Policy and Advocacy Director
Voces Unidas de las Montañas and Voce Unidas Action Fund
Position: Policy and Advocacy Director
Report to: CEO
Location: Denver, Silverthorne, Eagle or Glenwood Springs
Hours: Full-time
Our Mission
We are working to create a more equitable central mountain region where Latinas and Latinos are thriving, engaged and leading in all of our communities. We do this by creating opportunities where Latinas and Latinos advocate for themselves, actively participate in all civic institutions and take leadership roles in all decision-making tables. We are also building and growing political and community power in the region through our Action Fund and other affiliated organizations.
Our Organizations
Based in Glenwood Springs, Voces Unidas was the first Latino-created, Latino-led, and Latino-serving advocacy organization in the central mountain region in Colorado. We operate in Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle, Lake and Summit counties. Voces Unidas includes four separate organizations, all of which work independently to accomplish the larger mission. Learn more at www.vocesunidas.org and www.vocesunidasaction.org.
The Job
The Policy and Advocacy Director reports to the CEO and is responsible for directing the organization’s efforts to achieve policy change that advances equity, racial, social and economic justice, and civil rights for Latinas and Latinos in the central mountain region of Colorado. This position manages a complex portfolio of advocacy and policy programs and initiatives, including the Colorado Latino Agenda, Latino Advocacy Day in D.C. and Denver, and the Civic Leader Education and Advocacy Program in Mexico City.
Responsibilities
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Develop and execute annual plans for assigned portfolio of projects and initiatives;
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Track and reportout on key milestones, successes, wins and challenges.
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Provide leadership, in partnership with other staff, consultants and partner organizations, in the development of annual policy priorities and strategy for the local, state and federal levels;
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Manage and serve as the point of contact for our lobbying firm in Denver and elected officials;
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Cultivate and build powerful relationships with key policymakers and influencers in Colorado, in service of our agenda and partners;
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Build and maintain trusted, respectful relationships with stakeholders, including but not limited to people impacted by our work, community members and leaders, coalitions, allied organizations, issue experts, legislative staff, government officials, and elected officials;
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In partnership with the Organizing Team, identify, train and support leaders with individual actions like providing testimony in support of a legislative proposal or sharing their story through the press to create awareness of the issues;
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Provide leadership and project manage the Colorado Latino Agenda initiative, including the policy agenda and exit poll reports.
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Provide leadership and project manage the Latino Advocacy Day programming in D.C. and Denver;
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Provide leadership and project manage the Civic Leader Education and Advocacy Program in Mexico City;
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Produce and disseminate precise, fact-based strategic communications, advocacy updates, action alerts, reports, and briefing papers, both verbally and in writing, in support of advocacy priorities to leaders and partners;
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Contribute to the overall team by completing other duties as assigned.
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Manage interns and vendors, as needed; and
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Perform other duties as required to support the work of the organization as a whole.
Required Job Skills, Experience, and Qualifications
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Alignment to Voces Unidas’ missions;
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Passionate about community organizing and movement-building;
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5 to 7 years of professional or management level experience in policy or advocacy;
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
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Knowledge of legislative and administrative processes;
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Understanding of and commitment to social change through building the capacity and power of Latinos to change their communities and to participate directly in changing public policies;
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Excellent advocacy, consensus-building, coalition-building, and leadership skills; demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively with other staff and other organizations; demonstrated ability to work with groups and individuals across the political spectrum;
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Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral; experience as a public spokesperson and advocate; ability to analyze and articulate legal concepts and other complex issues and to communicate them to a variety of audiences; a “quick study” on a dynamic array of issues;
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Ability to manage several projects simultaneously and to adjust to frequently changing demands;
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Ability to build relationships with relevant policy partners (government, policy shops, academic institutions, etc);
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Experience analyzing and interpreting legislative and regulatory language;
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Excellent project management and time management skills: ability both rapidly respond to day-to-day needs while conceiving and implementing more significant projects over time;
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Be able to travel by car to main office in Glenwood Springs at least monthly and work occasional weekend or evening events, as needed;
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Access to a car;
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Bachelor’s degree is preferred; and
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Bilingual in Spanish and English languages is preferred, but not required.
Salary and Benefits
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Starting salary is between $65,000 to $80,000, based on experience
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Very generous self-care time
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Health insurance
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Ski pass or stipend for recreation activities
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Housing stipend (must live in central mountains to qualify)
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Other