Policy Manager

The Opportunity

Asian Law Caucus (ALC) seeks a savvy and creative advocate to manage its Bay Area policy and budget advocacy efforts. We are pursuing candidates who are critical thinkers, take initiative, and thrive in a work environment that is both collaborative and fast-paced. This position is an excellent opportunity to engage with the talented ALC program staff, policymakers, community partners, and other advocates to help bring about policy change.

The role of the Policy Manager is to design and implement the local policy and budget advocacy agenda with ALC’s Policy Team and Programs. The Policy Manager will play a critical role in the organization’s strategic engagement in the Bay Area. This position reports to the Policy Director.

The Organization

Asian Law Caucus (ALC) is the nation’s first legal and civil rights organization serving low-income, immigrant, and marginalized Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander communities. Since 1972, ALC has fought to protect access to affordable housing in San Francisco’s Chinatown, litigated high-profile civil rights cases, advocated for the passage of landmark policy changes, and provided an array of services to low-income immigrants and communities of color. Today, with a staff of 60 we bring together legal services, community empowerment, and policy advocacy to fight for immigrant justice, economic security, and a stronger, multiracial democracy. Our work is rooted in the San Francisco Bay Area and California and expands to states across the country, including places where immigrant, Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, and Pacific Islander communities are rapidly growing. 

Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with the Policy Team, Programs, and Impact Strategies Staff to develop and implement local policy and budget advocacy campaigns that advance the empowerment of low-income, immigrant, and marginalized Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander communities 
• Manage engagement efforts at the local level to ensure successful coordinated outreach to officials and civic leaders 
• Build and maintain strategic local partnerships with policymakers, community groups, and other advocates
• Monitor local policies and legislative proposals for impact on low-income, immigrant, and marginalized Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander communities
• Support the development of written materials for policymakers on policy and budget priorities, including fact sheets, public comments, and letters of support
• Expand ALC's impact in the local policy advocacy space by supporting the development of our staff’s capacity to effectively advocate on behalf of issues impacting our clients
• Provide policy analysis to inform advocacy strategies and campaigns
• The position is based in ALC's San Francisco or Oakland office and travel approximately one day a week to meetings in the surrounding Bay Area Region (for example, San Francisco, Alameda County, Santa Clara County, and Contra Costa County)
• Perform other duties as needed

All ALC staff are expected to participate in regular check-in meetings with their supervisor/supervisees, staff meetings, team meetings, and other organization meetings, as required. This includes two (2) annual retreats, an anniversary celebration dinner, and meetings as needed in the San Francisco Bay area. 

The above statements are not intended to encompass all functions of the position; rather, they are intended to provide a general framework of the requirements of the position. Job incumbents may be required to perform other functions not specifically addressed in this posting.

Qualifications

A successful candidate will be team-oriented and possess both the strategic and management acumen required to navigate complicated relationships and work in diverse coalitions. 

• Minimum three (3) years experience with local policy advocacy in the Bay Area.
• A track record of developing and maintaining strong working relationships with policymakers, community partners, and other advocates in the Bay Area.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving ability. Quick grasp of the subtleties of complex issues. 
• Strong commitment to social justice
• Excellent analytical, written, public speaking, and facilitation skills
• Demonstrated leadership and ability to work independently and in collaboration with others
• Ability to quickly develop knowledge in key advocacy areas
• Knowledge of one or more key advocacy areas such as criminal justice reform; housing; immigrant rights; national security/civil rights; voting rights; or workers' rights is a plus.