Federal Advocacy Manager

Position Title: Federal Advocacy Manager

Department: Program

Classification: Exempt, full-time

Reports To: Government Affairs Director

Location: Washington, D.C.

Background

Alaska Wilderness League is the only national conservation group devoted full-time to protecting Alaska’s public lands and waters including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Tongass National Forest. We are committed to promoting a narrative that elevates a broad spectrum of voices and values related to protecting public lands, including providing for a safer climate future; supporting the human rights of Indigenous peoples; advocating for the right to clean, thriving, and healthy land, water and wildlife for all; and, serving as a source of hope and inspiration for the country. We are also committed to promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our workplace by deepening our understanding of the history of federal lands and waters in our country, by reimagining conservation as a tool for justice, and by advancing diversity and inclusion in the environmental community by transforming our hiring and recruitment practices for both staff and board.

You can learn more about Alaska Wilderness League’s mission, vision approach, and commitment to justice here.

About the Role:

The Federal Advocacy Manager supports and coordinates the Leagues federal legislative advocacy work, with a focus on building strong relationships with a diversity of congressional members, including those of both political parties, to advance the League’s priorities. This position works with the Director of Government Affairs to implement the League’s legislative agenda by engaging, educating, and mobilizing congressional offices, monitoring Hill action, researching and developing advocacy materials such as Hill blasts and factsheets, coordinating fly-ins, constructing strategic target lists for targeted messaging, and providing other campaign support.

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Work with the Government Affairs Director to advance education and policy strategies on Capitol Hill;
• Leads League internal federal advocacy priorities, communication, and strategy
• Manage and track Congressional targets for our priority campaigns; assist in maintaining key relationships;
• Participate in coalition spaces to understand the universe of legislative and administrative action that impact League priorities and to support partners in implementing shared commitments toward federal advocacy goals.

Priority Campaigns Support – Defend Alaska’s public lands and waters from harmful legislative and administrative actions; elevate Alaska as a key federal solution to our global climate crisis, contribute to building a diverse coalition of Congressional offices to protect Alaska’s public lands and waters.

• In partnership with the Government Affairs Director, strengthen and build AWL’s recognition with Hill offices
  • Lead research on identified members of Congress in order to develop effective political strategies;
  • Regularly meet and contact Hill staff to educate on relevant issues
  • Send consistent emails through Congress Plus, including creating target lists and ensuring that messages are written in a compelling, convincing, and relatable way;
• Support the Leagues leadership in coalition spaces for DC strategy and lobbying, with a focus on Arctic and Tongass campaigns
  • Attend relevant coalition calls, help develop and circulate agendas when appropriate, take and distribute notes
  • Keep congressional trackers for Arctic Refuge and NPRA up to date and distributed to appropriate lobbyists
  • Join additional national coalition calls and meetings to report out on engagement opportunities for our priority campaigns

League Programs

• Serve as the lead to hearings and outside legislative priorities for the League
  • Research and track upcoming hearings, attending and taking notes at those that may have an impact on Alaska federal lands issues, reporting out to internal staff and coalition partners as appropriate
  • Monitor administrative announcements for relevant statements of administrative policy
  • Lead advocacy efforts related to mining, forestry priorities of the League, including legislative work related to the Tongass National Forest, and monitors other related policy for League engagement
• Leads development of letters, fact sheets, blog posts and other internal campaign materials, as needed.
  • Leads internal strategic metrics including when members of Congress take action or elevate campaign issues, circulate to internal team
• Support fly-ins and attend hill events as identified to help build relationships

Who You Are

• Have a minimum of 3+ years of relevant work experience, with familiarity of the federal legislative process.
  • Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, while balancing multiple projects and deadlines.
• Cultural competency to work with a diverse range of people.
• Experience translating complicated policy concepts for a variety of stakeholders and audiences.
• Exceptional and clear written and verbal communication and persuasion skills.
  • Passionate about protecting the environment and public lands.
• A self-starter, with a demonstrated ability to work effectively as a member of a team or independently depending on the project.
• Composure and flexibility adapting to shifting priorities and short turnaround times.
• Proficiency in a range of software platforms including Microsoft Office

The strongest candidates will also have some of the following skills and experience

• Demonstrated commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity Inclusion work.
• Passion for land conservation and advocacy, climate justice, and indigenous rights.

Compensation and Location

The League provides its employees with a competitive salary that is benchmarked annually with other nonprofits. The salary range for this role is between $58,300 and $68,000. The starting salary is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, skill set level, years of previous/applicable experience.

In addition, Alaska Wilderness League offers an outstanding benefits package that includes:

• Generous health insurance for individuals and competitive rates for families/dependents.
• Flexible Spending Account for eligible medical, childcare or elder care expenses.
• Life Insurance, Short-Long Term Disability.
• 3% contribution of employee salary to a 401K Retirement Plan.
• 24 Days of Paid Time Off (PTO) for employees with less than 5 years of employment.
• 29 days of PTO for employees with 5+ years of employment.
• 12 Paid Holidays and Birthday leave.
• Parental Leave.
• Communication stipend for business-related mobile expenses.
• Discounts on leading name-brand outdoor apparel and gear.
• Dedicated budget to support employee professional growth and training opportunities.

Hybrid Work and Travel Requirements

This position is a DC based hybrid position, with some travel expected (approximately 1-3 times per year). As a registered lobbyist, you will be expected to attend events in and around DC (hill meetings, work events, occasionally outside of standard work hours) in person as needed multiple days a week. This will adjust based on needs to fulfill job requirements.

Alaska Wilderness League is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, handicap, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Alaska Wilderness League is continually seeking to diversify its staff, particularly to broaden opportunities for individuals from demographic groups that are historically underrepresented in environmental advocacy.

The Application Process

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to careers@alaskawild.org

This position is open until filled. Individuals who apply by March 3rd will be given priority; therefore, we encourage you to submit yours soon! Applications will be screened against the criteria listed in this profile and applicants will be contacted after March 3rd if qualifications match position requirements.

When you apply, please remove the names of your undergraduate and graduate schools from your resume. There is no need to reformat your resume, but simplify it to “B.A. Economics,” for example. This process is aimed at opening this opportunity to more candidates, reviewing applicants on performance assessments instead of resume proxies (e.g., where you went to school).