughs with their members of Congress, local media channels, and with their communities on RESULTS advocacy campaigns.
• In partnership with other effective advocacy organizations, sustain volunteer engagement and enthusiasm, celebrate shared grassroots successes, and ensure continuous learning and improvement from experiences.
• Explore and build mutually beneficial partnerships that augment RESULTS’s impact, create opportunities to grow RESULTS and its reach, and contribute to its financial sustainability.
• Help provide coordination for international affiliates engaging grassroots advocates to share lessons and strategy.

Team Management

• Lead the Grassroots Advocacy team in delivering transformational strategies for volunteer organizing and mobilizing that build the capacity and confidence of grassroots advocates, create a vibrant and welcoming advocacy community, and hold central lived experience of the issues on which we advocate. Ensure excellent structures of support, training, and staff capacity.
• Translate vision into action by ensuring the development and delivery of clear and ambitious annual goals for grassroots growth, and high-impact grassroots advocacy campaigns on our leading policy priorities, supported by a coordinated work plan and budget.
• Direct the creation and maintenance of ways to regularly track and assess progress on annual goals and campaign targets against priority metrics; adjust strategy and tactics accordingly.
• Maintain a productive team structure; encourage strong cross-team collaboration with clarity on roles and responsibilities; actively manage workloads and encourage and support healthy work life balance.
• Evaluate and be accountable for each team member’s performance at mid-year and end of year; follow and complete annual review process to include setting annual workplans. Hold regular check-ins with each direct report and identify professional opportunities for them.
• Assess campaign priorities and budget needs across the team, and work with other Campaigns Team Directors under the leadership of the VPCA, to develop a consolidated budget that prioritizes highest impact strategies and tactics. Manage, track and approve budget expenses.

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate with counterparts within the Campaigns and Advocacy Department to grow and engage the grassroots network and ensure strategic coverage of Congress.
• Partner with Development to support organizational fundraising goals and strengthen funding relationships.
• Represent the team and their best interests to organizational leadership; maintain appropriate and effective channels of communication to/from management and the team.
• Serve as an expert resource on effective grassroots volunteer engagement approaches. Remain current with best practices and current trends and challenges across the sector.
• Participate in cross-divisional collaborative efforts that help push forward organizational strategy, effective operations and team management, and responsible budget and financial planning.
• Support RESULTS’s goals of ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion in organizational-wide efforts including working with advocates to ensure RESULTS is an open and safe space for all.
• Support leadership in internal policymaking and process development; take part in overall risk management by ensuring team’s compliance with policy. Engage similarly with organizational leadership in setting and holding accountability for maintaining policy and practices to support and protect all grassroots volunteers in the network.
• Support Human Resources in staffing, recruitment, and conflict resolution efforts within the team as needed.
• Represent Grassroots Advocacy team to internal and external audiences including senior  management, the board, coalitions and partners, and others.
• Work with teams across RESULTS to support fundraising, campaign planning and execution, growing the organization, and communications. 

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience and Education

• Ten years of related experience; demonstrated success in leading a team in the policy advocacy space to achieve growth and impact, including models of transformational/deeply engaged grassroots advocacy.
• Five years of experience leading and supporting a high-functioning team with sharp project and time management tools and strategies, team-wide structures for planning, goal setting, and measuring success, embedding programs for learning, growth, and team member development.
• Five years of experience managing a national or large regional network of grassroots advocates.
• Extensive training design and delivery experience.
• Experience in leadership identification and development, team building, and in directing a team remotely with members over a distributed geography.
• Experience in using cutting edge online or virtual organizing tools to maximize team impact in growing and supporting volunteer networks.

