Advocacy Director

October 2024

Position: Advocacy Director

Organization: Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions (FACS)

Location: Northern Virginia

Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions seeks a staff Advocacy Director who shares our passion for climate action and climate justice. Advocacy is fundamental to who we are and what we do. Since our founding a decade ago, our nonpartisan advocacy program has been volunteer driven, with hubs in Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, and Rockingham counties, and the City of Alexandria. A full-time Advocacy Director will boost our political engagement as we push for stronger climate policy adoption and implementation on the local and state level. This position reports to our Executive Director.

Advocacy Director Duties:

Separate from our programs to help faith communities build green teams and lower their carbon footprints, our advocacy program educates and informs elected leaders and other government officials in an effort to persuade them to adopt urgent climate and energy-related policies.

Specifically, the Advocacy Director will:

• Direct our overall advocacy program and serve as the face of FACS Advocacy.
• Work with the Executive Director, the Board Chair, and Hub Leaders to shape our overall advocacy program. Participate in monthly Hub Leaders meetings.
• Lead our Fairfax County Hub advocacy program and serve as the Hub Leader. FACS was founded in Fairfax County, where most of our supporters reside, so the person hired will continue to develop the advocacy platform, including talking points, and disseminate materials to volunteers. Advise our other hubs and teams, whose platforms may vary.
• Develop and implement a new statewide advocacy program. Expand on current ad-hoc relationships with state senators and delegates through influence mapping. Represent FACS in Richmond during the annual legislative session.
• Testify at government meetings and represent our organization to local school boards, county and city committees, the state legislature and to state agencies to accelerate sustainability policies and programs.
• Coordinate, marshal, and recruit advocacy volunteers. Nurture coalitions with like-minded organizations.
• Arrange an annual meeting with a top state or local elected leader for FACS Leadership Circle members. Escort the group and lead meetings.
• Coordinate with FACS staff.

Required Qualifications:

We encourage you to apply if you are a leader passionate about climate change, the pursuit of climate justice, and are able to manage multiple, competing demands under tight deadlines. Your application package should demonstrate, at a minimum, that you have these strengths:

Experience – Minimum of 4-6 years of experience in advocacy, ideally with local or state government.

• Communications You must be an experienced communicator in various formats including in-person meetings and forums. Ability to use Zoom, the Google Suite of products, project management software, and schedule online meetings is a must.
• Education

A bachelor's degree, equivalent work, or lived experience is required.

Location - FACS is a remote organization, however you’ll need to regularly attend meetings and events in person throughout our service area. Candidates who reside in Fairfax County, Virginia or an adjacent county preferred.

References - If you’re a final candidate, we’ll talk to two or more of your colleagues.

Compensation and Benefits:

This position has a starting salary range of $68,000 - $72,000 a year, depending on experience. We offer an excellent benefits package that includes health, vision, and dental care; contributions to a retirement plan, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and access to discounts and financial planning services. Full-time employees receive three weeks of annual leave and 12 days paid sick leave per year. Additionally, FACS follows the holiday schedule of the Fairfax County, Virginia government. Mileage will be reimbursed at the IRS standard mileage rate. This is a full-time position. There may be occasions when the role requires availability for work after regular business hours and weekends. There may be adjustments to regular work hours as appropriate.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender reassignment, citizenship, immigration status, protected veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under applicable federal, state or local law.

About Us:

FACS is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that advances local solutions to the urgent moral challenge of climate change by harnessing the power of Northern Virginia’s faith communities and others who share our values. We have earned respect and influence through persistent advocacy, outreach, and education in an effort to reduce carbon pollution and work toward environmental justice.

Since our founding in 2013 by a handful of neighbors to discuss how to combat the growing climate crisis, we have grown into a network of 225+ Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Unitarian Universalists, and other faith communities with 2,900+ supporters. To learn more, visit our website at faithforclimate.org

How to Apply:

If you’d like to join our team as FACS Advocacy Director, apply with a cover letter and resume to executivedirector@faithforclimate.org.