Chispa Arizona Advocacy Director - League of Conservation Voters - Phoenix, AZ

[League of Conservation Voters]

Job Title: Chispa Arizona Advocacy Director

Status: Full-time Exempt

Reports to: Chispa Arizona Executive Director

Positions reporting to this position: None

Background:

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) works to turn environmental values into national, state and local priorities. LCV, in collaboration with our state LCV partners, advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environment candidates who will champion our priority issues.

In late 2014, LCV launched Chispa Arizona (“chispa” translates to “spark” in English) in Phoenix. The program, like its LCV counterparts in other states, relies on community organizing to build the voice and power of Latino families to influence the environmental policies and decisions that affect their lives. Over the last three years, Chispa Arizona has established itself as one of few environmental groups in the state with strong and growing grassroots community capacity. Our members have taken leadership in the fights to keep rooftop solar affordable and accessible, developed Latino and other people of color policy makers as champions on environmental issues, convinced Spanish-language media that the environment is a Latino issue, and built strong relationships with social justice and environmental groups alike.  In 2016, Chispa Arizona housed LCV Education Fund’s first site-based voter registration program that registered over 12,000 people of color voters. With the launch of the Clean Buses for Healthy Niños campaign, Chispa Arizona is building stronger coalitions with public health, medical professionals, parents and teachers groups and other allies to urge strong policies that make the switch from dirty diesel to clean, electric school buses. 

Because of this track record and the vision of the conservation voters movement, we are expanding the scope of Chispa Arizona to include policy and electoral work. We are looking for a mid-level experienced leader with a track record of effective advocacy and deep understanding and love of Arizona politics. The Chispa Arizona Advocacy Director is responsible for advancing the legislative and policy priorities of the organization and ensuring that its members are seen as policy change leaders by decision makers. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Monitor legislative activity at the Arizona legislature and other policies at state and local levels

• Research, write policy analysis and positions 

• Represent the organization and lobby key decision makers on priority issues

• Lead presentations and develop tools that provide accessible information to Chispa Arizona members on legislation and how to influence the policy making process

• Track legislators’ voting records and oversee the development of an annual legislative scorecard

• Write policy related content for action alerts and other communications tools

• Build relationships and partnerships with allies including environmental, faith, labor, community and others

• Build relationships with legislators, legislative staff, key individuals within administrative agencies and the executive branch  

• Coordinate with counterparts at national LCV and the conservation voters movement

• Oversee Chispa Arizona’s endorsement process and develop, implement, and evaluate electoral campaign activities in election years

• Participate in and support fundraising and other activities of the organization

Qualifications:

• At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in political or issue advocacy campaigns

• Experience working with policy-makers, the media, community organizations and coalitions 

• Experience in and a strong understanding of Arizona’s legislative process and the interaction between politics, policy, civic engagement and community organizing

• Experience working across lines of race and class as well as in urban and rural communities and a commitment to racial justice, equity and creating an inclusive workplace for staff, volunteers and leaders

Skills:

• Ability to convert policy complexities into digestible, meaningful content 

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills including superb one-on-one communication skills; preference to candidates who are bilingual in English and Spanish 

• A strong belief in every day peoples’ ability to affect change and their fundamental right to be heard by decision makers and to influence the policies and decisions that affect their community 

• An understanding of systemic racism and inequity and how it intersects with environmental issues  

• Familiarity with legal rules regarding 501(c)3, 501(c)4, and PAC organizations  

• Detail-oriented, with good organizational skills and follow-through

• Ability to work under own initiative, as well as part of a team

Compensation:

Compensation for the Advocacy Director includes a competitive salary commensurate with experience; health care plan including optical and dental; paid time off and holidays, retirement benefits, student loan repayment and a sabbatical policy. 

To Apply:

Please submit your resume, a cover letter expressing your interest, and references to h...@lcv.org with “Chispa AZ Advocacy Dir” in the subject line no later than December 8, 2017. Position is open until filled however we desire to fill the position by December 15th. 

LCV is an equal opportunity employer committed to racial justice, equity and an inclusive workplace.