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong commitment to transformational advocacy, deeply engaged constituent activism in influencing Congress and other federal or state government bodies on adopting policies and committing resources to proven initiatives for ending poverty.
• Expertise in designing and delivering volunteer advocacy campaigns with demonstrated knowledge and understanding of grassroots campaign principles, approaches, and best practices. Proven skills in engaging with volunteers to support, encourage and motivate them into action on large-scale policy issues. 
• History of helping teams define and then successfully pursue ambitious performance goals. 
• Knowledge of issues of poverty affecting Americans and people in other parts of the world and success in U.S. federal policy and Congressional advocacy. 
• Deep knowledge of and commitment to anti-oppression/DEIJ; centering lived experience of poverty; and supporting increased representation among volunteers of those with lived experience and expertise of poverty, and poverty-related policies.
• Knowledge of best management practices and approaches for supporting a high-functioning team with concurrent project objectives; building and sustaining team-wide planning, priority and objective setting, and tracking and measuring progress; instilling a team culture of learning, growth, and skill development; directing a team remotely with members over a distributed geography.
• Experience with and knowledge of key software and other virtual tools and platforms used in leading-edge civic engagement and volunteer organizing and mobilizing, and in leveraging the information provided by these tools to drive ongoing improvement in supporting volunteers.
• High level of proficiency in utilizing and leveraging file-sharing tools including but not limited to MS Office, Outlook, SharePoint, and virtual meeting platforms; able to train others in using them.
• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills to establish effective working relationships across divisions of the organization as well as with external stakeholders; clear understanding of appropriate use of email, text messaging and other platforms.
• Assessment, analysis, diplomacy, and problem-solving skills; maintains confidentiality and discretion when handling sensitive matters.
• Advance skills in working with elected offices, the media, and communities a plus.
• Ability to lead and motivate groups at all levels.

Other Requirements

• Some travel, evening and weekend work as needed (up to 25%).
• Physical demands of the position include the ability to sit and work at the computer for prolonged periods.
• Collaborative attitude, cultural sensitivity and commitment to be a team player in a mission-driven global organization. 
• Support RESULTS’ values of justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-oppression and demonstrate these values in everyday work.

Benefits Summary

Health Insurance: RESULTS Educational Fund pays 100% of premiums and out-of-pocket costs for employees and their dependents for medical, dental, vision and prescription coverage. We offer flexible spending accounts to which employees may contribute with pre-tax payroll deductions.

401(k) Retirement Plan: allows both pre- and post-tax contribution options; employees are eligible to enroll on the first day of the month following their date of hire. RESULTS will begin making an employer match on the first day of the month following an employee’s one-year service anniversary: 100% of the employee contribution up to 3% of salary, then match 50% on any additional contributions up to 5% of salary.

Short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance coverage: no cost to employees.

Paid Leave: 15 days of vacation, 10 days of sick leave, and 5 days of personal leave; in addition, offices are closed during the last week in December.

About RESULTS

Equal Opportunity Statement and Commitment to Anti-Oppression, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice

RESULTS is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, disability, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation.

RESULTS is a movement of passionate, committed everyday people. Together we use our voices to influence political decisions that will bring an end to poverty. Poverty cannot end as long as oppression exists. 

We commit to opposing all forms of oppression, including ableism, ageism, biphobia, classism, colonialism, homophobia, racism, religious discrimination, sexism, transphobia, white saviorism, and xenophobia. 

At RESULTS we pledge to create space for all voices, including those who are currently experiencing poverty. We will address oppressive behavior in our interactions, families, communities, work, and world. Our strength is rooted in our diversity of experiences, not in our assumptions. With unearned privilege comes the responsibility to act so the burden to educate and change doesn’t fall solely on those experiencing oppression. When we miss the mark on our values, we will acknowledge our mistake, seek forgiveness, learn, and work together as a community to pursue equity. 

There are no saviors — only partners, advocates, and allies. RESULTS strives every day to make its movement a respectful, inclusive space. 

Process for Applying

Please send cover letter and your resume to  https://jobs.gusto.com with subject line: Director, Grassroots Advocacy. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The work location for this position is flexible with a preference of Washington DC.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates.

Please note all applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States.