California Policy Manager

AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST•Sacramento, CA

5d•$75,000 - $85,000•Remote

About The Position

Join our team as the California Policy Manager, where you'll report to the California Regional Director and take charge in driving policies and programs aimed at preserving agricultural land, fostering regenerative agricultural practices, and ensuring farmers remain on their land. As a pivotal representative of American Farmland Trust (AFT), you'll engage with legislative and administrative leaders to propel our state policy agenda forward. Your role will involve coordinating AFT's engagement in coalitions, support AFT’s National Agricultural Land Network (NALN), and help build the capacity of agricultural land trusts in the state. If you're passionate about agricultural sustainability and policy advocacy, we want to hear from you!

Requirements

Knowledge of California agricultural issues, land use policy, land protection, land access, and resource conservation issues
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Creativity and open minded willingness to grow professionally
Ability to think critically and strategically
Confident self starter and team player
Well organized and disciplined
Ability to understand and communicate complex issues quickly
Sound judgment, discretion and ability to maintain confidentiality
Proven ability to work with efficiency, flexibility, and good humor
Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people
Competency in Office 365, including Microsoft Teams and other web based applications to ensure maximization of team connectivity.
A bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 7 years of related work experience in agriculture and environmental issues, city and regional planning, land protection and land use planning, law, public policy, political science, or other field relevant to policy advocacy and coalition development

Nice To Haves

Direct experience with farming and ranching and/or agricultural conservation easements and land protection desirable but not necessary

Responsibilities

Legislative and Administrative Policy:
Conduct research and help develop AFT’s policy agenda for California
Cultivate relationships with policymakers and their staff
Advocate on relevant state legislation, budgets, and administrative or regulatory policies with state agencies, legislators and other public officials
Collaborate and contribute to AFT’s national policy policies as appropriate and leverage these efforts to support California’s policy agenda
Strategic Partnerships and Coalition Building:
Organize and lead lobby days, briefings, workshops and meetings to advance AFT’s policy agenda
Represent AFT at policy conferences, hearings, and other forums as appropriate
Coordinate the Alliance for California Agricultural Land including the development and execution of a coalition policy strategy.
Land Trust Capacity Building
Coordinate and facilitate agricultural land protection trainings, peer networking and direct assistance for the agricultural land trust community including developing training programs with the National Agricultural Land Network
Communications:
Help produce communications materials, white papers and policy briefs relevant to AFT’s policy agenda and land trust capacity building
As needed, communicate with the media, AFT members, and the public, on policy initiatives, including through social media
Contribute to federal policy briefs, white papers, and policy recommendations
Fundraising:
Provide input on fundraising materials, and attend key funder meetings
Pursue funding opportunities identified by AFT to support ongoing policy work
Administration:
Develop and manage the annual state policy budget and workplan related deliverables process and other project budgets as needed
Provide regular comprehensive state policy updates and recommendations to relevant AFT staff, as appropriate

Benefits

American Farmland Trust offers excellent vacation, medical, retirement and other benefits.
Medical & Prescription Coverage
Dental Coverage
Vision Coverage
Company Paid Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability (LTD)
Voluntary Life Insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Healthcare & Dependent Care
Health Savings Account (HSA)
401(k) with 10% match after six months of employment
Sick Leave: Regular full time employees accrue 3.5 hours per pay period (13 “sick days” per year).
Vacation Leave: Accrue 15 days during the first year increasing by one day per year to 20 days per year
Holidays: The Company observes eleven holidays during the year (all offices closed): plus, choice of 3 other floating holidays depending on hiring date