Policy and Advocacy Manager

Position: Policy and Advocacy Manager

Reports to: Avery Davis Lamb, Executive Director

Annual Salary: $62,000-$72,000, commensurate with experience

Job Type: Full Time, Monday-Friday 9:00 am-5:00 pm ETT

Start Date: February 17, 2025 (flexible)

Location: Candidates should be able to commute to Washington, DC within a reasonable time.

Hybrid: This position is hybrid, with flexible remote work options.

Creation Justice Ministries (CJM) is seeking an experienced and proactive Policy and Advocacy Manager to lead efforts to educate, equip, and mobilize Christian congregations in policy advocacy for creation justice. In this role, you will bridge the gap between environmental policies in Washington, DC, and grassroots action, helping congregations build their advocacy capacity and mobilizing them in targeted, time-bound campaigns. As the lead policy advocate for CJM, you will translate complex policies into actionable opportunities for grassroots engagement while serving as CJM’s voice in coalition spaces and with policymakers.

About Creation Justice Ministries

Creation Justice Ministries (CJM) educates, equips, and mobilizes Christian individuals, congregations, and communions/denominations to protect, restore, and rightly share God’s creation. Founded on ecumenical values and a commitment to justice, CJM works at the intersection of faith and environmental action, focusing on issues like climate change, environmental justice, ocean and public lands protection, and Indigenous sovereignty. We engage our member denominations and partners across diverse Christian traditions in advocacy, grassroots organizing, and theological education, encouraging faithful responses to today’s environmental challenges. As a growing organization, we strive to foster inclusive, collaborative spaces that uphold respect for diversity, shared responsibility, and ecological justice in service of God’s creation. Visit our Staff Page (creationjustice.org/staff) to learn more about our team.

Responsibilities:

Advocacy & Education

• Lead grassroots advocacy efforts by equipping CJM’s network of congregations and advocates with the tools, resources, and training they need to effectively engage in creation justice advocacy.
• Design and implement policy and advocacy-specific trainings for CJM’s network and the broader faith-based climate community, focusing on building capacity for advocacy and connecting participants to active campaigns.
• Translate complex environmental policies into accessible, Christian-rooted language, creating resources such as action alerts, webinars, and in-person advocacy opportunities to inspire grassroots action.
• Develop and lead targeted, time-bound advocacy campaigns that align with CJM’s mission and the initiatives of our ecumenical partners.
• Facilitate in-person advocacy engagement in Washington, DC, including advocacy days, fly-ins, and meetings with congressional offices to amplify the voices of grassroots advocates.
• Coordinate closely with the Program Team to merge policy, program and theological education.

Strategy, Growth, and Reporting

• Serve as CJM’s primary policy lead in Washington, DC, representing the organization in coalition spaces, collaborating with key partners, and ensuring CJM’s voice is heard in federal policy advocacy.
• Work closely with the Executive Director to define and implement long-term policy priorities and craft strategies to align congregational action with broader advocacy goals.
• Develop metrics and reports to track advocacy impact and growth, ensuring transparency and effectiveness in CJM’s policy work.

Organizational Leadership and Partnership

• Strengthen CJM’s grassroots network by organizing member denominations and communions to identify and develop shared policy priorities.
• Cultivate partnerships with regional grassroots organizations and national coalitions to align CJM’s advocacy work with broader faith-based climate movements.
• Engage congregations ecumenically, ensuring CJM’s advocacy work reflects the diversity of its member denominations.

Flexibility and Adaptability:

The Policy and Advocacy Manager should be prepared to adapt to evolving organizational needs, actively contributing to additional projects that align with Creation Justice Ministries’ mission.

Nights, Weekends, and Travel:

This position may require occasional work outside standard hours and domestic travel.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• 5+ years of professional experience in grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, or related fields, preferably in a faith-based or environmental context.
• Proven expertise in policy translation, making complex policy issues accessible and actionable for faith-based audiences.
• Experience leading faith-based or grassroots campaigns, with a track record of mobilizing communities to take meaningful action.
• Familiarity with advocacy and engagement tools such as EveryAction or other CRM platforms, and the ability to leverage these tools for mobilization.
• Strong public speaking, writing, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire action across diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, with experience managing multiple projects, meeting deadlines, and setting priorities.
• Experience working in ecumenical and multi-faith spaces and a commitment to theological inclusivity.

Desired Qualities and Values of Creation Justice Ministries Staff

• High integrity
• Moral commitment to ecological justice
• Experience with anti-racism work
• Commitment to upholding the self-determination of Indigenous people, and tribal sovereignty
• Willingness to uphold the Jemez Principles
• Emotional intelligence
• Empathy and compassion for colleagues and partners
• Knowledge of Christian theology
• Respect for theological diversity
• Respect for political diversity
• Commitment to nonpartisan advocacy
• Well-organized
• Self-starter
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Ability to use technology to work remotely

Benefits:

• 20 vacation days per year and up to 5 days of personal leave
• Up to 8 weeks of paid parental leave (40% of salary prior to 3 years of service and 100% of salary after 3 years of service)
• Accrued sick leave, starting at 12 days
• Health insurance provision for employee and dependents up to a $1,200/mo value
• Fitness benefit of $900/year
• 403(b) retirement contribution up to 5% of salary, upon employee contribution of 3% or more
• Up to 16 paid holidays annually

At Creation Justice Ministries, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or national origin. We encourage candidates from underrepresented communities to apply.

Anticipated Timeline:

Applications Due: January 8

Round 1 interviews: January 13-17

Skills Test: January 20-22

Round 2 interviews: January 23-30

Start Date: February 17