Policy Associate, Social, and Economic Mobility

Job Title: Policy Associate, Social and Economic Mobility

Position Supervisor: Assistant Director of Policy

Classification Level: Full-Time Exempt

Location: Arlington, VA (hybrid work optional)

Position Timeline: Permanent or Temporary

APHSA is recruiting new talent! We seek an ambitious new hire who is efficient and successful at managing projects that bring people, technology, and community together to advance customer-centered improvements in delivering public benefits.

APHSA is an association representing state and local health and human services agencies. With and through these members, we work to advance solutions centered on administering, overseeing, and aligning programs to provide access to food, health care, housing, employment, childcare, community support, and other key building blocks.

Join a team of dedicated professionals who are results-oriented and impact systems nationwide! Our team at APHSA needs a person like you who leans forward and feels comfortable engaging with teammates, thought leaders, and partners. We’re seeking an innovative, solution-oriented action-taker who will add to our collaborative team environment.

While your primary focus will be implementing project activities, we seek someone who thrives in a team environment. We need someone comfortable working on multiple cross-functional internal teams to advance the internal and external work with kindness, compassion, inclusion, and a can-do spirit.

Your direct supervisor and coach will be the Assistant Director of Policy. Your support will be the entire APHSA organization because we work best when we all work together!

JOB SUMMARY:

The Policy Associate, Social, and Economic Mobility are responsible for supporting the APHSA’s social and economic mobility policy portfolio and partnering across APHSA’s broader policy and practice team. The position supports APHSA’s affinity groups, principally the National Association of State TANF Administrators, as well as additional work groups and peer communities focused on aligning programs that help people meet their basic needs and achieve family-sustaining wages. The Policy Associate is charged with leading and supporting national efforts to promote policies and facilitate peer-to-peer learning to shift practices within public sector health and human service agencies and programs through the whole family and preventative-focused approaches and toward the sustained well-being of all children, youth, and families.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Key Responsibility 1: 20% - Serve as APHSA’s primary analyst for federal policy initiatives for TANF, SNAP Employment & Training, workforce development programs, and other basic income support and career readiness programs that promote social and economic mobility.

• Actively scan federal sites and partner resources for federal guidance, proposed rulemaking, legislation, and other pertinent content to share with members
• Develop written and verbal analyses of relevant cash assistance and employment and training policy proposals that are clear, concise, and error-free. Leverage existing APHSA tools for compiling analysis in addition to developing new templates as needed
• Draft formal APHSA responses to policy proposals that reflect member feedback and are grounded in APHSA’s mission and values
• Draft briefing materials, talking points, and background information for APHSA’s executive team to help advance social and economic mobility priorities

Major Responsibility #2: 25% - Staff APHSA’s affinity group, the National Association of State TANF Administrators (NASTA), and related peer learning communities

• Develop and lead agenda and presentations for monthly NASTA EAC calls and quarterly all-state calls with TANF administrators
• Recruit and provide orientation to new NASTA EAC members as needed
• Establish and lead NASTA and work groups for specific topic areas of interest to members, such as APHSA’s SNAP Employment & Training workgroup and APHSA’s TANF Modernization Workgroup
• Plan and facilitate recurring calls between NASTA and federal leadership
• Send Peer Information Requests to the all-state NASTA network as requested by members; maintain inventory of requests and responses for future referencing
• Maintain rosters for NASTA Executive Advisory Council (EAC) and all-state directories

Key Responsibility 3: 10% - Engage in strategic partnerships and support APHSA communications to advance APHSA’s work on social and economic mobility

• Develop content for APHSA newsletters and publications
• Engage with national partners in the field of social and economic mobility, including researchers, peer associations, advocacy organizations, and industry partners to advance shared goals
• Facilitate and participate in the development of webinars, publications, and other activities in collaboration with partner organizations in consultation with APHSA’s communications team
• With supervisory support, liaison with federal stakeholders within the Administration for Children & Families and Congressional staffers to represent APHSA and its members on social and economic mobility issues
• Attend stakeholder meetings and speak on behalf of APHSA on matters of interest related to social and economic mobility

Key Responsibility 4: 25% - Support the development and implementation of APHSA grants to deepen impact in the field to advance social and economic mobility

• Provide subject matter expertise on APHSA grants supporting learning and implementation of social and economic mobility efforts within state and local agencies
• Develop written products for grants under the direction of a grants lead
• Support grant-funded peer-to-peer learning opportunities for APHSA members
• Participate in meetings with APHSA staff and teaming organizations to coordinate efforts on assigned grant activities

Key Responsibility 5: 10% - Support the planning of APHSA’s Economic Mobility and Well-Being Conference (EMWB)

• Support monthly meetings of conference planning members through the development of agendas and facilitation of discussion
• Lead the inclusion of TANF-related, SNAP E&T-related and Child Support-related content and planning of economic mobility-focused plenary sessions at EMWB
• Lead the review of related APHSA award submissions in coordination with conference planning committee members
• Coordinate with the APHSA Connect team on conference logistics during and in advance of the conference
• Advise on content related to social and economic mobility at other APHSA conferences

Key Responsibility 6: 10% - Other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Minimum of BA/BS degree and 3-5 work experience.
• Exceptional time management skills.
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills, including written and speaking.
• Ability to negotiate and facilitate conflict resolution.
• Ability to demonstrate bipartisan problem-solving.
• Requires some travel to attend APHSA and partner events as needed – 10%-15%

Qualifications

• Minimum three years prior experience in Human Services or related fields such as Health, Housing, or Labor, either in local, state, or federal government services or associated roles in the business and non-profit sector.
• Familiarity with TANF, SNAP Employment & Training, workforce development, asset development, or whole family or two-generation approaches.
• Direct experience administering or participating in these programs and initiatives preferred.
• Experience in collaborating with a broad range of stakeholders and bringing different perspectives together.
• Proven track record of success facilitating meetings and development within a group focused on a specific work body.
• Experience engaging with and including perspectives of multiple communities in the design and administration of project work and knowledge of how concepts of structural racism and bias impact underserved and underrepresented communities.

At APHSA, we value and support the health, well-being and future of our staff. Our benefit package is based on improving employee morale, which fosters a work environment where staff feel they can thrive and feel accomplished. Aside from basic benefits such as employer coverage of health, dental, and vision insurance, we also offer additional employee benefits and perks like these:

• 3% contribution to 401k or ROTH Plan
• Hybrid work environment
• Additional discretionary holidays included with 11 paid holidays
• 20 vacation days
• 15 sick/wellness days
• Disability insurance
• Life Insurance
• FSA (health, dependent, commuter)
• Optional employee-paid benefits (legal, pet insurance, critical illness, accident)

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) is a bipartisan national membership association representing state and local health and human services agencies and the subject matter experts that help execute their mission to improve outcomes for people nationwide.

INSTRUCTIONS: Please submit a resume and cover letter.

This employer participates in E-Verify for employment verification.

The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) is a bipartisan national membership association representing state and local health and human services agencies and the subject matter experts that help execute their mission to improve outcomes for people nationwide. APHSA's dedication to promoting diversity, racial equity, multiculturalism, and inclusion is clearly reflected in how we work and support our members. It is more than a commitment—it is the foundation of how we do what we do. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and recognize that building well-being starts with creating a space where our employees are comfortable bringing their authentic, unique selves to work.

Building on our long-standing relationships with health and human services leaders, we focus on generating pragmatic solutions that advance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities.